CMH Records has released a pair of classic bluegrass albums from the 1970s, one each from Lester Flatt & The Nashville Grass and The Osborne Brothers.
Heaven’s Bluegrass Band was Flatt’s first project with the label, his third since he and Earl Scruggs broke up in 1969. It’s been digitally remastered from its original 1976 release, and is available now for both audio CD and download purchase. Alongside Lester in the Nashville Grass are some of his most noted bandmates: Marty Stuart on mandolin, Kenny Ingram on banjo, Curly Seckler on tenor vocals, and Paul Warren on fiddle.
Tracks include:
- Dixie Flyer
- A Home Without Love is Just a House
- Great Big Woman
- The Night Daddy Passed Away
- You Know You Caused It All By Telling Lies
- The House of Bottles and Cans
- Heaven’s Bluegrass Band
- Ten Years of Heartaches
- Love Me Lorena
- Gone With the Delta Queen
- I’m Gonna Sit Down Beside My Jesus
The album can be ordered on CD or download directly from CMH.
Also new this month is a vinyl LP re-issue of From Rocky Top to Muddy Bottom from The Osborne Brothers. This 1977 album was originally a 2-LP set, now offered on a single record in blue vinyl. This project was subtitled, The Songs of Boudleaux & Felice Bryant, and contains 20 of these highly-regarded songwriters’ contributions. Among them are several previously recorded by Sonny and Bobby, like Rocky Top, Georgia Mules and Country Boys, Georgia Piney Woods, Tennessee Hound Dog, and Muddy Bottom, re-cut for this double album.
With Sonny on banjo and Bobby on mandolin, the edition of The Osborne Brothers who recorded this one were Dale Sledd on guitar, and Robbie Osborne on bass. This was during the time when the band had pulled back from their electrified or countried up presentation, and they were playing solid traditional bluegrass.
Tracks include:
- Rocky Top
- We Could Georgia Mules and Country Boys
- Don’t Ever Tell Me You Love Me (Unless You Mean It With All Your Heart)
- Hey Joe
- All I Have To Do Is Dream
- Packing Up Your Heart (To Say Goodbye)
- Tell It To Your Old Grandma
- Little Boy
- Banjo’s Goin’ Home
- Georgia Piney Woods
- Just Another Dream (I’ll Have To Live Without)
- I Can’t See The Rainbow
- Take Me As I Am (Or Let Me Go)
- Tennessee Hound Dog
- Where Did The Sunshine Go?
- Country Boy
- Love Hurts
- Fortune, Fortune
- Muddy Bottom
The LP is available from CMH in blue denim vinyl, with its original artwork and the liner notes from the ’77 release, along with a download card to get the digital version as well.
Well done CMH – keep ’em comin’!
