Pop Matters, an online journal concerning all manner of popular culture, is out with their list of The Best Bluegrass of 2009. Compiled by Steve Leftridge and Juli Thanki – both freelance writers on country, roots and Americana music – the list represents their Top Ten bluegrass CDs from this nearly-completed year.
We might all quibble with the rankings, but Leftridge and Thanki have put together a very good list, far more representative of mainstream bluegrass than is the rule for publications (and award shows) that don’t specialize in our music.
Included are new albums from Steep Canyon Rangers, Ricky Skaggs, Dailey & Vincent, Steve Martin, Bryan Sutton, Claire Lynch, The Gibson Brothers, Patty Loveless and Sam Bush. We won’t give all the rankings away, but will congratulate Adam Steffey and Sugar Hill records, whose One More For the Road came out on top.
The complete list, with audio samples and many vidoes, can be found at www.popmatters.com.
