Reviews

THE KARL SHIFLETT AND BIG COUNTRY SHOW LIVE FROM THE JERUSALEM RIDGE BLUEGRASS CELEBRATION Cumberland Highlander Productions continues offering quality DVDs of performances aired on its RFD-TV television program, this one featuring two complete shows (two DVDs), thirty songs in all by the Karl Shiflett and Big Country Show. One is from 2009 with mandolinist…

RICHARD D. HENRY I HAD A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS Here is a project of original gospel songs by Henry, who has put together a dozen songs that make for an interesting and musical program. Henry sings lead with a trio of backup singers: Mike Fuller, Tony King, and Gene McDonald. All but two songs…

PATENT PENDING NOT A DAY GOES BY Tuscarora Records TR-0421 Patent Pending has been a long-running bluegrass band in and around Northern Virginia and West Virginia. This latest recording is an important milestone in their illustrious music career. The core group of musicians has been together for several years and is currently Eldred Hill (guitar…

NOTORIOUS THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS Black Socks Press CD 28 Notorious is an interesting and eclectic folk ensemble built around the duo of fiddler/singer Eden MacAdam-Somer and guitarist/banjoist Larry Unger. Their full-sized band adds mandolinist Sam Bartlett and Mark Hellenberg on percussion and banjo uke. They cover an interesting range of tunes and songs from…

NORMAN BLAKE GREEN LIGHT ON THE SOUTHERN Plectrafone Records 824761-42812-1 When you are as talented as Norman Blake, nothing is needed in the studio but a guitar and microphone. Blake, who retired from the road with his wife Nancy three years ago, recorded some of the old-fashioned Southern string music that he plays around home….

KIRK SUTPHIN & RILEY BAUGUS LONG-TIME PIEDMONT PALS Old Blue Records OB CD-705 You can’t be more long-time friends than growing up in the same town and playing music together from the time you were young. Riley and Kirk are part of the living aural tradition, the true vine of old-time music. They learned from…