There are certain artists who consistently produce great music over a period of several decades. One of those without question is The Grascals. Now in their twenty sixth year as a group, they have a winning formula of a bluegrass/country blend combined with stellar selections all throughout their recordings. The band’s latest release, Not That Gone, is their first for Billy Blue Records.
The opening track Dancin’ Girl, by Jamie Johnson and Darren Nicholson, is destined to be a staple in the Grascals’ catalogue. Not only does it have a catchy melody, but the lyrics themselves tell a captivating story. Along with Johnson on lead vocals, John Bryan on harmony vocals, Jamie Harper on fiddle, harmony vocals, and guitar, Danny Roberts on mandolin, and Kristin Scott Benson on banjo, this album marks the first recording for new member Kyle Perkins on bass.
Memories I Ain’t Missing by Johnson, Jim McBride, and Jerry Salley leans very much towards reflection and sentimentality with its lyrics about the priority of being a father, while I Can’t Stand Me features Jamie Harper on a fun take of a song that Merle Haggard wrote and recorded in 1966.
Little Sugar Creek written by Danny Roberts is the album’s sole instrumental. Not only does it showcase Roberts’ commanding presence on the mandolin, but it also does a marvelous job spotlighting the instrumentalism of Kristin Scott Benson and Jamie Harper.
The highlights of this album are the guest appearances. On Farmer’s Blues, the Grascals are joined by Marty Stuart on mandolin and harmony vocals, who penned the song with his wife, country music legend Connie Smith. The closing track, Broken Angels, is a beautiful piece written by Dolly Parton and Jamie Johnson about recovering from a hard fought battle with addiction. Along with Dolly and Jamie trading lead and harmony vocal lines throughout, the group is also reunited with original Grascal, Jimmy Mattingly, who provides the string section, and Kent Wells on guitar, Parton’s longtime musical director and producer.
While Not That Gone is named after a great song on the album written by Mark Brinkman and Mike Richards, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the title is symbolic of the place that the Grascals have secured for themselves in the bluegrass and country world. They are not gone and very much here to stay.
