REBEKAH LONG

REBEKAH LONG
HERE I AM

LUK Records
LUK 1001

Rebekah Long is one of the folks that the old saw applies to that goes something like this: “After nearly decades in the music business, she has become an overnight success.” She has just released her first solo album, Here I Am, but has known her way around the bluegrass scene for a long time. A glance at the album cover may bring on the idea that she has a familiar face, and that’s because many may have heard of her well-known twin sister, Lizzy Long. Rebekah spent time touring with Little Roy Lewis & Lizzy, as well as pulling time on bass with Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike. She made her behind the scenes “bones” with the legendary Dixie Hall, working as recording engineer, graphic designer, and contributing musically and vocally to the lauded Daughters Of Bluegrass box set.

On Here I Am, Long showcases her sound, but she doesn’t step out alone. Banjo player Scott Vestal, mandolinist Jesse Brock, guitarist Dustin Benson, and fiddler/reso-guitarist Justin Moses contribute to a high-quality sound, with Donna Ulisse and Rick Stanley as producers. There are plenty of honors stacked up for that crew.

Information from the record label highlights “I  Know This Town,” which is a fine tune, but shouldn’t over shadow the title track or “I Washed My Face In The Morning Dew” written with Tom T. Hall. Dixie Hall gets a nod in tribute with “Miss Dixie Deen,” and there are covers of “Fightin’ Side Of Me” as well as “Somebody’s Knocking,” not typically seen given a bluegrass twist. Overall, it’s certainly a strong debut with crisp, clean vocals. (www.lukrecords.com)MKB