Articles

MICHAEL BARNETT ONE SONG ROMANCE Compass Records 4624    Virtuosity is its own reward. When achieved, it swirls about and spins a spell over the listener, drawing them in and whirling them through the thrill of it all. Barnett speaks with three voices here; his songs, his fiddle, and his voice. He’s accompanied by his former…

LAURIE AND KATHY SING THE SONGS OF VERN AND RAY  Spruce and Maple Music SMM 1012 Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick are paying tribute to one of the grittiest and greatest duets to ever play bluegrass, Vern Williams and Ray Park. The ladies set aside any niceties and get down to it with some of…

JOE MULLINS & THE RADIO RAMBLER ANOTHER DAY FROM LIFE Rebel Records REB-CD-1859    Those familiar with the recent concert DVD of Joe Mullins saw four-fifths of this current lineup in a performance that featured guitarist/vocalist Duane Sparks early in his band tenure. Sparks has since blended confidently into his role as the principal lead…

SWEETWATER STRING BAND RIVER OF RHYMES No Label No Number    I’ve always loved the different versions of bluegrass that come from around the world and from different parts of America. Yes, there’s always the need for the traditional fires to be kept burning in the bluegrass world. But, a hundred different versions of “John…

CARROLL BEST AND THE WHITE OAK STRING BAND No label No Number    These are field recordings from Hayward County, North Carolina in the 1950s. They are interesting as they reflect the music the musicians most wanted to play and not necessarily the tunes the collector wanted for his research. They capture the time when…

TRUMAN’S RIDGE LOUISIANA SWING No Label No Number    This is the fourth release from Truman’s Ridge. There are 14 tracks. Eight are band originals, while among the remaining six tracks are two Bill Monroe songs (“Dark As The Night And Blue As The Day,” and “Blue And Lonesome”), the “Red Hen Boogie” and the…