There’s a somewhat cynical saying that suggests those who can do, do, and those who can’t, teach. Fortunately, Professor Dan Boner is one of those individuals who finds it easy to dismiss that erroneous assumption. As director of the East Tennessee State University Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Program, he not only knows the subject, but also has an absolute ability to put it into practice. In addition to giving any number of his former students a start in the modern musical arena, he also has the ability to apply that expertise to his own efforts as well.
Boner’s current album, West of West Virginia, finds him plying his ample talents to an impressive set of songs that originate from his pen, as well as those of others — Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Tim Stafford, Kris Kristofferson, Jim Ed Brown, Tom Paxton, and Becky Buller (whose band he performs with on tour), among others.
As a result, the music found on West of West Virginia is everything one might expect given not only its sources, but also Boner’s abilities and those of his colleagues — Jason Crawford on mandolin, Will Parsons on banjo, David Babb on bass, and Sally Berry and Daniel Salyer on guitars and harmony vocals. Boner himself shares the spotlight with his fiddles, ensuring authenticity through both sound and style. The mournful sentiments of Why Don’t You Tell Me So, the darker desires of Raven Tresses, and the supple sway of Here Today and Gone Tomorrow, find ideal counterpoints in the joy and jubilation that underscore You’re Not Falling Me, and the hopeful Darby’s Castle.
The title track, a contribution from Terry Herd and Tim Stafford, is a standout, telling a story about the migration of Appalachian natives to northern cities where work was more plentiful following the Great Depression. A somber and reflective song, it aptly closes the proceedings.
Happily then, Boner spans a varied array of emotional environs, giving the effort an expansive view of the emotions and engagement modern bluegrass has to offer. A listen to his take on the Tom Paxton’s familiar standard, The Last Thing On My Mind, offers an ideal example; where the original was full of both devotion and despair, Boner and company transform it into an upbeat exhortation about the power of perseverance. On the other hand, words aren’t always needed. A stunning take on Bill Monroe’s rapid fire Roanoke provides a display of instrumental dexterity that’s as dazzling as it is demanding.
All told, Boner serves up a superb selection of songs flush with versatility and variety. That makes West of West Virginia a destination well worth exploring.
