John Curtis Goad, Author at Bluegrass Today

Weep Little Willow – Larry Stephenson Band

If you’re looking for clear, high lead vocals in today’s bluegrass community, one of the first voices to come to mind likely will be Larry Stephenson. Stephenson has been producing quality traditional bluegrass music for close to forty years – almost thirty of those with his own Larry Stephenson Band. The latest release from the group, Weep Little Willow, is their third album for Stephenson’s Whysper Dream Music. It’s a solid mixture of newer songs from top bluegrass songwriters and tracks pulled from classic artists like Bill Monroe and Mac Wiseman.

The album opens with Yesterday’s Gone, a song that was originally written and recorded by 1960s British folk-pop duo Chad & Jeremy. It’s been added to a number of bluegrass and country repertoires since then, however, and the Larry Stephenson Band provides a fine mid-tempo version with crisp harmonies. It does retain a bit of a sixties feel – think the Osborne Brothers, who recorded the song in 1965. The Delmore Brothers’ Midnight Train takes it back a little farther, to what some folks refer to as “pre-bluegrass.” Stephenson makes sure his cut is firmly in the bluegrass world – with Kenny Ingram’s commanding banjo setting the song’s tone, and tasty fiddle from guest Aubrey Haynie, it’s one of the more driving tracks on the album.

Mac Wiseman’s Free Me From This Old Chain Gang, a strong “prison song,” is one of the album’s highlights. It’s sung from the perspective of a man who has finally made it back to the woman he loves after several years on a chain gang. There’s a story to be told here – with a bit of a twist to it – and Stephenson ensures listeners are hanging on until the last verse. Nail My Shoes to the Floor, from Bill Anderson, offers an alternative to the traditional rambling number. It’s a well-written song that finds the singer begging his wife to do whatever she can to keep him at home: “I’ve spent the better part of my life walking in and out of yours… now something tells me you won’t let me leave but one more time, so before my feet start walking, tie ‘em down.” Stephenson adds a fun mandolin line to the song.

The album’s title track, Weep Little Willow, is a tearjerker penned by Donna Ulisse and Rick Stanley, bringing to mind Patches, another of Stephenson’s signature songs. The tale of a young girl living on the streets and a kind stranger that offers her help, it suits Stephenson’s voice well. He fills the song with tenderness and a gentle spirit, fitting the lyrics nicely. Ruby’s Purse is sure to bring memories rushing in. Set to Ingram’s smoothly rolling banjo, it’s a tribute to an object that can sum up many a beloved grandma – a big purse filled with everything from “Band-Aids to crayons to hard candy” and “a First Baptist Church Sunday prayer list.”

The band gives a classic country feel to Randall Hylton’s It Almost Feels Like Love. The group’s tight harmonies are on display here, as is Ingram’s sense of taste and timing. Also enjoyable is Sweet Little Darling (Don’t You Cry), a new number with a classic sound written by Billy Smith and Jon Weisberger. There’s a bit of Jimmy Martin swagger to the song, and a nice guitar solo from Kevin Richardson.

Weep Little Willow is a characteristically strong effort from the Larry Stephenson Band, with a fine selection of songs and solid instrumental performances from Stephenson, Ingram, Richardson, and bass player Matt Wright. Much of the album has a throwback vibe, as if the group was channeling bluegrass bands of the fifties and sixties – definitely a good thing, in my opinion. Stephenson has a firm grip on the traditional style, and he and his band put it on full display here.

For more information on the Larry Stephenson Band, visit them online at www.larrystephensonband.com. Their new album is available from several online music retailers.

Things We Do For Dreams – Trinity River Band

Since making the decision to pursue music full-time in 2011, Callahan, Florida’s Harris family – better known as Trinity River Band – has experienced quite a run of success. With songs like Better than Blue, How Blue, and Rusty Old American Dream receiving frequent airplay on bluegrass radio, and attention on the national charts, the group has quickly earned itself the respect of fans and critics alike. Their latest album, Things We Do For Dreams, was recently released on Orange Blossom Records and just might be their best effort yet.

Riding the powerhouse voice of mandolin player and eldest sister Sarah Harris, the album’s lead single, Come Back Train, became the group’s first number one single earlier this year. Written by Jerry Salley and Cassidy Lynn Alexander, it’s a fiery song that finds the singer begging a train to bring back the man who left her behind. Kudos to younger sister Brianna and brother Joshua for their commanding fiddle and banjo playing on this track. Sarah’s mandolin kicks off another strong track, the much more mellow Me and Jolene, a sweet story about the bond between two sisters from the pens of Kim Fox and Brandon Rickman. The lyrics here are made especially poignant coming from a family band, and the ladies’ harmonies are pure and clear.

Another highlight is the country-tinged cover of Dolly Parton’s Silver and Gold, a Gospel song written by Carl Perkins. You can hear a touch of Dolly’s earnestness in Sarah’s vocals as she sings a powerful message shared by an old man on the street: “Silver and gold might buy you a home, but things of this world, they won’t last you long… And time can’t be bought back with silver and gold.” It’s easily my favorite song on the album. The Promised Land is a similarly sincere number. From the title, I was expecting a straightforward Gospel song, but there’s a twist – the singer (this time, dad Mike) has strayed far from his small-town roots and upbringing in his mother’s church, and is longing to return. Mike gives the song a strong sense of regret; you can hear the yearning in his voice.

Right Where She Left Him will likely tug at the heartstrings of many listeners. It’s a very well-written number from Kim Fox and Craig Market about a man who can’t bear to leave the home he shared with his late wife. With a simple, gentle contemporary arrangement and thoughtful details about the memories made by a sewing machine, it’s a bittersweet love story. The Mirror is another song filled with memories. Using a mirror from her grandparents’ home as a metaphor for moments spent with loved ones, the singer ultimately realizes that “there’s more in that mirror than just me.” Brianna takes the lead on this track, offering heartfelt vocals.

Time’s a Crooked Thing, written by Irene Kelley and Becky Buller, has a bluesy vibe, a sound Trinity River Band has proven they enjoy on their previous albums. Mike sets the tone with his guitar opening, while mom Lisa provides groove with a neat bass line. Slightly on the more traditional side of things – modern traditional, that is – is My Own Worst Enemy, one of three originals from Sarah on this project. With gritty lead vocals and ominous lyrics, it’s certainly one of the darker tracks here. Fans of nineties grass should enjoy the title track, with its “follow your dreams” theme and Highway 40 Blues vibe.

Though Trinity River Band has always offered solid contemporary bluegrass to their fans, Things We Do For Dreams strikes me as their strongest album to date. Many of the group’s radio hits have provided opportunities for vocal and instrumental acrobatics, but they are at their best (in my opinion) on the thoughtful, more melodic numbers like Me and Jolene, Silver and Gold, and Right Where She Left Him. However, the song selection here is strong, and the instrumentation is top-notch. I was pleased to hear the mixture of voices on the album – the group is packed with fine singers, and we get to hear each of them play to their strengths. The band should earn plenty of new fans with this recording.

For more information on Trinity River Band, visit them online at www.trinityriverband.com. Their new album is available from several music retailers.

All the Rage, Volume One – Rhonda Vincent & the Rage

Even if you get to see your favorite band multiple times a year, it’s still a treat when they release a live album. If done right, live albums capture bands at the top of their game. They’re filled with hits, fan favorites, and perhaps a new track or two, and they showcase all the best elements of the group – their crystal-clear harmonies, instrumental wizardry, or the like. The new live album from Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, All the Rage, Volume One, checks off each of those boxes.

Recorded at Bethel University in McKenzie, TN, All the Rage includes fourteen tracks that not only highlight Vincent’s powerhouse vocals, but also allow each member of her band to step out in front for a song or two. From the energetic drive of opening track Muleskinner Blues to the reverential tones of The Old Rugged Cross, the group keeps both the live audience and CD listeners thoroughly engaged throughout the concert.

Muleskinner Blues is an excellent opening choice. Fueled by Aaron McDaris’s powerful banjo and Mickey Harris’s forceful bass playing, the song kicks things off with plenty of momentum. It’s followed by well-written tribute song Is the Grass Any Bluer (On the Other Side), which Vincent sings with plenty of feeling – even brand-new listeners would be well-aware of her respect for the Father of Bluegrass. Other hits from the band’s repertoire include Kentucky Borderline, written by Vincent and Bluegrass Today’s own Terry Herd, and rendered here with ample vigor, and You Don’t Love God (If You Don’t Your Neighbor), with its fine Scruggs-style guitar and earnest vocals.

Much like the band’s regular live shows, this concert features the members of the Rage performing their own fan favorites. Guitar player Josh Williams is featured on Freeborn Man, which has been one of his signature songs for years. Fans of his picking will enjoy the guitar acrobatics at the beginning of the number. Hunter Berry’s fiddling here is also of note. Berry himself is spotlighted on Wow Baby, a fiddle tune he composed several years back. It’s a fiery tune with a frenetic pace that has the audience cheering throughout. Another instrumental comes courtesy of McDaris. The rollicking All About the Banjo maintains the style of much of the rest of the album – high-energy and full of drive. Brent Burke, who has a clear, country-style voice and is no slouch on the resophonic guitar, either, takes the mic for a fine version of Girl from West Virginia, while bass player Mickey Harris sings his own Gospel composition, the classic-sounding If We Would Just Pray. Harris’s playing is solid as a rock throughout the album, and on this song, he reminds listeners that he’s a strong vocalist, as well.

Other highlights here include two excellent lost love numbers, Missouri Moon and I’ve Forgotten You. In contrast to most of the album, these two songs are slower, with more subdued instrumentation and an acoustic country feel. Vincent can belt it with the best of them, but she’s also skilled at wistful heartbreak numbers like these. Missouri Moon is a more straightforward break-up song – “Who would ever thought we’d end this way, as I watch you go the tears are rolling down my face” – while I’ve Forgotten You approaches the theme with a twist. “I’ve been hanging out with Elvis, and all my bills are paid, and they’re giving away Cadillacs for free. The whole world gets along,” Vincent sings, “And I haven’t thought about you once since you’ve been gone.”

All the Rage – Volume One is a very satisfying album that truly captures the musical spirit of Rhonda Vincent & the Rage. Fans of the band will enjoy the live experience coming through their speakers at home (though it is minus much of the stage patter you’d likely hear at an in-person concert), and for those who prefer the visuals of a concert, there’s also a DVD version of the album. Vincent plans to release the rest of the performance, at which they recorded nearly thirty tracks, as a second volume CD/DVD set at some point in the near future.

All the Rage – Volume One is available now from a variety of music retailers. For more information on Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, visit their website at www.rhondavincent.com.

Our Top 10 bluegrass songs for Christmas

We’ve carved the turkey. We’ve packed up the leftovers, and got them back out fifteen minutes later to finish off. We’ve fought through the crowds at Wal-Mart to score a good deal on a TV, and checked our phones every five minutes to see what Cyber Monday had to offer. After all that, we’re ready to settle in for a long winter’s nap. But wait – there’s more! Christmas is just around the corner, and it’s time to deck the halls… and the living room, and the kitchen, and the porch, and the yard (my favorite is those people who leave their icicle lights up year round). However, if your mood right now is more If We Make It Through December and less Joy to the World, we’ve got just the fix.

Here are ten of our favorite bluegrass Christmas songs to get you in the holiday spirit.

Beautiful Star of Bethlehem

One of the few Christmas songs with Appalachian roots, Beautiful Star of Bethlehem is often attributed to A.L. Phipps of Knox County in southeastern Kentucky. Most sources say Middle Tennessee native R. Fisher Boyce wrote the lyrics, but Phipps, who played Carter Family-style music with his family band, is credited with the arrangement so beloved by bluegrass groups. Larry Sparks, Rhonda Vincent, Patty Loveless, and others have recorded it, but my favorite has to be the classic Ralph Stanley version from 1977’s Clinch Mountain Gospel.

White Christmas – Larry Sparks

Sparks sings the heck out of this holiday classic. There’s a tear in his voice and soul in his guitar, and I could listen to it all day. The only two instruments on the track are bass and Sparks’ guitar, which makes his bluesy solo all the more noteworthy.

I’m Going Home, It’s Christmas Time – Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys

Going home is a favorite theme in bluegrass music, and what better time to do it than at Christmas? Ernie Thacker sings lead on this track from the now out-of-print Christmas Time with Ralph Stanley, and though the lyrics are fairly simple, they’re heartfelt and sincere: “Dad has trimmed the Christmas tree, and the pathway home, it welcomes me.”

Christmas Time at Home – Rhonda Vincent

Rhonda has included this on both of her Christmas albums, and it’s a dandy. It has more of a contemporary, acoustic country flavor than most of the other songs on this list, a hopeful feel, and a catchy list-style chorus that is guaranteed to be stuck in your head throughout the holiday season.

The Friendly Beasts – Johnson Mountain Boys

The Johnson Mountain Boys give the Christmas story a different spin in this traditional carol. The various animals gathered at Jesus’s birth share how they contributed on that famous night – the donkey carried his mother, the cow provided a manger, the sheep’s wool made a blanket, etc. It’s a sweet song, and a good one for kids.

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Colors & Crossroads – Sideline

Though Sideline was originally formed as a side project for several prominent musicians during the winter bluegrass off-season, the group has become a full-fledged touring and recording act. There have been a few changes to the band’s lineup, but they’ve maintained a driving, traditional sound that has earned them a devoted fan base. Their third album, Colors & Crossroads, has just been released from Mountain Fever Records.

Opening the album is Chris Jones’s Uphill Climb, kicked off with Steve Dilling’s crisp banjo and a bit of dobro from Brad Hudson. It’s a textbook example of the popular modern traditional style. The band has a full, tight sound – there are no wasted notes. Mandolin player Brian Aldridge gives it his all on the lead vocals; he has an energetic, smooth voice that fits this song well. You Don’t Know What You Got Till It’s Gone has a similar feel. Written by Tommy Long, the title sums up the lyrics well. The singer’s woman has left him, and he realized how much he needed her just a little too late. Nathan Aldridge’s fiddle solo is a particular highlight.

Aldridge’s fiddle sets the tone for the band’s cover of Del McCoury’s This Kind of Life, an older song from Del’s Dixie Pals days. It’s a well-written number that finds the singer tired of the rambling life: “This old road, it just keeps getting longer. This kind of life is not for me.” Kudos to the group for digging this one out of the bluegrass catalog – it’s one of my favorites on this album. Another old number, though probably more familiar to most listeners, is Unwanted Love. Reno & Smiley wrote it, but it’s perhaps most associated with the Johnson Mountain Boys, and Sideline has brought in Dudley Connell to guest on their version. Connell is excellent, as always, and the band finds the right groove and stays there throughout the song.

The title track, penned by Brink Brinkman, has a gentler melody than most of the rest of the album, with an acoustic country feel. It’s a detailed ode to the beauty of fall in the mountains guided by melodic guitar. The Blame could also be called acoustic country, and was in fact originally recorded by late eighties country group Highway 101. Highway 101’s cut is heavy with steel guitar, which Sideline replaces with wistful fiddle. It’s a solid number about lost love, with a clever turn of phrase in the chorus: “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you lay the blame.” Other highlights here are a gritty Darlin’ Corey, with clawhammer banjo from Skip Cherryholmes and unflinching lead vocals from Hudson, and Gospel track Lord of All Men, which finds Cherryholmes, who sings earnestly and enthusiastically, taking over on lead. Dilling, whose banjo throughout the album is completely on point, seems to be particularly channeling J.D. Crowe here.

Sideline’s first album depended mostly on hard-driving, amped up versions of classic bluegrass songs. It worked, thanks to a great cast of musicians and fans’ enduring love for traditional bluegrass. On Colors & Crossroads, it seems like the group has broadened its horizons a bit. Dilling, Cherryholmes, Hudson, Brian Aldridge, Nathan Aldridge, and Jason Moore (whose bass work is, as always, among the best in bluegrass) have combined lesser-known tracks with a handful of new songs to create a very well-rounded album. If you’re looking for tasteful modern traditional grass, add Sideline’s Colors & Crossroads to your list.

For more information on Sideline, visit them online at www.sidelinebg.com. Their new album is available from several online retailers.

The Banjo Files – Jacob Underwood

The banjo is arguably the core of bluegrass music. For many folks, it’s the key to whether or not a song or album can be considered bluegrass. I’ve heard many a traditionalist despair that it’s been all downhill since Manzanita. Fear not, fans of Scruggs style, for there are plenty of up-and-coming musicians ready to keep the five alive. Jacob Underwood, the banjo player for Illinois-based group Bluegrass Express, is fine evidence of this fact. He recently released his second solo album, The Banjo Files.

Underwood has included ten tracks on The Banjo Files, all instrumentals. It certainly helps that’s he surrounded by some of bluegrass music’s best musicians – Steve Thomas, Justin Moses, and Matt Wallace form his core band, with assistance from Sierra Hull, Ron Stewart, and others – but he’s no slouch on the banjo, himself. Underwood’s playing is crisp and tasteful, and he does a fine job at finding the tune’s melody and sticking with it. His picking leans firmly into the traditional side of things (you won’t find any eight-minute jam sessions here), though several of the tracks have a lighter, more contemporary feel.

Four tunes are originals from Underwood. Opening track B-5 is full of modern traditional drive, reminiscent of something you might hear from Volume Five or even the Boxcars. It’s a powerful song, with a chugging rhythm and strong solos, including some snazzy mandolin work from Hull. Turbulence has a classic bluegrass foundation, but Underwood also plays around a bit with the tune’s melody and gets to use his D-tuners. It’s one of two songs that features Underwood’s dad Greg on electric bass, which gives the track a good groove. The other electric bass number is Banjoology, on which Underwood handles not only banjo duties but also throws in some impressive mandolin solos. The final original is the easygoing, mid-tempo November Wind. Underwood’s banjo sets the song’s wistful mood, which is also captured perfectly by Moses on resophonic guitar.

Five-string aficionados should enjoy the double banjo version of Bully of the Town, which features Mike Scott playing harmony and a brief solo, and also includes some first-rate fiddling from Thomas. There’s also a fine version of Gold Rush, with triple duty from Underwood. In addition to banjo, he offers up a mandolin solo in the spirit of Bill Monroe and straight-forward guitar. Straying from the bluegrass canon a bit is the cheerful and gently rolling, When You’re Smiling.

Rounding out the album are three instrumental versions of Gospel songs. Underwood proves his talent at locating a song’s melody on the thoughtful What a Friend We Have in Jesus. Clocking in at about a minute and a half, it’s a showcase for the banjo. Thomas’s fiddle traces the melody line throughout the background of Softly and Tenderly, then steps into the spotlight for an impressive solo. When the Saints Go Marching In is a fun, traditional romp with a propulsive rhythm set by Underwood’s banjo and Wallace’s bass.

Fans of Scruggs-style banjo should find much to enjoy when they search through The Banjo Files. Underwood shows an ear for composing, with Turbulence and November Wind particular highlights, and also handles himself well on new interpretations of older tunes.

For more information on Jacob Underwood and his new album, visit the Bluegrass Express website at www.bluegrassexpressband.com.

Most Welcome – Branded Bluegrass

Wilson Pickins Promotions has been adding bands to its roster like wildfire throughout 2016, creating a lineup of up-and-coming groups whose sound falls mostly in the modern traditional vein. Branded Bluegrass signed on with Wilson Pickins earlier this year, just in time for the release of the band’s second album, Most Welcome. Produced by Clay Hess, the record offers up a mixture of original songs from guitar player Larry Norfleet alongside bluegrass and country covers.

The album opens with one of Larry’s songs, the banjo-heavy Ramblin’ Boy Blues. A working man’s wish for a little more time to do things he enjoys, it’s a nice introduction to the band and their traditional-leaning sound. Also from Larry’s pen is Come Back Little Darlin’, a mid-tempo number that’s a nice stylistic homage to bluegrass standards. Larry sings lead here, as well, with an earnest pleading in his voice as he as hopes for reconciliation with the woman he loves. Another original, Judgment Day, is one of the album’s highlights, with its dark feel and stark arrangement punctuated by Jesse Norfleet’s dobro and traditional mandolin from Tristen Norfleet. It’s a Gospel song with a slightly different flavor than what you hear on most bluegrass albums, reminding listeners that we shouldn’t judge others based on their outward appearance.

Of the covers, one of the best is perhaps also one of the most unlikely. Country artist Clay Walker took If I Could Make a Living Out Of Loving You to number one in 1994; his version is fun nineties novelty country. Branded Bluegrass transforms it into a strong, upbeat bluegrass song with bouncy banjo from Derek Dillman. I would have never really picked this song as one that would transfer well to bluegrass, but it does, and is probably very enjoyable live. Also a bit unexpected is All I Have to Do is Dream, made famous by the Everly Brothers and written by Boudleaux Bryant. The vocals are soft and serene, reminiscent of the original, but they’re set to a more progressive sound than most of the rest of the album, thanks to Jesse’s banjo playing. It’s not 1-4-5 drive by any means, but it’s a neat updating of the song.

Many bluegrass fans will recognize Dream of Me, perhaps from Vern Gosdin’s 1980s recording, or Josh Williams’ more recent bluegrass version. Branded Bluegrass sticks pretty close to Williams’ arrangement, though they’ve sped it up just a bit. It’s a well-written love song with sincere lead vocals from Larry. Tristen provides lead on Vince Gill’s All Prayed Up, a solid traditional bluegrass Gospel cut. This is the only four-part harmony on the album, and the band members’ voices mix well, sounding especially strong on the a capella chorus at the end of the song. Guest Gil Benson gives the song a little extra sparkle with his fiddle.

With Most Welcome, listeners are given a taste of a group that seemingly has a strong respect for traditional bluegrass but isn’t afraid to mix it up a little when the feeling strikes them. Larry Norfleet (guitar and mandolin), Tristen Norfleet (mandolin, bass, guitar), Jesse Norfleet (dobro, banjo), Derek Dillman (banjo), and Mike Martin (bass) obviously enjoy what they do here, and fans of modern traditional grass most likely will, as well.

For more information on Branded Bluegrass, visit them online at www.brandedbluegrass.com. Their new album is available from several online music retailers.

Somewhere in the Middle – Robert Mabe

I wasn’t sure what to expect upon encountering a bluegrass album that featured an “intro” and “outro” on the track listing. Would there be spoken word tracks? Some kind of wild and crazy instrumentation? Was this a bluegrass opera and I just hadn’t realized it? Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Intro and Outro, the opening and closing tracks on banjo player Robert Mabe’s debut solo album Somewhere in the Middle, simply serve as inventive instrumental bookends to an interesting progressive bluegrass record.

Mabe, who holds down the banjo spot in West Virginia-based Drymill Road, has put together a capable crew of musicians to support him here, and they handle both jam-heavy musical interludes and more straightforward tunes with equal ease. With Patrick McAvinue (fiddle), Clay Jones (guitar), David Shepherd (bass), and Jack Dunlap (mandolin) as the core band, the picking throughout the album is clever, clear, and crisp.

After Intro, a brief taste of banjo and bowed bass, the band kicks into high gear with the medley What You Deserve/Into the Sun. The first half of the track is a strong progressive-leaning number with an angry edge; Mabe tells of a woman who only comes around late at night, and the man who always gives in. At about the three minute mark, the song transforms into an all-out jam guided by Mabe’s banjo and McAvinue’s fiddle. McAvinue also gives a strong performance on Molly, a cheery-sounding number about a country boy who falls for a girl who loves the city lights. His fiddling is bright and confident throughout the track.

Two songs speak of bottles, though with very different stories. The succinctly-titled Bottle is an upbeat number about the ways liquor has led the singer astray: “I try to make things right, but it gets harder every day.” Bottle of Tears lopes along at an easier pace, lamenting a heartbreak but pledging to move on. The song has an enjoyable melody, and the musicians work very well here to create a more restrained feel than most of the other songs on the album.

Mabe duets with wife Jillian on Black Waterside, an old Irish number set to backing guitar from Buddy Dunlap. Jillian sings with a bit of a lilt to her voice, fitting the song’s background and setting. The sparse arrangement brings to mind an ancient balladeer singing to a rapt audience in olden times, which gives the song a neat, authentic vibe. It’s one of only two on the album not written by Mabe. The other is the instrumental Music for a Found Harmonium, which incorporates two other Irish tunes, Musical Priest and Merry Blacksmith. It’s truly an excellent instrumental, lively and engaging, filled with impressive work from all the musicians and again guided by Mabe and McAvinue.

Robert Mabe may not be an extremely familiar name to the wider world of bluegrass, but his work here is top-notch. He is a very talented banjo player, and he’s also a strong singer, with a pleasant, steady voice. He has surrounded himself with high caliber, high energy musicians that make many of the songs here fun listening experiences. I’d definitely like to see what this group is like live.

For more information on Robert Mabe, visit his website at www.robertsbanjo.com. His new album is available now from Frogtown Music and to radio programmers at Airplay Direct.

A Distant Horizon – Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome

A Distant Horizon, the new album from southwest Virginia’s Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome, proves at least one thing: the band takes its name to heart. Many of the songs here contemplate loss – of chances, of a home, and of life, to name a few. Shot through with dark, angry banjo and guided by Brown’s unique voice, a world-weary mixture of Ralph Stanley and Larry Sparks, A Distant Horizon is full of the stuff traditional bluegrass is made of.

One of several highlights is opening track A Better Game, a banjo-heavy number about a man who’s tired of his lot in life. It’s a strong, well-written “leaving song” from the pens of Scott Patrick and Jeff McClellan – feeling trapped in eastern Kentucky, the singer heads south to “rest a while and bet on something new.” Back Home to Tennessee is the exact opposite, in story as well as in sound. It’s wistful and melodic, allowing Brown to drift through memories of a youth spent in Tennessee and a wish to return to the place he holds so dear. Brown co-wrote this song with Gary Ferguson, whose previous songwriting credits include Sparks’ hit Last Day at Gettysburg.

What a Man Has to Do is another collaboration between Brown and Ferguson, with the addition of Chuck Murphy. Though technically a coal mining song, it’s truly an ode to blue collar workers in any profession, lamenting a world where “it’s all take and no givin’.” Nick Goad opens the track with some great traditional mandolin. Soul of a Mountain Man shares a similar tale of a life built on hard work, though it’s Mitch Walker’s gritty banjo that sets this song’s tone. Written by Brown and Cumberland Gap Connection’s Mike Bentley, the song is likely to strike a chord with listeners in Brown’s home region. The mountain theme continues with Appalachia is My Name, which contains one of my favorite lines on the album – referring to outsiders who come into the region and often misinterpret the culture, Brown sings “they’re gonna tell the world all about me, but they can’t even pronounce my name.”

Shadow in the Pines is an eerie railroad ghost story, sung by Brown with an appropriate amount of mystery in his voice. On the more cheerful side of things is Back When the Bluegrass Was Green, a peppy nod to the foundations of the genre from Wayne Taylor, Tim Stafford, and Kim Williams. Taylor guests on lead vocals, harmonizing nicely in a duet with Brown, and Adam Haynes contributes twin fiddles that the Father of Bluegrass would have surely appreciated.

Gospel number When the Water’s Too High, featuring nice lead guitar work from Brown’s son Austin (who also holds down the bass position in the band), is one of the album’s standout tracks. Brown takes on a reassuring, calming tone as he reminds listeners that even in the moments when they’re completely overwhelmed, the Lord is close by. Also worth repeated listens is the cover of Waylon Jennings’ You Ask Me To, which translates from honky tonk to modern traditional bluegrass really well. Crisp banjo from former band member Eli Gilbert mixes well with Kyle Murphy’s fiddling, while resonator guitar from guest Gaven Largent adds an extra kick.

Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome have traditional bluegrass down pat, and they’ve chosen a number of well-written songs in the classic bluegrass vein to include here. This group knows exactly what kind of sound they want to get from the music they create, and they do a fine job with their chosen style.

For more information on Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome, visit their website at www.jeffbrownandstilllonesome.com. Their new album is available now from Union House Records.

The Road Back Home – Tony Rook

With so many subgenres and genre mixes and edge-of-this-or-that’s out there, sometimes it’s nice to just sit back and listen to straight-ahead bluegrass with a prominent five string and songs of heartbreak, hard work, and the mountains. That’s just about exactly what listeners get with The Road Back Home, the debut album from multi-instrumentalist and singer Tony Rook.

Rook, a native of North Carolina who currently makes his home in Minnesota, has performed with several regional groups over the past few decades and currently plays guitar for Dick Kimmel & Co. On The Road Back Home, he’s featured not only on guitar, but also provides banjo and bass on a handful of songs and sings lead throughout the album. Rook also gets to show off his songwriting prowess – he contributed eight originals to the project.

One of those originals starts the album off on a high note. I’ll Make Time is an upbeat toe-tapper about a man who’s trying his best to convince a waitress to come home with him, even promising to wait for her for an eternity. Graham Sones, one of Rook’s Dick Kimmel & Co. bandmates, provides nice, steady banjo, while Matt Flinner’s bright mandolin adds a bit of pep to the song. Lauralee is a reflective, gently rolling Civil War number, sung from the perspective of a Confederate soldier beginning to doubt he’ll ever return home. Rook has a hint of weariness in his voice here that suits the lyrics well. He switches gears for Appalachian Springtime, a pleasant slice-of-life song that rejoices in heading to the hills for a favorite music festival – most likely MerleFest, based on a few lyrical hints.

Another well-written song is the title track, a celebration of returning to the simple life after a lifetime of hard work and missed chances. I especially like that Rook sings of wishing to “live my life again as if it were my own.” He captures a feeling that I’m sure many listeners, caught up in the busyness of life, will identify with. Down This Road is one of those cheerful-sounding heartbreak numbers that are always popular in bluegrass. It’s a thoughtful piece that finds the singer trying to talk himself through a potential break-up. The instrumental interlude in the middle of the song is a bit odd, but this track does have more of a progressive flair than the rest of the album.

Becky Buller provides fiddle on several songs throughout the record, including the enjoyable take on folk-pop song Reason to Believe (which has been previously recorded by a number of artists, from The Carpenters to Rod Stewart), and Simple People, which opens with some classic country flavor. The latter is an earnest, heartfelt ode to folks who don’t have much in the way of material things, but make up for it with love. There’s a twist near the end that brings to mind some of James King’s classic numbers, and I could easily hear this song fitting in to the Bluegrass Storyteller’s repertoire.

On The Road Back Home, Rook gives us contemporary bluegrass with a traditional bent. He’s a capable singer and musician, and has included several top-notch original songs here. The artists who join him do a fine job of interpreting his melodies and solidifying the album’s smooth sound. In addition to those mentioned above, instrumentalists include Terry Johnson (bass), Dick Kimmel (mandolin), and Tim Carter (mandolin). This is a solid, straightforward album, and a nice introduction to Rook for those in the larger bluegrass community.

For more information about Rook, visit his website at www.tonyrookmusic.com. His new album can be purchased from several online music retailers and is available to radio programmers at Airplay Direct.