Red Allen Sings In Memory of the Man: Dedicated to Lester Flatt

Folkways Records– FTS 31073

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: United States
Released: 1980
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 I'll Take the Blame (02:26)
A2 What's Good for You (02:32)
A3 Over the Hill to the Poorhouse (03:42)
A4 Somehow Tonight (03:05)
A5 I'll Never Shed Another Tear (02:32)
A6 Give Mother My Crown (02:34)
B1 Going Back to Harlan (01:37)
B2 I'm Waiting to Hear You Call Me Darling (02:45)
B3 Why Don't You Tell Me So (02:32)
B4 My Darling's Last Goodbye (02:15)
B5 Your Love is Like a Flower (02:25)
B6 Gone Home (02:36)
[Credits]
Red Allen (guitar/vocals) Curly Seckler (vocals) Harley Allen, Jr. (guitar/vocals) Marty Stuart (mandolin/guitar/vocals) Tater Tate (fiddle/vocals) Gene Wooten (dobro) Pete Corum (bass) Blake Willams (banjo)
Photographer: Ronald Clyne, Engineer: Stive Scruggs
[Notes]
In 1980, bluegrass performer Harley "Red" Allen (1930–1993) recorded an album to honor the memory and legacy of country and bluegrass legend Lester Flatt (1914–1979). Allen, known for his "high, lonesome sound," is backed by a band composed of veteran musicians including Marty Stuart on mandolin and several from Flatt’s last band, Nashville Grass, as well as his son Harley Jr. and Curly Seckler on vocals. The collection includes songs written by Flatt or associated with Flatt and Earl Scruggs of the Foggy Mountain Boys. The band gives a spirited vocal and instrumental workout to the bluegrass standard "Shady Grove," titled here as "Going Back to Harlan."

Red Allen and Friends

Folkways Records – FTS 31088

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 She's Country (2:14)
A2 Dig A Hole In The Meadow (2:20)
A3 Stone Wall (2:52)
A4 Bill Cheatum (2:25)
A5 Troubles Round My Door (2:38)
B1 Hello City Limits (2:12)
B2 Sweet Love Ain't Around (3:04)
B3 Gold Watch & Chain (1:57)
B4 Bad News (2:44)
B5 Fire On The Mountain (1:48)
[Credits]
Red Allen (guitar/lead vocals) Harley Allen (guitar/tenor vocals) Greg Allen (baritone vocals) John Farmer (banjo) John McEuen (banjo) Steve Scruggs (banjo) Vassar Clements (fiddle) Marty Stuart (mandolin/guitar) Randy Scruggs (guitar) Gary Scruggs (harp) Terry Smith (bass)
[Notes]
Veteran bluegrass performer Red Allen (1930–1993) collaborates with sons Harley and Doug and several musician friends on this 1981 album. Among the friends joining Allen are Grammy-winning fiddler Vassar Clements, mandolin and guitar player Marty Stuart, and Scruggs brothers Randy (guitar), Gary (harp), and Steve (banjo). The playlist includes traditional and modern bluegrass songs including "Bill Cheatum," "Fire on the Mountain," Red Allen's "Trouble 'Round My Door," and John D. Lautermilk's "Bad News."

John Hartford: Gum Tree Canoe

Flying Fish – FF289

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 I'm Still Here (2:53)
A2 Way Down The River Road (2:17)
A3 Gum Tree Canoe (4:05)
A4 Your Long Journey (2:25)
A5 Jug Harris (2:24)
B1 Little Piece Of My Heart (3:11)
B2 Take Me Back To My Mississippi River Home (3:53)
B3 Lorena (4:44)
B4 Wrong Road Again (2:49)
B5 No Expectations (4:06)
[Credits]
John Hartford (banjo/guitar/fiddle/plywood/vocals) Sam Bush (mandolin) Roy Huskey (bass) Jack Clement (dobro/guitar/ukulele) Jerry Douglas (dobro) Mark Howard (guitar) Marty Stuart (mandolin) Kenny Malone (drums/percussion) Mark O'Connor (fiddle/guitar/mandolin) Billy Lee Riley (french harp) Richard Schulman (vocals) Jeannie Seely (vocals) Tommy Hannum (vocals)
[Notes]
Hartford's most even Flying Fish album, with equal measures of songwriting whimsy and expert musicianship, Gum Tree Canoe includes a number of tunes that would remain concert staples for the length of his career. From the relaxed stroll of the album's title track to a rendition of Doc Watson's "Your Long Journey" to an original breakneck bluegrass instrumental, "Jug Harris," there's not a clinker to be heard. Hartford's banjo playing is exceptional, as is the accompaniment provided by a host of fine country, bluegrass, and newgrass pickers, Roy Huskey, Jr., Sam Bush, and Jerry Douglas among them. Riverboat tales, an R&B staple, and the Rolling Stones couldn't sound more at home together than they do on this fine album from one of roots music's genuine originals. Flying Fish's remastered CD, issued in 2001, includes two previously unreleased tunes and a short written tribute by Hartford String Band banjo player Bob Carlin.-- AllMusic Review by Brian Beatty

The Unbroken Circle: The Musical Heritage of the Carter Family

Dualtone – 80302-01162-2

Format: CD, Album, Compilation
Country: United States
Released: 2004
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Worried Man Blues: George Jones (3:11)
02 No Depression In Heaven: Sheryl Crow (3:20)
03 On The Sea of Galilee: Emmylou Harris with the Peasall Sisters(3:16)
04 Engine One-Forty-Three: Johnny Cash (3:38)
05 Never Let The Devil Get the Upper Hand of You: Marty Stuart & Fabulous Superlatives (4:50)
06 Little Moses: Janette and Joe Carter (2:19)
07 Black Jack David: Norman and Nancy Blake with Tim O'Brien (2:57)
08 Bear Creek Blues: John Prine (4:23)
09 You Are My Flower: Willie Nelson (2:39)
10 Single Girl, Married Girl: Shawn Colvin with Earl Scruggs and Randy Scruggs (2:19)
11 Will My Mother Know Me There?: The Whites with Ricky Skaggs (3:04)
12 The Winding Stream: Rosanne Cash (4:31)
13 Rambling Boy: The Del McCoury Band (4:24)
14 Hold Fast To The Right: June Carter Cash (2:55)
15 Gold Watch And Chain: The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with Kris Kristofferson (4:06)
[Credits]
Producer: John Carter Cash
[Notes]
Country musicians, be they alternative, traditional, or neo-traditionalist, never tire of singing praises to the Carter Family. Heck, even the occasional rocker will say a few kind words about the Carter legacy. With this type of enthusiasm, there's never a bad time to put together a tribute album like The Unbroken Circle. The album is packed with VIPs like Emmylou Harris, George Jones, Sheryl Crow, and Willie Nelson, and it even includes no less than three Cashes (Johnny, June Carter, and Rosanne). Despite this impressive list, The Unbroken Circle gets a very rocky start with lukewarm efforts by Jones, Crow, Harris, and Johnny Cash. Jones and Cash sound fairly rough, and Harris' outing, backed by the Peasall Sisters, is underwhelming. Crow's appearance on a country record is somewhat surprising, and perhaps it was meant to add a little pizzazz to the disc. Unfortunately, she sings "No Depression in Heaven" as though she were auditioning for Freakwater. While the album never quite recovers from this early stumble, there are bright spots after those first four songs. Marty Stuart offers a truly superb version of "Never Let the Devil Get the Upper Hand of You," filled with creepy ambience and a fine vocal, while Janette and Joe Carter's take on "Little Moses" sounds more old-time than the Carter Family. There are solid offerings by Nelson, John Prine, and the Del McCoury Band before everything comes to a crash landing with the less polished contributions of June Carter Cash and Kris Kristofferson. While fans of the artists on this compilation may want to check it out, there are better Carter Family collections (Bristol by Ginny Hawker and Kay Justice and Songs of the Carter Family by Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin), and there's always the option of listening to the Carter Family themselves. -- AllMusic Review by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

The Definitive Doc Watson

Sugar Hill Records – SUG-CD-4097097

Format: 2 x CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2013
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Folk
[Disk One]
01 The Cyclone Of Rye Cove (2:22)
02 St. Louis Blues (2:35)
03 The House Carpenter (3:55)
04 The Wagoner's Lad (3:17)
05 Anniversary Blue Yodel (Blue Yodel #7) (2:10)
06 Sitting On Top Of The World (2:39)
07 Black Mountain Rag (1:33)
08 Country Blues (3:32)
09 Weary Blues (2:43)
10 Little Sadie (2:01)
11 Dreams Of The Miner's Child (2:51)
12 Southbound (2:52)
13 Tennessee Stud (3:38)
14 Blue Railroad Train (2:46)
15 Georgie (2:47)
16 Katie Morey (2:25)
17 Matty Groves (6:04)
[Disk Two]
01 Whistlin' Rufus/Ragtime Annie (4:04)
02 Big Spike Hammer (3:14)
03 Listening To The Rain (3:15)
04 Willie Moore (4:04)
05 My Rough And Rowdy Ways (2:32)
06 The Wreck Of The Number Nine (2:58)
07 Omie Wise (5:27)
08 Shady Grove (2:59)
90 Watson's Blues (3:32)
10 Slidin' Delta (2:03)
11 Bright Sunny South (2:38)
12 Greenville Testle High (3:28)
13 I'm Going Back To The Old Home (2:14)
14 George Gudger's Overalls (3:26)
15 The Ninety And The Nine (2:36)
16 Your Lone Journey (2:48)
17 Whiskey Before Breakfast (2:53)
[Credits]
Doc Watson (guitar/banjo/vocals) Merle Watson (guitar/banjo) Sam Bush (mandolin/fiddle) Marty Stuart (mandolin) Mark O'Connor (fiddle) Stuart Duncan (fiddle) Dan Crary (guitar) Bryan Sutton (guitar) Jack Lawrence (guitar) John Herald (guitar) Béla Fleck (banjo) Buddy Davis (bass) T. Michael Coleman (bass) Junior Huskey (bass) Roy Huskey Jr. (bass) Russ Savukus (bass) Eric Weissberg (bass) Pat McInerney (percussion) Alan O'Bryant (vocal/harmony)
Producer: Fred Jaspe, Liner Notes: Derek Halsey, Cover Illustration: Carrie Smith, Photographer: Peter Figen, Mastering: David Glasser
[Notes]
Arthel "Doc" Watson was nearly 40 years old and had been playing guitar and banjo most of his life when he was discovered as part of the folk music revival of the early '60s; Watson was a remarkably gifted instrumentalist who had a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of traditional folk and country songs, and he became a cornerstone artist on the folk music scene, as he recorded and toured regularly until his death in 2012. A massive influence on such pickers as Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, and Clarence White, Watson left behind a massive body of work, and The Definitive Doc Watson is a two-disc set that brings together highlights from his recordings for Vanguard and Sugar Hill Records. While this means that a large portion of Watson's catalog is left unrepresented, Vanguard and Sugar Hill happen to be two of the labels with which Watson had the longest and most fruitful relationship, so this gives the set a broader focus than one might imagine. And while this set is a bit short of truly being "definitive" -- it would take a cross-licensed box set to truly fit that description -- there's plenty of great music here, and these 34 tracks show off Watson's warm, rich, unaffected vocals, superlative flat-picked guitar, and impressive banjo work to excellent advantage. A collection of essential songs performed by a master of the form, The Definitive Doc Watson is a fine introduction to a giant of American folk music, and a strong if somewhat limited sampler of his recording career. -- AllMusicReview by Mark Deming

Lester Raymond Flatt

Flying Fish FF-015

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1975
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 Come Back Darling (2:43 )
A2 The Wreck Of The Old 97 (3:30)
A3 Remarks (0:40)
A4 Some Old Day (2:49 )
A5 Listen To The Mockingbird (4:03)
A6 When It's Time For The Whippoorwill To Sing (2:40)
A7 Remarks (0.40)
A8 Down The Road (2:01)
B1 I Won't Care (2:23)
B2 It Was Only The Wind (3:09)
B3 Remarks (0.20)
B4 My Cabin In Caroline (3:43)
B5 Remarks (0:28)
B6 Sleep With One Eye Open (3:14)
B7 Foggy Mountain Chimes (2:11)
B8 That Old Book Of Mine (3:08)
[Credits]
Lester Flatt (guitar/vocals) Curley Seckler (mandolin/vocals) Kenny Ingram (banjo/vocals) Paul Warren (fiddle/vocals) Charlie Nixon (dobro) Marty Stuart (guitar/mandolin) Jack Hicks (bass) Buddy Spicher (fiddle)
[Notes]
Bluegrass Musician. A native of the Cumberland Plateau in East Tennessee, he ranks as one of the all-time preeminent lead singers of Bluegrass music. Born in Sparta, Tennessee, he left school in 1931 at an early age to work in the local textile mills. While working in the mill, he got a partime job at radio station WDBJ to perfom with "The Charlie Scott Harmonizers". Later he would team up with Clyde Moody and perform a few shows in and around Burlington,North Carolina. It was then in 1943 that he realized that he may have a hopeful career in music and quit textiles to join full time with Charlie Monroe's "The Kentucky Partners". His wife, Gladys, also joined and toured with the group. Lester Flatt and his wife moved to Nashville in 1944 and was soon hired by Bill Monroe to play in his "Bluegrass Boys Band" for the next four years. In 1948, he would form a partnership with Earl Scruggs, which would last for twenty one years as the most popular duo Bluegrass act. "Flatt and Scruggs" would breakup over musical differences in 1969. Durning the early 70's, Lester Flatt teamed with "The Foggy Mountain Boys" to record and perform live shows, including the Grand Ole Opry. In 1975, his health began to decline; however, he still remained fairly active up until November 1978 when he experienced some serious health problems. He returned to the Opry in March 1979 and would fall ill again and die two months later in May. "Flatt and Scruggs" will always be remembered as one of the greatest duos in Bluegrass music.

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.