LYNDA DAWSON AND PATTIE HOPKINS, TRADITIONAL DUETS

LYNDA DAWSON AND PATTIE HOPKINS
TRADITIONAL DUETS

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   Their bluegrass band, Kickin’ Grass, was supposed to showcase at IBMA in 2012, but the rest of the band couldn’t make it. So Lynda Dawson and Pattie Hopkins decided to perform there as a duo. That led to a tour and now this CD. Dawson plays guitar; Hopkins plays fiddle; and, of course, both sing. They open with Hopkins singing lead on “Long Time Gone” and “A Distant Land To Roam.” Dawson sings lead on the old-time song, “Train On The Island.” On “Sittin’ Alone In The Moonlight,” Hopkins sings lead in the first half, and Dawson sings lead in the second.

Dawson has the higher voice and sings soaring harmonies to Hopkins’ lead. Hopkins has a warm and deeper voice, and the two vocals blend very well. On “Your Lone Journey,” Hopkins’ fiddle is tuned to Dead Man’s Tuning, DDAD, which adds a lovely and still deeper drone sound. She uses that traditional tuning for “Bonaparte’s Retreat” as well, in which part way through she goes into the famous W.M. Stepp version. The other instrumental is “Cheyenne,” which is ably played. One of the highlights of this recording is their rendition of “Blues In My Mind,” in which the harmonies and the fiddle blend into a whole that is much greater than the sum of its parts. “Dark As The Night, Blue As The Day” also stands out. They close with an a cappella gospel song, “Beautiful Hills Of Galilee.” This is a recording which will leave you wanting to hear more, and there’s no higher praise than that. (www.lyndaandpattie.com)SAG