O Sister! The Women's Bluegrass Collection

Rounder Records – RCD 0499

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2002
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 If Wishes Were Horses Gretchen: Peters Claire Lynch (02:35)
02 Silver Tongue and Gold Plated Lies: Suzanne Thomas (03:26)
03 Sad Situation Clyde: PittsDelia Bell (02:27)
04 True Life Blues: Bill Monroe / Hazel Dickens / Alice Gerrard (02:36)
05 Lonesome Wind Blues: Wayne Raney Rhonda Vincent (03:01)
06 Pardon Me: Jesse McReynolds The Cox Family (02:44)
07 Old River: Hazel Dickens / Ginny Hawker (02:59)
08 You Tried to Ruin My Name: Pee Wee King / Wilma Lee Cooper (02:27)
09 I Can't Find Your Love Any More: Hazel Dickens (02:35)
10 Just Like Rain: Kathy Kallick / John ReischmanKathy Kallick / Laurie Lewis (02:15)
11 Mama's Hand: Hazel Dickens / Lynn Morris (04:13)
12 Every Time You Say Goodbye: John Pennell / Alison Krauss (03:17)
13 BlueStevens Sisters (02:39)
14 Time Is Winding Up: Ginny Hawker / Carol Elizabeth Jones (04:17)
15 Blow, Big Wind: Laurie Lewi (02:52)
16 Will There Be Any Stars?: The Cox Family / Alison Krauss (03:12)
17 The Last Old Shovel: Phyllis Boyens (02:21)
18 Comin' Down from God Carol: Elizabeth Jones (02:42)
19 Eight More Miles: Laurie Lewis / Claire Lynch / Lynn Morris / Rhonda Vincent (02:42)
[Credits]
Compiler: Ken Irwin, Liner Notes: Marty Godbey, Designer: Visual Dialogue, Photographer: Rick Olivier, Engineer: Toby Mountain
{Notes}
The latest in a lengthening string of releases designed to benefit from association with the Coen brothers film O Brother, Where Art Thou? is this all-girl bluegrass compilation, which features on its cover the requisite stubbly cornfield and archaic font style. Opportunistic as the packaging may be, there's no arguing with the quality of the content. Generously packed with outstanding performances by women as stylistically disparate as Hazel Dickens, Claire Lynch, and Kathy Kallick, O Sister is a delightful celebration of several generations of criminally unheralded female bluegrass artists. The highlights are many, but particular standout tracks include Rhonda Vincent's rocking "Lonesome Wind Blues," the hard-edged mountain sound of Phyllis Boyens (backed up by Hazel Dickens and the Johnson Mountain Boys), and the clawhammer banjo-powered "Comin' Down From God" by the relatively unknown Carol Elizabeth Jones. The usual suspects are here too, of course, including Alison Krauss (on the exquisitely gentle and sweet "Every Time You Say Goodbye") and the Cox Family (twice). You might buy this one because you feel guilty about the way women have been neglected in the bluegrass world, but you'll keep coming back to it because the songs are just so dang good. --Allmusic Review by Rick Anderson

Just Because I'm a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton

Sugar Hill Records – SUG CD 3980A

Format: CD, Advance, Album, Promo
Country: US
Released: 2003
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 9 to 5: Alison Krauss (03:03)
02 I Will Always Love You: Melissa Etheridge (03:19)
03 The Grass is Blue: Norah Jones (03:48)
04 Do I Ever Cross Your Mind: Joan Osborne (04:00)
05 The Seeker: Shelby Lynne (04:23)
06 Jolene: Mindy Smith (04:15)
07 To Daddy: Emmylou Harris (02:44)
08 Coat of Many Colors: Alison Krauss / Alison Krauss & Union Station (03:15)
09 Little Sparrow: Kasey Chambers (04:02)
10 Dagger Through the Heart: Sinéad O'Connor (04:25)
11 Light of a Clear Blue Morning: Allison Moorer (05:34)
12 Two Doors Down: Meshell Ndegeocello (02:56)
13 Just Because I'm a Woman: Dolly Parton (05:35)
[Credits]
Producer: Dolly Parton, Brian Ahern, Steve Buckingham, Rick DePofi, R.S. Field, Meshell Ndegeocello and Melinda Smith, Engineer: Graham Bolger, John Leventhal, Neal Cappellino, Keith Cenname, Donivan Cowart, Bradley Hartman, Greg Hayes, Russ Long, Jeff McCormac, Jay Newland, Gary Paczosa, Chris Reynolds, Bruce Robb and Sasha Victory
[Notes]
While most of the world knows Dolly Parton as a glitzy bundle of multimedia entertainment who is a near-unavoidable presence on television, movies, and CD racks, displaying her big smile, big hair, and big -- well, you know -- what sadly few people acknowledge is that Parton, when she puts her mind to it, is one of the best singer/songwriters in country music. The fact that artists as diverse as Whitney Houston, Emmylou Harris, and the White Stripes have all discovered remarkable things in Parton's songs says a lot about the beauty, honesty, and grace of her best work, and Just Because I'm a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton features 12 noted female artists offering their own interpretations of Parton's compositions. If there's anyone in Nashville whose work merits such treatment, it's Parton, and thankfully practically everyone on Just Because I'm a Woman delivers the goods; "9 to 5" may not be remembered as one of Parton's more stellar tunes, but Alison Krauss discovers a bittersweet working-class anthem lurking beneath its cheery surface, while Melissa Etheridge keeps her sub-Joplin vocal histrionics in check for a fine version of "I Will Always Love You," Me'Shell NdegéOcello transforms "Two Doors Down" into a potent and sensual slice of late-night funk, and Nash Vegas interloper Shania Twain surprisingly hits just the right emotional spot on "Coat of Many Colors." Elsewhere, Norah Jones, Kasey Chambers, Allison Moorer, Sinéad O'Connor, and Mindy Smith all offer powerful and idiosyncratic performances that add their own personalities to Parton's songs without losing sight of the plain-spoken eloquence that makes them so effective. About the only true disappointment here is Emmylou Harris' take on "To Daddy," which is brilliant but was recycled from her 1978 album, Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town; one wonders why Harris didn't opt to cut a new track for this album, but the presence of Dolly herself, offering a new version of "Just Because I'm a Woman," certainly compensates. In the movie Norma Rae, there's a great scene where Norma's boyfriend treats her to a night out at the roadhouse, and she beams when a Dolly Parton single comes up on the jukebox, saying she loves her songs "because the words are so true." As glorious as Parton's crystal-clear soprano may be, it's the stories she's used her voice to tell that truly set her apart, and Just Because I'm a Woman offers a worthy tribute to the woman Joan Osborne describes as "a gifted artist cleverly disguised as a media superstar and sex bomb." A second volume is certainly in order. - AllMusic Review by Mark Deming

Putumayo Presents Bluegrass

Putumayo World Music – PUT 319-2

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2012
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Every Time You Say Goodbye: Alison Krauss / Union Station (03:15)
02 Been Down This Road: Railroad Earth (04:48)
03 Jackaroo: Jerry Garcia / David Grisman (03:59)
04 New Night Dawning: Andrea Zonn (03:18)
05 Across the Great Divide: Frank Solivan II (03:51)
06 Man of Constant Sorrow: Peter Rowan (04:47)
07 Shady Grove: James Alan Shelton (03:09)
08 New Railroad: Crooked Still (03:14)
09 Boots of Spanish Leather: The Seldom Scene (04:50)
10 The Last Goodbye: Uncle Earl (03:39)
11 Diggin' on the Mountainside: Town Mountain (03:47)
12 Diamond Joe: Sam Bush (03:38)
13 I'll Fly Away: Jeff Autry / Wayne Benson / Aubrey Haynie / Rob Ickes / Mark Schatz (03:19)
[Credits]
Producer: Dan Storper, Liner Notes: Holly George-Warren, Coordinator: Akari Uchiyama, Burton Yount, Cody Searles and John McQueeney, Artwork: Nicola Heindl, Designer: Burton Yount, Engineer: Lane Gibso
[Notes]
Born out of the tradition of the old Southern ensemble string bands of the 19th century, bluegrass is no older as a genre than rock & roll is, and both were born when the amplification of instruments became widely available in the '50s. What gives bluegrass the feel of being an older music form is the continued use of the old string band tunes, speeding them up, giving them lift, and reinventing them over and over again, so it probably should come as no surprise that two of the biggest highlights on this set of bluegrass performances are versions of old traditional songs, Peter Rowan's take on "Man of Constant Sorrow" and Sam Bush's rendition of "Diamond Joe." All in all, this is a very pleasant playlist. - AllMusic Bluegrass Review by Steve Leggett

Doc Watson - Life's Work: A Retrospective

Craft Recordings

Format: 4 x CD, Compilation, Remastered
Country: US
Released: 2021
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Country, Bluegrass
[Disk One]
01 The Precious Jewel: Doc Watson (01:50)
02 Pharaoh: The Jack Williams Band, Doc Watson (02:56)
03 I Saw A Man At The Close Of The Day: Doc Watson (02:40)
04 Rambling Hobo: Doc Watson (01:38)
05 Darling Corey: Doc Watson (02:37)
06 Your Long Journey: Doc Watson (02:36)
07 The Cuckoo Bird: Doc Watson (03:04)
08 Everyday Dirt: Doc Watson (02:05)
09 Tickling The Strings / Black Mountain Rag: Doc Watson (03:30)
10 Storms Are On The Ocean: Doc Watson, Jean Ritchie (03:26)
11 What Would You Give In Exchange For Your Soul: Doc Watson, Bill Monroe (04:27)
12 And Am I Born To Die?: The Doc Watson Family (03:32)
13 My Little Woman, You're So Sweet: Doc Watson (02:19)
14 Little Orphan Girl: Doc Watson, Fred Price, Clint Howard (03:16)
15 Wanted Man: Doc Watson, Fred Price, Clint Howard (02:14)
16 Sittin On Top Of The World: Doc Watson (02:37)
17 Intoxicated Rat: Doc Watson (02:30)
18 Country Blues: Doc Watson (03:31)
19 Talk About Suffering: Doc Watson (02:48)
20 Little Omie Wise: Doc Watson (04:25)
21 St. James Hospital: Doc Watson (03:28)
22 Tom Dooley: Doc Watson (03:15)
23 Beaumont Rag: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (01:39)
24 Muskrat: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:52)
25 Weary Blues: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:41)
26 We Shall All Be Reunited: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:11)
[Disk Two]
01 Southbound: Doc Watson (02:49)
02 Blue Railroad Train: Doc Watson (02:44)
03 Walk On Boy: Doc Watson (03:23)
04 Sweet Georgia Brown: Doc Watson (01:54)
05 Alberta: Doc Watson (02:43)
06 That Was The Last Thing On My Mind: Doc Watson (02:46)
07 Windy And Warm: Doc Watson (02:14)
08 Riddle Song: Doc Watson (02:42)
09 Georgie: Doc Watson (02:46)
10 Rain Crow Bill: Doc Watson (01:46)
11 Winter's Night: Doc Watson (03:24)
12 Matty Groves: Doc Watson (06:06)
13 Dill Pickle Rag: Doc Watson (01:24)
14 Willie Moore: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (04:02)
15 Peach Picking Time In Georgia: Doc Watson (02:57)
16 Memphis Blues: Doc Watson (02:43)
17 The Train That Carried My Girl From Town: Doc Watson (03:47)
18 Lost John: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (03:28)
19 Brown's Ferry Blues: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:42)
20 The Clouds Are Gwine To Roll Away: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:50)
21 Life Gits Teejus Don't It: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (04:36)
22 Banks Of The Ohio : Doc Watson, Merle Watson (03:45)
23 Spikedriver Blues: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (03:00)
24 Deep River Blues: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (03:36)
[Disk Three]
01 Nothing To It: Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson (02:48)
02 Streamlined Cannonball: Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson (02:26)
03 Tennessee Stud: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Doc Watson (04:51)
04 Way Downtown: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (03:36)
05 Freight Train Boogie: Doc Watson (03:03)
06 Summertime: Doc Watson (03:27)
07 Peace In The Valley: Doc Watson (03:00)
08 That's All: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:57)
09 Matchbox Blues: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (03:32)
20 Bottle Of Wine: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:06)
21 Corina, Corina: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:48)
22 Doc's Rag: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (01:45)
23 Poor Boy Blues: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:21)
24 Wake Up, Little Maggie: Doc Watson (02:53)
25 Peartree: Doc Watson (02:19)
26 Shady Grove: Doc Watson (02:40)
27 Miss The Mississippi And You: Doc Watson (03:40)
28 Steel Guitar Rag: Doc Watson (01:57)
29 Cypress Grove Blues: Doc Watson (03:58)
30 Wayfaring Stranger: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (03:33)
31 Look Up Look Down That Lonesome Road: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (04:01)
32 Minglewood Blues: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (03:00)
33 Don't Think Twice, It's All Right: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:45)
34 Let The Cocaine Be: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:29)
35 Don't Monkey Round My Ridder: Chet Atkins, Doc Watson (03:30)
[Disk Four]
01 Red Rocking Chair: T. Michael Coleman, Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:05)
02 John Hurt: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:29)
03 Below Freezing: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:18)
04 Along The Road: T. Michael Coleman, Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:51)
05 Liza / Lady Be Good: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:55)
06 Going To Chicago Blues: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (04:05)
07 Guitar Polka: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:20)
08 Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:31)
09 Bright Sunny South: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:35)
10 Twin Sisters: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (01:38)
11 How Long Blues: James Cotton, Doc Watson (02:49)
12 Freight Train Blues: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:44)
13 Riding That Midnight Train: Doc Watson (02:04)
14 What Does The Deep Sea Say: Doc Watson, Fred Price, Clint Howard (03:31)
15 Tough Luck Man: Doc Watson (02:31)
16 George Gudger's Overalls: Doc Watson (03:24)
17 Risin' Sun Blues: Doc Watson (04:17)
18 Salt Creek: Norman Blake, Tony Rice, Doc Watson (03:10)
19 You Must Come In At The Door: Doc Watson (02:15)
20 Your Lone Journey: Doc Watson (02:46)
21 Grandfather's Clock: Doc Watson (03:51)
22 Bird Dog: Doc Watson (03:57)
23 Turn The Lamps Down Low: Doc Watson, Richard Watson (02:48)
24 Nights In White Satin: Frosty Morn, Doc Watson (03:16)
25 Down In The River To Pray: Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss, Doc Watson (02:51)
26 Amazing Grace: Doc Watson (03:54)
[Creduts]
Producer: Ted Olson
[Notes]
Life's Work: A Retrospective is the brand-new career-spanning compilation album from Grammy Award winning American songwriter Doc Watson. Album includes multiple recordings with his son Merle Watson, as well as features from Allison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs and more. Includes Watson's collaborations with Bill Monroe, Chet Atkins, and others. Includes 101 songs, all new extensive liner notes by author and producer Ted Olson, and a nearly 100-page book insert featuring never before seen photos.

Bluegrass Class of 1990: A Rounder Records Sampler

Rounder Records – CD AN 07

Format: CD, Sampler
Country: US
Released: 1998
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Lost and I'll Never Find the Way: Ricky Skaggs (02:07)
02 I'll Love Nobody But You: Jim & Jesse (02:18)
03 Let the Whole World Talk: The Johnson Mountain Boys (02:41)
04 Love You in Vain: Alison Krauss (02:23)
05 Bitter Green: Tony Rice (02:44)
06 Feast Here Tonight: David Grisman (02:33)
07 Old Devil's Dream: The Nashville Bluegrass Band (02:32)
08 What Was I Supposed to Do?: Lynn Morris (02:49)
09 Leather Britches: Sam Bush (03:43)
10 Old Home Place: J.D. Crowe (02:49)
11 Devil, Take the Farmer: Dry Branch Fire Squad (03:53)
12 Mansion on the Hill: Whistein Brothers (02:23)
13 Medley: Fiddler's Dream / Whiskey Before Breakfast: Norman Blake / Tony Rice (04:40)
14 This Old House: The Rice Brothers (04:56)
15 Foolish Heart: Alison Krauss (03:27)
16 Whitewater: Béla Fleck (03:10)
17 Preachin', Prayin', Singin': The Bluegrass Album Band (02:33)
18 Don't Worry: The Johnson Mountain Boys (03:00)
19 John Henry: Tony Furtado (02:43)
20 I Ain't Broke (But I'm Badly Bent): David Grisman (01:58)
21 Greenlight on the Southern: Tony Rice (03:23)
22 No Hiding Place: The Nashville Bluegrass Band (02:49)
[Notes]
This compilation album reads like a who's-who of the progressive bluegrass/new acoustic music movement: pros like mandolinist David Grisman, guitarist Tony Rice, dobro player Jerry Douglas and a pre-Flecktones Bela Fleck are all represented, as well as the (very) young Alison Krauss and many, many others. -- AllMusic Review by Rick Anderson

Alison Krauss + Union Station Live

Rounder Records 11661-0515-2

Format: 2 x CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2002
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
Disk One
01 Let Me Touch You for Awhile (3:45)
02 Choctaw Hayride (3:25)
03 The Lucky One (3:40)
04 Baby, Now That I've Found You (5:02)
05 Bright Sunny South (3:07)
06 Every Time You Say Goodbye (3:04)
07 Tiny Broken Heart (3:08)
08 Cluck Old Hen (2:47)
09 Stay (3:16)
10 Broadway (3:57)
11 Ghost in This House (4:29)
12 Forget About It (3:18)
13 Faraway Land (3:21)
Disc Two
01 A Tribute to Peador O'Donnell / Monkey Let the Hogs Out (4:58)
02 The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn (5:58)
03 Take Me for Longing (2:47)
04 I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow (4:12)
05 Maybe (4:25)
06 We Hide & Seek (5:41)
07 But You Know I Love You (3:39)
08 When You Say Nothing at All (4:21)
09 New Favorite (4:00)
10 Oh, Atlanta (6:47)
11 Down to the River to Pray (2:10)
12 There Is a Reason (5:13)
[Credits]
Alison Krauss (fiddle/vocals) Jerry Douglas (dobro/vocals) Dan Tyminski (guitar/mandolin/vocals) Ron Block (guitar/banjo/vocals) Barry Bales (bass/vocals) Larry Atamanuik (drums)
[Notes]
Given Alison Krauss' tremendous popularity and her status as the first female bluegrass singer to cross over into genuine pop marketability, and given the fact that her guitarist, Dan Tyminski, is the voice behind "Man of Constant Sorrow" (or at least the version that served as an idée fixe in the blockbuster movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?), a live album was inevitable. That it should be a two-disc set can simply be chalked up to good luck. Unless you're a bluegrass purist, that is, looking for music that preserves the traditional Appalachian sounds of Ralph Stanley and Bill Monroe. Listeners of that mindset will be bitterly disappointed by the presence of modern singer/songwriter fare ("Lucky One," "Let Me Touch You for a While"), by the drums on "Oh, Atlanta," and, most of all, by those dreadful call-and-response vocals on the chorus of "Man of Constant Sorrow" (which, you can hear them sniff, Tyminski takes at about twice the appropriate speed). All of this would explain why bluegrass purists are no fun to be around and, one suspects, don't have very much fun in private either. The simple fact is that every time Krauss opens her mouth to sing, angels stop what they're doing and take notes. There may be no musical pleasure quite as pure and sweet as listening to Krauss sing "Baby, Now That I've Found You" or "When You Say Nothing at All." And when she starts in on the impossibly beautiful gospel tune "Down to the River to Pray," the effect is almost disturbingly moving. Which brings listeners to the problem with this album, which is the amount of time it spends on stuff other than Alison Krauss singing great songs. The instrumental bits, the Jerry Douglas showcases, and Tyminski's requisite rendition of "Man of Constant Sorrow" are all fine, but they end up feeling like filler. Still, this album can be solidly recommended to modern bluegrass fans in general and to Krauss' many fans in particular. -- AllMusic Review by Rick Anderson

Livin' Lovin' Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers

Universal South UNSF-02460-2

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2003
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Intro to Charlie and Ira (0:26)
02 Cash on the Barrelhead: Joe Nichols and Rhonda Vincent (3:17)
03 My Baby's Gone: Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell (3:31)
04 How's the World Treating You: James Taylor and Alison Krauss (3:18)
05 I Can't Keep You in Love With Me: Vince Gill and Terri Clark (2:58)
06 Must You Throw Dirt in My Face: Merle Haggard and Carl Jackson (2:51)
07 If I Could Only Win Your Love: Ronnie Dunn and Rebecca Lynn Howard (2:34)
08 When I Stop Dreaming: Glen Campbell and Leslie Satcher (4:00)
09 I Wish You Knew: Kathy Louvin and Pamela Brown Hayes (2:27)
10 The New Partner Waltz: Linda Ronstadt and Carl Jackson (2:50)
11 Are You Teasing Me: Patty Loveless and Jon Randall (3:02)
12 I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby: Dierks Bentley and Harley Allen (2:40)
13 You're Running Wild: Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle and Jerry Salley (2:40)
14 The Angels Rejoiced: Dolly Parton and Sonya Isaacs (2:38)
15 Let Us Travel, Travel On: Marty Stuart and Del McCoury (2:39)
16 Keep Your Eyes on Jesus: Johnny Cash, Pam Tillis and The Jordanaires (3:24)
[Creduts]
Harley Allen (vocals) Dierks Bentley (vocals) Bruce Bouton (pedal steel guitar) Glen Campbell (vocals) Johnny Cash (vocals) Terri Clark (vocals) Larry Cordle (vocals) J. T. Corenflos (guitar) Tony Creasman (drums) Rodney Crowell (vocals) Glen Duncan (fiddle) Ronnie Dunn (vocals) Vince Gill (vocals) Emory Gordy (bass) Kevin Grantt (bass) Mike Bub (bass) Merle Haggard (vocals) Emmylou Harris (vocals) David Harvey (mandolin) Pamela Brown Hayes (vocals) Rebecca Lynn Howard (vocals) Roy Huskey Jr. (bass) Sonya Isaacs (vocals) Carl Jackson (vocals/guitar/banjo/mandolin/percussion) Mike Johnson (pedal steel guitar) The Jordanaires (vocals) Randy Kohrs (dobro) Alison Krauss (vocals) Kathy Louvin (vocals) Patty Loveless (vocals) Catherine Marx (piano) Del McCoury (vocals) Joe Nichols (vocals) Martin Parker (drums) Dolly Parton (vocals) Jon Randall (vocals) Matt Rollings (piano) Linda Ronstadt (vocals) Jerry Salley (vocals) Leslie Satcher (vocals) Adam Steffey (mandolin) Marty Stuart (vocals/mandolin/electronic drums) James Taylor (vocals) Pam Tillis (vocals) Steve Turner (drums) Jim Van Cleve (fiddle) Rhonda Vincent (vocals)
Producer: Carl Jackson & Kathy Louvin, Liner Notes: Tom Wilmeth, Designer: Beth Middleworth & Susan Levy, Engineer: John "Babbacombe" Lee, Luke Wooten, Jim Brady, John Carter Cash & Hank Williams
[Notes]
The Louvin Brothers were an American country music duo composed of brothers Ira Louvin and Charlie Louvin. They helped popularize close harmony, a genre of country music. Their partnership ended in 1963 with Charlie continuing a long and successful career as a solo artist. Ira died in an automobile accident in 1965 and Charlie died in 2011 from pancreatic cancer. Ira Louvin's daughter, Kathy Louvin, approached producer Carl Jackson with the idea of a Louvin Brothers tribute album. Jackson then enlisted the various artists who performed on the tracks. The project was kept a secret from Charlie, the surviving Louvin Brother, until he accidentally heard about it and later became involved in the sessions. Guest vocalists include Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, James Taylor, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, and many others. The recitation on "Keep Your Eyes on Jesus" was one of the last sessions Cash did before his death.

The Three Pickers: Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson and Ricky Skaggs

Rounder Records 116 610 526-2

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2003
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Feast Here Tonight (3:02
02 What Would You Give In Exchange For Your Soul? (2:36)
03 Spoken Introduction (0:55)
04 Who Will Sing For Me? (3:35)
05 Spoken Introduction (1:48)
06 Soldier's Joy (1:40)
07 Walk On Boy (3:30)
08 Daybreak Blues (3:21)
09 Don't Let Your Deal Go Down (2:30
10 Pick Along (2:39)
11 Spoken Introduction (0:30)
12 What Is A Home Without Love? (3:07)
13 Doin' My Time (4:29)
14 Earl's Breakdown (3:43)
15 The Storms Are On The Ocean (3:58)
16 Down In The Valley To Pray (2:48)
17 The Banks Of The Ohio (4:20)
18 Ridin' That Midnight Train (2:45)
19 Spoken Introduction (0:51)
20 Road To Spencer (3:36)
21 Katy Hill (2:44)
22 Foggy Mountain Top (3:10)
23 Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms (3:21)
[Credits]
Earl Scruggs (guitar/banjo/vocals) Ricky Skaggs (guitar/banjo/mandolin/vocals) Doc Watson (guitar/vocals) Alison Krauss (fiddle/vocals) John Jorgenson (mandolin/guitar/vocal) Glen Duncan (fiddle/vocal) Rob Ickes (dobro) Jim Mills (banjo) Martin Parker (drums) Gary Scruggs (bass/vocals) Darrin Vincent (guitar/vocals) Richard Watson (guitar) Cody Kilby (guitar) Mark Fain (bass) Paul Brewster (guitar/vocals) Andy Leftwich (fiddle) Brad Davis (guitar/vocals)
Director, Producer & Liner Notes: Jim Ed Brown, Producer: Sarah Cullen, Art Director: Jim Ed Brown & Steven Jurgensmeyer, Photographer: Les Leverett, Engineer: Luke Wooten
[Notes]
For one historic evening in 2002, American music legends Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson and Ricky Skaggs joined forces as The Three Pickers, filming a concert for public television. The music they made onstage before a North Carolina audience is as relaxed as a front porch picking session, drawing on the experience of three careers that contributed mightily to the creation and evolution of the music we know as bluegrass. With special guest Alison Krauss. DVD contains the bonus track "John Hardy," plus an exclusive 30-minute documentary featuring interviews with and songs by The Three Pickers. Audio CD contains three bonus tracks: "Daybreak Blues" by Doc and Richard Watson, "Doin’My Time" by Earl Scruggs with Family and Friends, and "Ridin’ That Midnight Train" by Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunderverview.

Paper Airplane: Alison Krauss & Union Station

Rounder Records 11661-0665-1

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 2011
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 Paper Airplane (3:36)
A2 Dust Bowl Children (3:06)
A3 Lie Awake (3:55)
A4 Lay My Burden Down (3:52)
A5 My Love Follows You Where You Go (4:03)
A6 Dimming Of The Day (5:20)
B1 On The Outside Looking In (3:35)
B2 Miles To Go (2:54)
B3 Sinking Stone (4:42)
B4 Bonita And Bill Butler (4:03)
B5 My Opening Farewell (4:09)
[Credits]
Alison Krauss (fiddle/vocals) Dan Tyminski (guitar/mandolin/vocals) Jerry Douglas (dobro/vocals) Ron Block (banjo/guitar) Barry Bales (bass/vocals)
Producer: Alison Krauss & Union Station, Photographer: Randee St. Nicholas, Designer: Meat And Potatoes, Inc., Engineers: Neal Cappellino, Kyle Ford, Ted Wheeler, Tom Freitag, Mike Shipley & Brian Wohlgemuth
[Notes]
Paper Airplane is an album by Alison Krauss and Union Station. It was released on April 12, 2011 and marks Krauss's 14th album and her first release with Union Station since Lonely Runs Both Ways in 2004. It includes cover versions of "My Opening Farewell" and "Dimming of the Day", which were originally recorded by Jackson Browne and Richard Thompson, respectively.

Heartland: An Appalachian Anthology

Sony Classical SK-89683

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2001
Genre: Classical, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Classical Crossover
[Tracklist]
01 Short Trip Home: Mike Marshall/Sam Bush/Joshua Bell/Edgar Meyer (3:48)
02 Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier: Mark O'Connor/James Taylor (2:55)
03 1B: Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer/Mark O'Connor (3:58)
04 Appalachia Waltz: Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor/Edgar Meyer (5:45)
05 Soldier's Joy: Mark O＇Connor (4:06)
06 Sliding Down: Edgar Meyer/Mike Marshall/Béla Fleck (4:41)
07 BT: Yo-Yo Ma/Joshua Bell/Edgar Meyer/Mark O'Connor/Mike Marshall/Sam Bush (4:50)
08 Butterfly's Day Out: Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer/Mark O'Connor (4:42)
09 College Hornpipe: Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer/Mark O'Connor (3:15)
10 Fancy Stops and Goes: Mark O＇Connor (3:47)
11 Old Tyme: Edgar Meyer/Mike Marshall/Béla Fleck (3:24)
12 Emily's Reel: Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer/Mark O'Connor (2:46)
13 Slumber My Darling: Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer/Mark O'Connor/Alison Krauss (4:49)
14 Death by Triple Fiddle: Joshua Bell/Sam Bush/Mike Marshall/Edgar Meyer (4:15)
15 Amazing Grace: Mark O＇Connor (2:46)
16 Song of the Liberty Bel: Mark O＇Connor (5:45)
[Credits]
Yo-Yo Ma (Cello) Mark O'Connor (violin) Joshua Bell (violin) Sam Bush (mandolin/violin) Edgar Meyer (bass/mandocello/piano) Mike Marshall (guitar/mandola/mandolin/violin) Béla Fleck (banjo/guitar/mandolin) Mark Schatz (banjo/bass) John Jarvis (harpsichord/keyboards/piano) Jerry Douglas (dobro) John Mock (whistle) Russ Barenberg (guitar) Eddie Bayers (percussion) Glenn Worf (bass) James Taylor (vocals) Alison Krauss (vocals)
Producer: Laraine Perri, Liner Notes: Thomas Goldsmith, Photographer: Noah Cross, Designer: Laura Torres
[Notes]
In 1995, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O'Connor joined forces on Appalachia Waltz, the first of a series of Sony Classical albums celebrating the varied musical textures of Americana. Over the course of six years, several albums were cut, among them Short Trip Home, Liberty!, Uncommon Ritual, and Midnight on the Water, in addition to the Grammy-winning Appalachia Waltz. Each project may have had its own specific instrumental focus, although the shared theme was clearly to obfuscate the genre lines that separate classical and traditional American music on a 200-year journey from the concert halls of Britain to the Shenandoah Valley. Heartland: An Appalachian Anthology is a carefully plucked and eclectic amalgam of these recordings. Featuring swinging waltzes, Baroque chamber music, Celtic reels, and Yankee ballads, this compendium serves as a stylistic hub of the European strain in American music. It passes as a refined bluegrass recording that is easily digested by less stodgy classical devotees, and the roster alone should be enough to cue the listener that dazzling instrumental interplay is the pièce de résistance. "Sliding Down," a Meyer composition featuring Bela Fleck (banjo) and Mike Marshall (guitar), "BT," and "Death By Triple Fiddle" (Sam Bush, Joshua Bell, and Marshall) are just a few prime examples. "Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier" and "Slumber, My Darling," which showcase the vocal nuances of James Taylor and Alison Krauss, respectively, round out the radio-friendly end of the album. Heartland is a mere crossroads, a refreshing spin on two timeless idioms. It's safe to say that it adds something to both, but the album's greatest asset may be the unknown direction it will springboard the listener. (AllMusic Review by Brian Kelly)

A Tribute: The Songs Of Jimmie Rodgers

Columbia CK-67676

Format: CD, Album, Various Artists
Country: US
Released: 1997
Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Country Rock
[Tracklist]
01 Dreaming With Tears In My Eyes: Bono (3:40)
02 Any Old Time: Alison Krauss And Union Station (3:46)
03 Waiting For A Train: Dickey Betts (4:16)
04 Somewhere Down Below The Mason Dixie Line: Mary Chapin Carpenter (3:36)
05 Miss The Mississippi And You: David Ball (3:05)
06 My Blue Eyed Jane: Bob Dylan (3:16)
07 Peach Pickin' Time Down In Georgia: Willie Nelson (3:40)
08 In The Jailhouse Now: Steve Earle & The V-Roys (2:52)
09 Blue Yodel # 9 (Standin' On The Corner): Jerry Garcia, David Grisman & John Kahn (4:15)
10 Hobo Bill's Last Ride: Iris DeMent (3:06)
11 Gambling Bar Room Blues: John Mellencamp (4:01)
12 Mule Skinner Blues: Van Morrison (4:33)
13 Why Should I Be Lonely: Aaron Neville (3:11)
14 T For Texas: Dwight Yoakam (5:31)
[Credits]
Liner Notes: Bob Dylan, Design: Geoff Gans, Executive Producer: Jeff Kramer & Jeff Rosen, Production Team: Christy Epstein, Debbie Sweeney, Diane Lapson, Julia Kim & Vickie Mathis, Product Manager: Greg Linn, Mastered by: Vic Anesini
[Notes]
Sometimes tribute albums are just that, an act of homage meant to remind us of how good a set of songs are. So The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers: A Tribute stands as a 14-song reminder that Rodgers was, as Bob Dylan puts it in the liner notes to the first release on his new boutique label, ”one of the guiding lights of the 20th century.”

Cold Mountain: Collector's Edition

VWDS-3796

Format: DVD, Color, Dolby, DTS Stereo, Widescreen
Region: 2 - Japan, Europe, South Africa, Greenland and the Middle East
Country: Japan
DVD Released: September 15, 2004
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, Neo-Classical
[Tracklist]
01 Wayfaring Stranger: Jack White (4:26)
02 Like A Songbird That Has Fallen: Reeltime Travelers (3:14)
03 I Wish My Baby Was Born: Tim Eriksen, Riley Baugus & Tim O'Brien (3:09)
04 The Scarlet Tide: Alison Krauss (2:59)
05 The Cuckoo: Tim Eriksen & Riley Baugus (1:40)
06 Sittin' On Top Of The World: Jack White (3:48)
07 Am I Born To Die?: Tim Eriksen (2:33)
08 You Will Be My Ain True Love: Alison Krauss (2:32)
09 I'm Going Home: Sacred Harp Singers At Liberty Church (2:19)
10 Never Far Away: Jack White (3:40)
11 Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over: Jack White (3:17)
12 Ruby With The Eyes That Sparkle: Stuart Duncan & Dirk Powell (3:12)
13 Lady Margret: Cassie Franklin (3:02)
14 Great High Mountain: Jack White (4:33)
15 Anthem: Gabriel Yared (3:24)
16 Ada Plays: Gabriel Yared (3:18)
17 Ada And Inman: Gabriel Yared (5:03)
18 Love Theme: Gabriel Yared (3:40)
19 Idumea: Sacred Harp Singers At Liberty Church (3:18)
[Cast]
Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renée Zellweger, Eileen Atkins, Brendan Gleeson
[Credits]
Directors: Anthony Minghella, Writers: Anthony Minghella, Charles Frazier, Producers: Albert Berger, Bob Osher, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein, Iain Smith

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Mercury MRNF-02077-2

Format: CD, Album, Soundtrack
Country: US
Released: 2000
Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, Folk
[Tracklist]
01 Po Lazarus: James Carter & The Prisoners (4:30)
02 Big Rock Candy Mountain: Harry McClintock (2:17)
03 You Are My Sunshine: Norman Blake (4:26)
04 Down To The River To Pray: Alison Krauss (2:53)
05 I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow: The Soggy Bottom Boys Featuring Dan Tyminski (3:13)
06 Hard Time Killing Floor Blues: Chris Thomas King (2:01)
07 I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow: Norman Blake (4:30)
08 Keep On The Sunny Side: The Whites (4:30)
09 I'll Fly Away: Gillian Welch And Alison Krauss (3:57)
10 Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby: Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss And Gillian Welch (1:58)
11 In The Highways: Sarah, Hannah And Leah Peasall (1:36)
12 I Am Weary (Let Me Rest): The Cox Family (3:16)
13 I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow: John Hartford (2:34)
14 O Death: Ralph Stanley (3:21)
15 In The Jailhouse Now: The Soggy Bottom Boys Featuring Tim Blake Nelson (3:36)
16 : The Soggy Bottom Boys Featuring Dan Tyminski I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (4:18)
17 Indian War Whoop: John Hartford (1:30)
18 Lonesome Valley: Fairfield Four (4:08)
19 Angel Band: The Stanley Brothers (2:18)
[Credits]
Executive Producer: Denise Stiff, Producer: T-Bone Burnett & Gillian Welch
[Notes]
Music to the Coen Brothers' film "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Recorded at Sound Emporium, Nashville, TN; Ocean Way, Nashville, TN; and Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, CA.

Appalachian Journey: Yo-Yo Ma • Edgar Meyer • Mark O'Connor

Sony Classical SK-66782

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: Mar 21, 2000
Genre: Classical, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Classical Crossover
[Tracklist]
01 1B: Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor (4:02)
02 Misty Moonlight Waltz: Mark O'Connor/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer (4:46)
03 Hard Times Come Again No More: James Taylor/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer/Mark O'Connor (3:43)
04 Indecision:  Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor (4:28)
05 Limerock: Mark O'Connor/Yo-Yo Ma (2:28)
06 Benjamin: James Taylor/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer/Mark O'Connor (3:31)
07 Fisher's Hornpipe: Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor/Edgar Meyer/Alison Krauss (3:44)
08 Duet for Cello and Bass: Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma (5:53)
09 Emily's Reel: Mark O'Connor/Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma (2:48)
10 Cloverfoot Reel: Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor (4:24)
11 Poem for Carlita: Mark O'Connor/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer (7:33)
12 Caprice for Three: Mark O'Connor/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer (3:47)
13 Second Time Around: Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor (4:31)
14 Slumber My Darling: Alison Krauss/Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor (4:52)
15 Vistas: Mark O'Connor/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer (9:57)
[Credits]
Yo-Yo Ma (cello) Edgar Meyer (bass) Mark O'Connor (violin) James Taylor (guitar/vocals) Alison Krauss ((violin/vocals)
A&R: Mia Bongiovanni, Liner Notes: John Schaefer, Art Direction: Allen Weinberg & Laura Torres, Photography: Merri Cyr & Michael Lutch
[Notes]
Appalachian Journey is the second album from the string trio of bassist and composer Edgar Meyer, fiddler and composer Mark O'Connor, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. James Taylor and Alison Krauss join the trio individually on two Stephen Foster songs arranged for the trio. Sony Classical released the disc in 2000. The album joined a number of other recordings released since Appalachia Waltz that continue a new kind of classical music tinged with and influenced by the sounds and structures of America's own musical traditions. It is possible that the titles of these albums imply a continuity of the American classical tradition begun by Aaron Copland in Appalachian Spring. Unlike their first album, the three virtuosos spent several months on the compositions and arrangements, from July 19 to September 10, 1999.

Cold Mountain: Music From The Miramax Motion Picture

DMZ/Columbia/Sony Music CK-80843

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2003
Genre: Folk, World, & Country, Stage & Screen
Style: Soundtrack, Bluegrass, Neo-Classical
[Tracklist]
01 Wayfaring Stranger: Jack White (4:26)
02 Like A Songbird That Has Fallen: Reeltime Travelers (3:14)
03 I Wish My Baby Was Born: Tim Eriksen, Riley Baugus & Tim O'Brien (3:09)
04 The Scarlet Tide: Alison Krauss (2:59)
05 The Cuckoo: Tim Eriksen & Riley Baugus (1:40)
06 Sittin' On Top Of The World: Jack White (3:48)
07 Am I Born To Die?: Tim Eriksen (2:33)
08 You Will Be My Ain True Love: Alison Krauss (2:32)
09 I'm Going Home: Sacred Harp Singers At Liberty Church (2:19)
10 Never Far Away: Jack White (3:40)
11 Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over: Jack White (3:17)
12 Ruby With The Eyes That Sparkle: Stuart Duncan & Dirk Powell (3:12)
13 Lady Margret: Cassie Franklin (3:02)
14 Great High Mountain: Jack White (4:33)
15 Anthem: Gabriel Yared (3:24)
16 Ada Plays: Gabriel Yared (3:18)
17 Ada And Inman: Gabriel Yared (5:03)
18 Love Theme: Gabriel Yared (3:40)
19 Idumea: Sacred Harp Singers At Liberty Church (3:18)
[Credits]
Producer: T Bone Burnett