Western Express: 36 Exciting And Rare Country & Western Songs

MCA Coral 0082.036-2

Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Country: Germany
Released: 1994
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Country, & Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 San Antonio Rose: Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys
A2 Alla En El Rancho Grande: Rex Allen
A3 Nine Pound Hammer: Tex Williams
A4 Red River Valley: Jimmy Wakely
A5 Why Baby, Why: Red Sovine, Webb Pierce
A6 Louisiana Moonlight: Jimmy C. Newman
A7 Six Days On The Road: The Texas Troubadors
A8 Hey, Mr. Bluebird: Ernest Tubb & The Wilburn Brothers
A9 Roses Are Red: Webb Pierce
B1 Tennessee Saturday Night: Red Foley
B2 Tupelo County Jail: Webb Pierce
B3 This Land Is Your Land: Tompall Glaser & The Glaser Brothers
B4 River Of No Return: Tex Williams
B5 The Huntin's Over For Tonight: Grandpa Jones
B6 Knoxville Girl: The Wilburn Brothers
B7 Fiddler's Dream: Tommy Jackson
B8 Will The Circle Be Unbroken: Red Foley
B9 Detroit City: Billy Grammer
C1 Blue Moon Of Kentucky: Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys
C2 I Like Mountain Music: Roy Acuff
C3 500 Miles: The Greenwoods
C4 Bye Bye Love: Johnnie And Jack
C5 Cheyenne: Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys
C6 Cool Water: The Sons Of The Pioneers
C7 I Bought A Rock For A Rocky Mountain Girl: Wilf Carter
C8 Cowboy's Lament (The Streets Of Laredo): Burl Ives
C9 In The Jailhouse Now: Webb Pierce
D1 My Dixie Darling: The Carter Family
D2 Cripple Creek: Jimmy Martin
D3 Sparkling Brown Eyes: Webb Pierce
D4 My Home's Across The Blue Ridge Mountain: The Carter Family
D5 My Hillbilly Baby: Ernest Tubb
D6 She'll Be Coming 'round The Mountain: Al Mcleod's Country Music Dance Band
D7 The WeaversAcross The Wide Missouri (Shenandoah)
D8 Cotton Fields: The Osborne Brothers
D9 The Last Round Up: The Ranch Boys
[Notes]
Manufactured in Western Germany by TELDEC "Telefunken-Decca" Schallplatten-Ges.mbH., Heussweg 25, 2 Hamburg 19. Licensed by MCA Records, Inc. Universal City, California, U.S.A.

Bill Monroe: Anthology

MCA Nashville / Decca 088 113 207-2

Format: 2 x CD, Compilation
Country: United States
Released: 2003
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
1-01 New Mule Skinner Blues (02:30)
1-02 My Little Georgia Rose (03:06)
1-03 Uncle Pen (02:45)
1-04 Raw Hide (02:36)
1-05 Kentucky Waltz (03:16)
1-06 When The Cactus Is In Bloom (02:04)
1-07 Get Down On Your Knees And Pray (03:01)
1-08 In The Pines (03:11)
1-09 Footprints In The Snow (02:40)
1-10 Walking In Jerusalem (02:00)
1-11 Get Up John (02:11)
1-12 On And On (02:47)
1-13 I'm Working On A Building (2:43)
1-14 Blue Moon Of Kentucky (02:08)
1-15 Roanoke (02:39)
1-16 Goodbye Old Pal (02:04)
1-17 Molly & Tenbrooks (02:22)
1-18 I'm Sitting On Top Of The World (02:18)
1-19 I Saw The Light (02:30)
1-20 Scotland (01:55)
1-21 Panhandle Country (02:05)
1-22 Gotta Travel On (02:34)
1-23 Big Mon (02:17)
1-24 Linda Lou (02:10)
1-25 Lonesome Road Blues (02:28)
2-01 Time Changes Everything (02:15)
2-02 I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky (02:23)
2-03 Toy Heart (02:15)
2-04 Live And Let Live (02:40)
2-05 Old Joe Clark (02:24)
2-06 Columbus Stockade Blues (03:05)
2-07 Drifting Too Far From The Shore (02:29)
2-08 Somebody Touched Me (02:32)
2-09 Jimmy Brown The Newsboy (02:26)
2-10 I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (02:13)
2-11 Devil's Dream (02:24)
2-12 Highway Of Sorrow (02:22)
2-13 Roll On Buddy, Roll On (02:11)
2-14 (We're Going) Just Over In The Glory Land (02:23)
2-15 Fire On The Mountain (02:05)
2-16 The Long Black Veil (02:40)
2-17 I Wonder Where You Are Tonight (02:34)
2-18 Dusty Miller (02:19)
2-19 Midnight On The Stormy Deep (03:42)
2-20 Sally Goodin (03:15)
2-21 Walls Of Time (03:19)
2-22 I Haven't Seen Mary In Years (03:04)
2-23 With Body And Soul (03:06)
2-24 Walk Softly On This Heart Of Mine (02:35)
2-25 My Last Days On Earth (04:42)
[Credits]
Bill Monroe (mandolin/vocals) James Monroe (bass/guitar/vocals) Jimmy Martin (guitar/vocals) Carter Stanley (guitar/vocals) Edd Mayfield (guitar/vocals) Del McCoury (guitar/vocals) Jimmy Maynard (guitar/vocals) Franklin G. Buchanan (guitar/vocals) Roland White (guitar/vocals) Peter Rowan (guitar/vocals) Rudy Lyle (banjo/vocals) Charlie Cline (fiddle/ocals) Kenny Baker (vocals) Boudleaux Bryant (vocals) Milton Estes (vocals) Culley Holt (vocals) Arlene Hardin (vocals) Bobby Hardin (vocals) Cindy Nelson (vocals) Curtis Young (vocals) Carl Butler (guitar) Jack Cooke (guitar) Jimmy Elrod (guitar) Grady Martin (guitar) Norman Blake (guitar) Jackie Phelps (guitar) Jimmy Selph (guitar) Joe Stuart (banjo/fiddle/guitar) Hubert Davis (banjo) Joe Drumright (banjo) Tony Ellis (banjo) Lamar Grier (banjo) Lonnie Hoppers (banjo) Vic Jordan (banjo) Bill Keith (banjo) Don Lineberger (banjo) Curtis McPeake (banjo) Robert Lee Pennington (banjo) Don Stover (banjo) Rual Yarbrough (banjo) Sonny Osborne (banjo) Gordon Terry (fiddle/vocals) Vassar Clements (fiddle) Red Hayes (fiddle) Tommy Jackson (fiddle) Connie Ellisor (fiddle) Carl Gorodetzky (fiddle) Bobby Hicks (fiddle) Byron Berline (fiddle) George Binkley III (fiddle) Richard Greene & Beryl Marriott (fiddle) Dennis Molchan (fiddle) Hal Smith (fiddle) Dale Potter (fiddle) Red Stanley (fiddle) Merle "Red" Taylor (fiddle) Horace "Benny" Williams (fiddle) Tommy Williams Jr. (fiddle) Roy Christensen (cello) Joel Price (bass/vocals) Ernie Newton (bass/vocals) Mark Hembree (bass) Howard Watts (bass) Farris Coursey (drums) Joe Zinkan (bass)
Producer: Owen Bradley, Paul Cohen, Harry Silverstein and Walter Haynes, Photographer: Les Leverett, Designer: Mike Fink, Liner Notes: Mary Katherine Aldin, Engineer: Gavin Lurssen
[Notes]
So much has been said about the founding father of bluegrass music that it would be nice if there was an all-encompassing collection of Bill Monroe's music to accompany the legend. Although the almost-correctly titled Anthology comes close, there is still a wealth of Columbia and RCA-Victor recordings missing from this Decca-centric collection, which runs chronologically from 1950 to 1969 (with one final track from 1981). Unfortunately, this means that the classic lineup of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, with fiddler Chubby Wise and bassist Howard Watts, is not represented. Still, bluegrass luminaries Vassar Clements, Jimmy Martin, Kenny Baker, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, and many others, all drifted in and out of the Blue Grass Boys during their twenty-some years, and make appearances on classic tracks like "Sally Goodin," "Uncle Pen," "Blue Moon of Kentucky," and "New Mule Skinner Blues." All told, this may be the perfect collection of Monroe's work for Decca, but it falls only slightly short of being the Bill Monroe Anthology.-- AllMusic Review by Zac Johnson

A Tribute To Jimmy Martin - King Of Bluegrass

Koch Records KOC-CD-9819

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2004
Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Sonny Osborne Intro (0:10)
02 Sophronie (2:39)
03 You Don't Know My Mind (2:58)
04 Losin' You (3:03)
05 Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me (2:48)
06 She Left Me Again (3:06)
07 Doin' My Time (3:48)
08 I Cried Again (2:28)
09 Homerun Man (2:14)
10 Ocean of Diamonds (2:44)
11 God Guide Our Leaders Hand (3:06)
12 What Would You Give In Exchange (2:44)
13 I'd Like To Hear Them Preach It (3:10)
14 Hold What You Got (2:24)
15 Walkin' Shoes (2:15)
16 Steppin' Stones (2:48)
17 I'm Thinkin' Tonight of My Blues Eyes (3:14)
18 Tennessee (2:41)
[Credits]
Audie Blaylock (guitar/vocals) Paul Williams (mandolin/vocals) Jesse Brock (mandolin) Michael Cleveland (fiddle) J.D. Crowe (banjo/vocals) Kenny Ingram (banjo) Ben Isaacs (bass/vocals) Sonya Isaacs (vocals) Jason Moore (bass) Harry Stinson (snare)
Executive-Producer: Tim Dillman, Producer: Ben Isaacs, Photographer: John Scarpati, Artist: Hank Williams, Jr., Liner Notes: Eddie Stubbs, Engineer: John Eberle and Lee Groitzsch
[Notes]
Although he is less well known than bluegrass pioneers Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley, the irascible Jimmy Martin has done as much as either to shape the sound of the genre, almost single-handedly developing what can only be termed honky tonk bluegrass. Martin is stubborn and brilliant, a rebel playing a style of music that favors tradition and only reluctantly abides innovation, and his larger than life personality has probably made him as many enemies as friends. But acknowledged or not, Martin's stamp is everywhere in contemporary bluegrass, and his impact on country music as a whole is also not to be underestimated. This tribute to Martin is rather special because it brings together four skilled musicians who all got their start as members of Martin's backup band, the Sunny Mountain Boys. Banjo players J.D. Crowe and Kenny Ingram, along with mandolin players Audie Blaylock and Paul Williams, join forces here to produce a surprisingly consistent and cohesive album. Their immersion in Martin's music is complete, which means they actually sound like a band (with Blaylock handling most of the lead vocals) rather than stars taking turns at the microphone, as is the case with most tribute affairs. Among the highlights here are versions of "Doin' My Time," "Ocean of Diamonds," and a marvelous rendition of A.P. Carter's "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes." Also worth mentioning is the version here of Martin's wise and cautionary "God Guide Our Leader's Hand," which is timeless in its call for careful consideration in all things political. -- AllMusic Review by Steve Leggett

Will The Circle Be Unbroken Volume Two: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Universal Records UVLD-12500

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country Rock, Bluegrass
[Tracklis]
01 Life's Railway To Heaven: Johnny Cash (4:21)
02 Grandpa Was A Carpenter: Jimmy Ibbotson (3:10)
03 When I Get My Rewards: Levon Helm (4:26)
04 Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan / John Cowan (3:32)
05 Little Mountain Church House: Ricky Skaggs (3:32)
06 And So It Goes: John Denver (3:33)
07 When It's Gone: Jimmy Ibbotson (2:33)
08 Mary Danced With Soldiers: Emmylou Harris (2:57)
09 Riding Alone: Emmylou Harris (2:34)
10 I'm Sittin' On Top Of The World: Jimmy Martin (3:07)
11 Lovin' On The Side: Paulette Carson (2:56)
12 Lost River: Bob Carpenter (3:11)
13 Bayou Jubilee: Sam Bush (2:52)
14 Blues Berry Hill: Instrument (3:10)
15 Turn Of The Century: Jimmy Ibbotson / Jeff Hanna / Bob Carpenter (3:38)
16 One Step Over The Line: Rosanne Cash (4:20)
17 You Ain't Going Nowhere: Roger McGuinn / Chris Hillman (3:37)
18 The Valley Road: Bruce Hornsby (4:03)
19 Will The Circle Be Unbroken: Johnny Cash and legends (4:47)
20 Amazing Grace: Instrument (1:48)
[Credits]
Johnny Cash (guitar/vocals) John Prine (guitar/vocals) Levon Helm (mandolin/vocals) John Cowan (vocals) Sam Bush (mandolin/fiddle/vocals) Pat Flynn (guitar/vocals) Ricky Skaggs (guitar/vocals) John Denver (vocals) Emmylou Harris (guitar/vocals) Jimmy Martin (guitar/vocals) Paulette Carlson (vocals) Michael Martin Murphey (guitar/vocals) Rosanne Cash (vocals) John Hiatt (vocals) Roger McGuinn (guitar/vocals) Chris Hillman (guitar/vocals) Bruce Hornsby (piano/vocals) Roy Acuff (vocals) Earl Scruggs (banjo) Vassar Clements (fiddle) Jerry Douglas (doblo) Bela Fleck (banjo) Mark O'Connor (fiddle/mandolin/mandola) Randy Scruggs (guitar) Chet Atkins (guitar) Roy Huskey, Jr. (bass) Buck White (piano) Bernie Leadon (banjo)
NGDB: Bob Carpenter (accordion/piano/vocals) Jimmie Fadden (drums/harmonica) Jeff Hanna (guitar/mandolin/vocals) Jimmy Ibbotson (mandolin/accordion/vocals) John McEuen (banjo)
[Notes]
This easily won the Country Music Association's Album of the Year Award, thanks to a stellar cast that includes John Denver, Johnny Cash, the Carter Family, Bruce Hornsby, Ricky Skaggs, Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn, Rosanne Cash, Steve Wariner, Roy Acuff, Chet Atkins...you get the message. Tracks were all recorded in one "take," with no overdubs, making the outstanding musicianship particularly noteworthy. Atheists beware: there's a lot of gospel. -- AllMusic Review by Tom Roland

Will The Circle Be Unbroken: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Capitol Records 7243-5-35148-2-2

Format: 2×CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Country: US
Released: 2002
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
1-01 Grand Ole Opry Song (3:10)
1-02 Keep On The Sunny Side (4:26)
1-03 Nashville Blues (3:15)
1-04 You Are My Flower (3:39)
1-05 The Precious Jewel (4:09)
1-06 Dark As A Dungeon (2:47)
1-07 Tennessee Stud (4:50)
1-08 Black Mountain Rag (2:40)
1-09 Wreck On The Highway (3:25)
1-10 The End Of The World (3:54)
1-11 I Saw The Light (4:21)
1-12 Sunny Side Of The Mountain (2:50)
1-13 Nine Pound Hammer (2:53)
1-14 Losin' You (Might Be The Best Thing Yet) (2:49)
1-15 Honky Tonkin' (2:32)
1-16 You Don't Know My Mind (2:47)
1-17 My Walkin' Shoes (2:52)
2-01 Lonesome Fiddle Blues (2:43)
2-02 Cannonball Rag (1:16)
2-03 Avalanche (2:52)
2-04 Flint Hill Special (2:13)
2-05 Togary Mountain (2:28)
2-06 Earl's Breakdown (2:37)
2-07 Orange Blossom Special (2:12)
2-08 Wabash Cannonball (2:03)
2-09 Lost Highway (3:48)
2-10 Doc Watson & Merle Travis: First Meeting (Dialogue) (1:52)
2-11 Way Downtown (3:35)
2-12 Down Yonder (3:45)
2-13 Pins And Needles (In My Heart) (2:54)
2-14 Honky Tonk Blues (2:23)
2-15 Sailin' On To Hawaii (2:09)
2-16 I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes (4:26)
2-17 I Am A Pilgrim (3:54)
2-18 Wildwood Flower (3:33)
2-19 Soldier's Joy (3:33)
2-20 Will The Circle Be Unbroken (4:48)
2-21 Both Sides Now (2:25)
[Previously Unreleased Tracks]
2-22 Foggy Mountain Breakdown (2:39)
2-23 Warming Up For "The Opry" (Talk) (2:43)
2-24 Sunny Side (Talk) (4:06)
2-25 Remember Me (1:39)
[Credits]
Roy Acuff (vocals) Maybelle Carter (autoharp/guitar/vocals) Doc Watson, Jimmy Martin, Merle Travis (guitar/vocals) Earl Scruggs (banjo/guitar) Vassar Clements (fiddle) Bashful Brother Oswald, Norman Blake (dobro) Randy Scruggs (autoharp/guitar) Junior Husky, Ellis Padgett (bass) Chet Flippo, Martha Flippo, Ray Martin, Tim Martin, Alice McEuen, Larry Murray, Gary Scruggs, Louise Scruggs, Steve Scruggs, Betty Travis (background vocals) Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Bruce Hornsby, Béla Fleck, Roger McGuinn (guest artists) NGDB: Bob Carpenter (accordion/piano/vocals) Jimmie Fadden (drums/harmonica) Jeff Hanna (guitar/mandolin/vocals) Jimmy Ibbotson (mandolin/accordion/vocals) John McEuen (banjo)
[Notes]
Will the Circle be Unbroken is a 1972 album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with collaboration from many famous bluegrass and country-western players, including Roy Acuff, Mother Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Merle Travis, Pete "Oswald" Kirby, Norman Blake, Jimmy Martin, and others. It also introduced fiddler Vassar Clements to a wider audience.

Bean Blossom: Bill Monroe's 7th Annual Bluegrass Festival 1973

MCA Records MCA2-8002

Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: United States
Released: 1973
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8) (2:48)
A2 You Won't Be Satisfied That Way (1:58)
A3 Uncle Pen (2:19)
A4 Blue Moon Of Kentucky (3:22)
A5 Ole Slew-Foot (2:27)
A6 Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes (2:17)
B1 Please Be My Love (2:13)
B2 I Wish You Knew (2:26)
B3 Love, Please Come Home (2:14)
B4 Train 45 (2:37)
B5 Bonny (2:05)
B6 When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again (2:15)
C1 Hit Parade Of Love (2:41)
C2 Mary Ann (3:00)
C3 Sunny Side Of The Mountain (2:55)
C4 Free Born Man (3:19)
C5 Tennessee (2:46)
C6 Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms (2:19)
C7 Feudin' Banjos (2:10)
C8 Ballad Of Jed Clampett (2:14)
D1 Roll On Buddy (2:11)
D2 I Wonder Where You Are Tonight (2:59)
D3 Orange Blossom Special (2:28)
D4 Down Yonder (3:43)
D5 Soldier's Joy (2:34)
D6 Grey Eagle (2:38)
D7 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (4:02)
[Credits]
(A1-A4) Bill Monroe & The Bluegrass Boys (A5-A6, B1-B2) Jim & Jesse and The Virginia Boys (B3-B6) James Monroe (C1-C5) Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys (C6-C8) Lester Flatt & The Nashville Grass (D1) Bill Monroe & James Monroe (D2) Bill Monroe and Jim & Jesse (D3) Carl Jackson (D4-D7) Bill Monroe & The Bluegrass Boys
Mastered By: Darrell Johnson, Mixed By: Joe Mills, Producer: Snuffy Miller, Walter Haynes
[Notes]
There is very little in the world quite like a good, live bluegrass album, and this is as good as it gets. The album was recorded in 1973 at the seventh annual Bill Monroe Bluegrass Festival in Bean Blossom, IN, and features, alongside Monroe, most of the greats of early bluegrass, still kicking in the 1970s-Jim and Jesse, Jimmy Martin, James Monroe, Lester Flatt and the Nashville Grass, and 12 of the period's greatest fiddlers. The only notably absent figures of the classic bluegrass canon are the Stanley Brothers and Earl Scruggs; Carter Stanley died in 1966, and Scruggs, who had recently broken from Flatt to pursue more "modern" sounds in bluegrass music, was still getting the silent treatment from Monroe for leaving his Bluegrass Boys in the first place. Curly Ray Cline, Clarence "Tater" Tate, Tex Logan, Kenny Baker, and the other eight fiddlers play simultaneously on three instrumental standards, "Soldier's Joy," "Grey Eagle," and "Down Yonder," backing Monroe on the album's final track, a lively and unforgettable "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." The music is played, for the most part, at a tightly reined turbo speed and, along with the steady claps and yells and sure-enough screams of an enormously rowdy audience, makes for about the most exciting 75 minutes of music imaginable. Bean Blossom captures the true, original spirit of the music created by Monroe as much or more than any other album, and provides a sturdy backbone to any bluegrass collection. --AllMusic Review by Burgin Mathews

First Bluegrass Festival Fincastle VA. 1965

First bluegrass festival held in Fincastle Va. on Labor Day Weekend September, 1965.

In September of 1965 the first multi-day bluegrass festival was held at Cantrell’s horse barn in Fincastle, Virginia. The now legendary event was the brain child of the longtime manager of Reno and Smiley, Carlton Haney. Some of the entertainment lineup included Mac Wiseman, Jimmy Martin, Clyde Moody, The Osborne Brothers, The Stanley Brothers, Don Reno and Red Smiley (in their own separate bands), and the father of Bluegrass himself, . The festival proved to be one of the most significant events in bluegrass music history. In fact it may have actually saved the music itself. Carlton’s festival started a festival movement that spawned many more festivals throughout the country and eventually the world. These festivals provided the already struggling bluegrass industry with a venue for musicians to play, meet their fans, and most importantly make a living. And for the last 47 years festivals have been life blood for most professional bluegrass bands.

Bill Monroe, Carter and Ralph Stanley at Fincastle VA, 1965.

One of the most memorable things about Carlton’s early festivals was his narration of “the bluegrass story” or as he infamously pronounces it “the bluegrass stow-ree”. “The bluegrass story” was a history lesson on the music’s beginnings and usually featured Bill Monroe and former Bluegrass Boys playing the classic tunes that defined the music. For the 1965 festival, Bill Monroe, Don Reno, Clyde Moody, Benny Martin, and Mac Wiseman were all part of the first “stow-ree”. Luckily, portions of this historic event were captured on video. If you haven’t seen the video of Don Reno, Bill Monroe, Benny Martin, and Mac Wiseman all playing on stage together at the first festival, put down this magazine now and go to Youtube immediately! It can be found on my Youtube page: www.youtube.com/user/renopicker. They play several classic tunes, such as Rawhide, Orange Blossom Special, Can’t You Hear Me Calling, Six More Miles, Molly And Tenbrooks, and Traveling Down This Lonesome Road. You can tell how Don, Benny, and Bill were all feeding off each other in the video. This isn’t the slick, clinically sterilized perfection we hear in today’s bluegrass bands, this is raw real bluegrass played by the first generation masters. Even though the video and the audio isn’t the best quality, you can still feel the energy that these guys produced when watching them perform on stage. This is what made them great and why we still talk about them today. I can only imagine how incredible and exciting it was for those that were lucky enough to see the show live in 1965.

Of course like most of you, the first time I saw this video I was thrilled to see and hear my heroes playing together in their prime but I was mostly fixated on Don, of course. I couldn’t believe the things I was hearing. His breaks were ingenious and his back up was out of this world. The first time I heard his break to Rawhide I literally jumped out of my seat and got goose bumps! But the real stand out for me was his break to Traveling Down this Lonesome Road. Till this day it’s one of the coolest things I have ever heard him do. It’s pure rock and roll on the banjo. How he thought of these things still amazes me. For Traveling, Don implements a lot of Chuck Berry/Bill Monroe type riffs on the banjo that are similar to his kick off on I Know You’re Married. Most of the double stops are done with the thumb. Remember to mute the bridge with your palm to get the right sound when doing all the thumb brush work. They are playing in the key of F in the video but as with much of Don’s playing his break can easily be transposed to any key. One of the greatest things about this break is his ending lick as he walks away from the microphone. Pure genius!! What is also impressive about this break is that Don probably never played it exactly the same way again. He was the king of improvisation. He was never afraid to take chances and neither should you. So once you get the basic break down, use your imagination to add your own ideas to it and see what happens! If you have any questions or comments please contact me through my website: www.renopicker.com Until next time…Keep Pickin’ Reno!

Reno-Style Workshop
by Jason Skinner

Blue Grass Music '54 and '56: Jimmy Martin & the Osborne Brothers / Country Pardners

RCA Records (Japan) RA-5505

Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: Japan
Released: October, 1969
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 Save It! Save It! (2:01)
A2 Chalk up another one (2:37)
A3 I Pulled A Boo Boo (2:20)
A4 They Didn't Know The Difference (Bbut I Did) (2:42)
A5 20/20 Vision (2:43)
A6 That's How I Can Count On You (2:48)
B1 Another Old Dog in the Race (2:10)
B2 The Maple on the Hill
B3 Ever-Ready Kisses (2:20)
B4 Have Mercy on You (2:08)
B5 Pleasure kisses
B6 Pretty Polly
[Credits]
(A1-A6) Jimmy Martin & The Osborne Brothers: Jimmy Martin (guitar/vocals) Bob Osborne (mandokin/vocals) Sonny Osborne (banjo/vocals) Red Taylor (fiddle) Cedric Rainwater (bass) Recorded November 16, 1954
(B1-B4) Country Pardners: Bill Price (guitar/vocals) Bobby Simpson (banjo) Carlos Brock (mandolin) Dale Potter (fiddle) Unknown Player (bass) Recorded January 12, 1956
(B5-B6) Country Pardners: Bill Price (guitar/vocals) Bobby Simpson (banjo) Millard Presley (mandolin) Bob Moore (bass) Gordon Terry (fiddle) Recorded August 21, 1956
[Notes]
日本ビクター：ブルーグラス名唱集～ベスト・オブ・ジミー・マーティンとオズボーン・ブラザース／カントリー・パードナーズ

Will The Circle Be Unbroken: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Liberty Records LLP-9027C

Format: 3 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold with separate gatefold insert
Country: United States
Released: 1972
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, & Country
[Tracklist]
A1 Grand Ole Opry Song (2:59)
A2 Keep On The Sunny Side (3:35)
A3 Nashville Blues (3:10)
A4 You Are My Flower (3:35)
A5 The Precious Jewel (3:30)
A6 Dark As A Dungeon (2:45)
B1 Tennessee Stud (4:22)
B2 Black Mountain Rag (2:10)
B3 The Wreck On The Highway (3:24)
B4 The End Of The World (3:53)
B5 I Saw The Light (3:45)
C1 Sunny Side Of The Mountain (2:23)
C2 Nine Pound Hammer (2:14)
C3 Losin' You (Might Be The Best Thing Yet) (2:44)
C4 Honky Tonkin' (2:19)
C5 You Don't Know My Mind (2:45)
C6 My Walkin' Shoes (2:02)
D1 Lonesome Fiddle Blues (2:41)
D2 Cannonball Rag (1:15)
D3 Avalanche (2:50)
D4 Flint Hill Special (2:12)
D5 Togary Mountain (2:25)
D6 Earl's Breakdown (2:34)
D7 Orange Blossom Special (2:14)
D8 Wabash Cannonball (2:00)
E1 Lost Highway (3:37)
E2 Doc Watson & Merle Travis: First Meeting (Dialogue) (1:48)
E3 Way Downtown (3:30)
E4 Down Yonder (2:58)
E5 Pins And Needles (In My Heart) (2:53)
E6 Honky Tonk Blues (2:22)
E7 Sailin' On To Hawaii (2:00)
F1 I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes (4:25)
F2 I Am A Pilgrim (2:55)
F3 Wildwood Flower (3:34)
F4 Soldier's Joy (2:05)
F5 Will The Circle Be Unbroken (4:50)
F6 Both Sides Now (2:19)
[Credits]
Roy Acuff (vocals) Maybelle Carter (autoharp/guitar/vocals) Doc Watson, Jimmy Martin, Merle Travis (guitar/vocals) Earl Scruggs (banjo/guitar) Vassar Clements (fiddle) Bashful Brother Oswald, Norman Blake (dobro) Randy Scruggs (autoharp/guitar) Junior Husky, Ellis Padgett (bass) Chet Flippo, Martha Flippo, Ray Martin, Tim Martin, Alice McEuen, Larry Murray, Gary Scruggs, Louise Scruggs, Steve Scruggs, Betty Travis (background vocals) Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Bruce Hornsby, Béla Fleck, Roger McGuinn (guest artists) Jimmie Fadden, Jeff Hanna, Jimmy Ibbotson, John McEuen, Les Thompson (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band)
[Notes]
Will the Circle be Unbroken is a 1972 album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with collaboration from many famous bluegrass and country-western players, including Roy Acuff, Mother Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Merle Travis, Pete "Oswald" Kirby, Norman Blake, Jimmy Martin, and others. It also introduced fiddler Vassar Clements to a wider audience.

Early Blue Grass - RCA Victor Vintage Series

RCA Victor – LPV-569

Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono, Compilation
Country: Unated States
Released: 1969
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 Salty Dog Blues (11/14/45) Morris Brothers (2:37)
A2 All The Good Times Are Passed And Gone (8/3/37) Monroe Brothers (2:40)
A3 Little Bessie (1/25/38) Blue Sky Boys (3:06)
A4 Going To Georgia (2/14/38) Zeke Morris And Wade Mainer (2:48)
A5 Can You Forgive? (10/9/40) Roy Hall And His Blue Ridge Entertainers (3:00)
A6 End Of Memory Lane (11/7/47) Charlie Monroe And His Blue Ridge Pardners (BMI 2:45)
A7 Cryin' Holy Unto My Lord (10/7/40) Bill Monroe And His Blue Grass Boys (P.D. 2:26)
B1 The Windy Mountain (9/26/54) Lonesome Pine Fiddlers (BMI 2:32)
B2 The Chalk Up Another One (11/16/54) Jimmy Martin And Osborne Brothers (2:37)
B3 The 20/20 Vision (11/16/54) Jimmy Martin And Osborne Brothers (2:40)
B4 The No Curb Service (9/26/54) Lonesome Pine Fiddlers (BMI 2:03)
B5 Pretty Polly (8/21/56) Country Pardners (P.D. 2:15)
B6 The Save It! Save It! (11/16/54) Jimmy Martin And Osborne Brothers (1:58)
B7 Shake My Mothers Hand For Me (10/2/41) Bill Monroe And His Blue Grass Boys (P.D. 3:03)