Articles

LARRY SPARKS NEW MOON OVER MY SHOULDER Rebel Records REB-CD-1870 After a five-year hiatus from recording, Larry Sparks proves he hasn’t lost a beat with this stalwart new 12-song collection. New Moon Over My Shoulder is jam-packed with the sort of soulful song interpretation, masterful picking and no-frills authenticity that we’ve come to expect from Sparks over…

TOMMY WEBB BLUEGRASS BOYS Kindred Records 19001 Banjo/fiddle/vocalist Ron Stewart had this to say about Tommy Webb: “Tommy is one of those rare down-to-earth, no sugar-coating talents that comes along once in a great while, that grabs you and makes you listen.” Stewart produced and plays banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar and provides harmony vocals on…

TOMMY THOMPSON: NEW-TIMEY STRING BAND MUSICIAN BY LEWIS M. STERN McFarland Books 9781476675084. Paperback, 247 pp. $39.95. (McFarland Books, P.O. Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640, www.mcfarlandbooks.com.) Another fascinating, thoroughly researched book in the Contributions To Southern Appalachian Studies series. The author Lewis M. Stern is an old-time banjo player and has written for the Old Time Herald and Banjo Newsletter….

SMALL TOWN THERAPY DREAMS AND CIRCUMSTANCE Organic Records OR18192 This violin and mandolin duo is joined from time to time with various guests to fill out their sound. Their sound is a kind of Third Stream acoustic jazz. That is to say there are as many classical references as jazz references in their music. Bluegrass…

THE CADLEYS DUETS AND BALLADS Catiemae Records No Number Songwriter John Cadley and his wife Cathy have released this project of which they call their “favorite songs.” In the studio, The Cadleys are joined by producer Clay Hess (guitar, mandolin, banjo), Irl Hees (bass), John Dancks (bass), Tim Crouch (fiddle), and Randy Kohrs (resonator guitar)….

ALAN BIBEY & GRASSTOWNE GONNA RISE & SHINE Morning Glory Music MGM190524    Morning Glory Music (Mountain Fever Records) has released this first all-gospel recording by Grasstowne, which brings their total album count to five. It’s a very strong result with songs written by several of bluegrass music’s well-known composers, but also one from Alan Bibey…