Mountaintop
Don Schlitz (guitar) is an award-winning songwriter who has garnered two Grammys as well as being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. These are just few of his awards as he has written songs for such as Kenny Rogers, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Randy Travis, Keith Whitley, The Sweethearts of the Rodeo, and a host of others.
On this new project of original materiel, he is joined by a number of artists to include Dennis Crouch (bass), Dave Roe (bass), Cody Kilby (guitar), Pat McGrath (guitar), Glen Duncan (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Chris Roberts (guitar, vocals), Casey Campbell (mandolin), Ronnie McCoury (mandolin), Rob McCoury (banjo), Scott Vestal (banjo), Rob Ickes (resonator guitar), Jelly Roll Johnson (harmonica), Aubrey Haynie (fiddle), Wes Hightower (vocals), and Eddie Sanders (vocals).
Schlitz’s selections include reprises on songs that were hits for artists such as Mary Chapin Carpenter (“I Won’t Take Less Than Your Love” and “Not Too Much To Ask”). This recording of “I Won’t Take Less…” includes backing by Del McCoury and Ricky Skaggs. Other remakes include Randy Travis’ “Deeper Than The Holler”, and of course Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler.” Other selections written or co-written by Schlitz include “Bad Decision,” “Red Satin Dress,” “Long Time Ago,” “Suffer A Fool,” “Aunt Jenny’s Blue Dress,” and the title cut “Mountaintop .”
Schltiz’s pleasant voice seamlessly meshes with each of the tunes, backed by the artists who blend bluegrass and country into a nice collection of originals.
