DONNIE SCOTT

DONNIE SCOTT
DONNIE DOBRO’S RIDE

Patuxent Music
CD-322

This is real country music. Yes, it has a banjo, but the resonator guitar is the sound of front-porch country. You don’t need an amp, that’s the reason for it in the first place. Mary Dunlap and Elizabeth Baker deliver “End Of Memory Lane.” This is followed by Scott’s laid-back approach to “Foggy Mountain Rock,” which swings rather than rocks and features some fine guitar playing by Brennen Ernst. Things light a fire when they crank up on the old gospel number “Over In The Gloryland.” Singing credits are not really clear, but the vocals are clearly above average and just plain great on this number.

This project is rich with 14 tracks that run from Jimmy Martin’s “Big Country” to the old staple “Maple On The Hill” to a beautifully sleazy “St. Louis Blues.” There are four Scott originals here along with some Western Swing (“Right Or Wrong” with its twin fiddles and great lead vocal). The great old country tune “My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You” is handled as an instrumental with a solid country shuffle.

Throughout, the host of musicians add rich textures and great touches to the project. Mark Delaney shines on the banjo, as does Taylor Baker on mandolin when they take “Big Country” up a notch. Nate Leath and Casey Driscoll trade off on the fiddles while Fred Mock and Ben Silcox handle the bass throughout the project. Scott’s playing is solid. While he strikes no new ground, he manages to create some excitement along the way. The very apt and timely inclusion of Woody Guthrie’s ode to immigrant workers, “Pastures Of Plenty,” smolders with bluesy backup from Scott and the understated presence of Elizabeth Baker’s clawhammer banjo. Scott finds himself in good company bringing tasteful renditions to each piece of music without hot licks, but with soulful renditions of a wide range of real country music. (Patuxent Music, 409 N. Stonestreet Ave., Rockville, MD 20850, www.pxrec.com.)RCB