Reviews

FRANK SOLIVAN AND DIRTY KITCHEN ON THE EDGE Compass Records 746022 With their second release, Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen could now be reaching the kind of name recognition that puts them into any conversation about the elite contemporary bands. Their debut, which hit the bluegrass charts and launched a single, “Driftin’ Apart,” to number…

DAVE ADKINS AND REPUBLIK STEELE THAT’S JUST THE WAY I ROLL Rural Rhythm RUR-1112 I have heard of Dave Adkins over the last year or so, and I’ve seen Republik Steele’s name on a few festival fliers. But I admittedly didn’t focus on Adkins’ talent until I heard his voice on the recent Rural Rhythm…

LOCUST HONEY STRING BAND HE AIN’T NO GOOD No Label No Number This band features Chloe Edmonstone on fiddle, vocals, and guitar, Ariel Dixon on banjo, vocals, and guitar, Meredith Watson on guitar, vocals, resonator guitar, and banjo, and Andy Deaver Edmonstone on bass. With their opening number, Benton Flippen’s “Sally In The Turnip Patch,”…

FLATT LONESOME Pisgah Ridge Records PRI4402 If you are looking for a young group of musicians intent on carrying on the good old-fashioned bluegrass music tradition, then Flatt Lonesome is worth a look. The core of Flatt Lonesome came from the gospel bluegrass band Sandy Creek Revival led by Pastor Dolton Robertson and his wife,…

MONROE CROSSING THE ROAD HAS NO END No Label MC 1212 The Road Has No End is another solid effort from Minnesota-based Monroe Crossing. With Lisa Fuglie on fiddle, David Robinson on banjo, Mark Anderson on bass, Derek Johnson on guitar, and Matt Thompson on mandolin, the band does nine originals by bandmembers (all of…

DON RIGSBY DOCTOR’S ORDERS: A TRIBUTE TO RALPH STANLEY Rebel Records REB CD 1981 For long-time Don Rigsby fans, the story is oft-told. Though surrounded by many wonderful and soon-to-be famous musicians—from Larry Cordle to Keith Whitley to Ricky Skaggs—while growing up in eastern Kentucky, Rigsby developed a love for the music of Ralph Stanley…