Sam Bush - Radio John: Songs of John Hartford

Smithsonian Folkways SFW CD 40254

Format: CD
Country: US
Released:: October 21, 2022
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, Country
[Tracklist]
01 California Earthquake (03:24)
02 Down (03:29)
03 In Tall Buildings (03:29)
04 A Simple Thing As Love (03:19)
05 John McLaughlin (01:50)
06 Morning Bugle (02:50)
07 No End Of Love (03:25)
08 Granny Wontcha You Smoke Some Marijuana (02:58)
09 I'm Still Here (03:19)
10 Radio John (05:02)
[Credits]
Executive Producer: Lynn Bush, Producer and Liner Notes: Sam Bush, Liner Notes: Jon Weisberger and James Deutsch, Illustrator: William Matthews, Engineer: Rick Wheeler, David Glasser and Airshow Mastering
[Notes]
Radio John: Songs of John Hartford is Sam Bush’s heartfelt tribute to his hero and mentor, John Hartford. With dedication, admiration, and love, Bush takes on personal favorites from Hartford’s vast catalog, including songs he played with Hartford on stage and in the studio in the 1970s. Bush plays every instrument on nearly every cut, pouring himself into the performances. Radio John is a testament to the impact Hartford had on American traditional music as a songwriter, an instrumentalist, and, most importantly, someone who fostered the careers of musicians like Bush and countless others reinventing roots music in the last half of the 20th century.

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

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 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

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

Tony Rice: Plays And Sings Bluegrass

Rounder Records – CD 0253

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1993
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 I've Waited As Long As I Can (2:58)
02 Brown Mountain Light (3:40)
03 How Mountain Girls Can Love (2:26)
04 Carolina Star (3:09)
05 Thunderclouds Of Love (2:50)
06 On And On (3:04)
07 This Morning At Nine (2:18)
08 I Wonder Where You Are Tonight (3:12)
09 Galveston Flood (3:28)
10 Will You Be Loving Another Man (3:01)
11 Girl From The North Country (4:19)
12 Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone (2:50)
13 I'll Stay Around (3:21)
[Credits]
Tony Rice (guitar/vocals) Bill Emerson (banjo/tenor vocals/baritone vocals) Jimmy Gaudreau (mandolin/baritone vocals) John Duffey (mandolin/tenor vocals) and Larry Rice (tenor vocals) Sam Bush (mandolin/baritone vocals) Mike Auldridge (mandolin/dobro/baritone vocals) Jerry Douglas (dobro) Vassar Clements (fiddle) Mark Schatz (bass) Producers: Bill Wolf and Anthony Rice, Photographer: Tim Talley, Engineer: David Glasser
[Notes]
Tony Rice, one of the most innovative guitarists to emerge from the "third generation" of bluegrass musicians, returns to his roots on TONY RICE PLAYS AND SINGS BLUEGRASS, his first real bluegrass album since 1977. This collection of classics, mostly from the '50s and '60s, is given an exuberant reading by Rice and his band of bluegrass veterans. Rice's lead vocals evoke the "high lonesome" sound of Bill Monroe. His guitar work is stunning in its attack, rhythmic intensity, and choice of notes--his solo on Lester Flatt's "I'll Stay Around" twists and turns, hits a few pungent blue notes, and is gone, all in eight bars, while the guitar break on "Thunderclouds of Love" explodes in a flurry of notes and slurred jazz chords. Dobro star Jerry Douglas adds his unmistakable fluid touch. Bill Emerson, a founding member of the Country Gentlemen, is on hand to play some hellified banjo and to pass the torch. Balancing respect for tradition with modern virtuosity and willingness to take risks, TONY RICE PLAYS AND SINGS BLUEGRASS is about as good as it gets. -- AllMusic Review by AllMusic

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

Epilogue: A Tribute to John Duffey

Smithsonian Folkways CD SFW 40228

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2018
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Sad and Lonesome Day: Randy Waller and Lou Reid (2:36)
02 If That's the Way You Feel: Amanda Smith (3:20)
03 If I Were a Carpenter: Jonathan Edwards (2:44)
04 Lonesome River: Dudley Connell (2:56)
05 Sunrise: Sam Bush and Béla Fleck (3:22)
06 Going to the Races: James King (1:59)
07 Some Old Day: John Cowan (2:43)
08 Girl from the North Country: Steve Gulley (3:32)
09 He Was a Friend of Mine: Dudley Connell and John Cowan (3:08)
10 Poor Ellen Smith: Tim O'Brien (2:22)
11 Reason For Being: Fred Travers (3:16)
12 Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow: Don Rigsby (2:41)
13 Chim-Chim-Cher-Ee: Bruce Molsky (1:27)
14 Cold Wind a Blowin': Ronnie Bowman and Lou Reid (2:15)
15 Christmas Time Back Home: John Duffey Tribute All-Stars (3:13)
16 Bringing Mary Home: John Starling (3:48)
17 First Tear: Akira Otsuka (1:22)
[Crerdits]
Producers: Akira Otsuka and Ronnie Freeland, Annotation: Katy Daley, Dudley Connell and Jeff Place, Photographers: Charles Tompkins and Nobuharu Komoriya, Editor: Carla Borden, Engineers: Rick Watson, Bill Wolf, Greg Lukens, Brent Truitt and Phil Rosenthal
[Notes]
John Duffey's influence on bluegrass cannot be overstated. His contributions to legendary bands The Country Gentlemen and The Seldom Scene helped transform the genre from a regional Appalachian music to a sophisticated, urban sound, resulting in a legion of new fans the world over. On Epilogue, the bluegrass music community comes together to create a marvelously fitting tribute to "the father of modern bluegrass." Sam Bush, John Cowan, Béla Fleck, Bruce Molsky, Tim O'Brien, Don Rigsby, and so many more—it’s a rare and special all-star cast. Their eagerness and passion to record the album attest to how profoundly Duffey impacted them and countless other musicians today. 46 minutes, 44-page booklet with extensive notes and photos.

Bryan Bowers: The View from Home

Flying Fish FF-037

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1977
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 Blackberry Blossom (2:13)
A2 St. Anne's Reel (2:37)
A3 Golden Slippers (2:10)
A4 Black Jack Davey (3:27)
A5 Liberty (2:39)
A6 Satisfied Mind (4:35)
B1 Red Haired Boy (2:18)
B2 Walkin' In Jerusalem (1:56)
B3 Rights Of Man (3:55)
B4 Simple Gifts (2:42)
B5 Fisher's Hornpipe (2:08)
B6 Gold Watch & Chain (1:49)
B7 The View From Home (2:21)
[Credits]
Bryan Bowers (autoharp/vocals) John Starling (guitar/vocals) Mike Auldridge (dobro/vocals) Claudia Schmidt (zither/vocals) Sam Bush (mandolin) Curtis Burch (guitar) Howard Levy (accordion) Ben Eldridge and Courtney Johnson (banjo) Kenny Bloom (bandura) Adele Welland (autoharp) Jim Post and Steve Goodman (vocals) John Cowan and Tom Gray (bass)
Photographers: Marc PoKempner and Dick Marvin, Designer: Bob McCamant, Engineers: Michael Rasfeld, Bill McElroy, Fred Breitberg and Garth Fundis
[Notes]
This album is dedicated to Pop Stoneman, Kilby Snow, Sarah and Maybelle Carter, Bill Clifton, Mike Seeger, and all autoharps held in closets, basements, and artics across the nation.

Barbara Lamb: Fiddle Fatale

Sugar Hill Record SH-CD-3810

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1993
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, Country Swing
[Tracklist]
01 Sally Goodin (3:36)
02 Panhandle Rag (4:29)
03 A Good Woman's Love (4:28)
04 Paddy On The Turnpike / Gone Again (3:41)
05 Montana Glide (4:17)
06 Herman's Hornpipe (3:20)
07 So What (4:02)
08 Foster's Reel (4:07)
09 Old French Reel (2:15)
10 I'll Never Be Free ( 3:45)
11 Katy Hill (2:56)
12 Princess Angeline Cafe (3:39)
13 Ducks On The Millpond (Ducks With Bongos) (3:59)
[Credits]
Barbara Lamb (fiddle/vocals) Tim O'Brien (bouzouki/mandolin/vocals) Jerry Douglas (dobro) Sam Bush (mandolin) Tony Trischka (banjo) David Keenan, Jo Miler and Scott Nygaard (guitar) Nova Devonie (accordion) Pete Wasner (piano) Nancy Katz, Ed Gately and Mark Winchester (bass) Joe Craven (percussion) Ben Holmes (drums)
Producer: Tim O'Brien, Engineers: Randy Best, Kevin Clock, Jay Follette, David Glasser and Michael Lord
[Notes]
This was fiddler Barbara Lamb's declaration of independence upon her departure from Ranch Romance, an (almost) all-woman retro country swing outfit that had recorded several very fine albums for the Sugar Hill label. Her former bandmates join her here on several tracks that could have easily been included on a Ranch Romance album, including a debonair rendition of the Texas swing classic "Panhandle Rag" and a charming Tex-Mex number titled "So What." Elsewhere on the program she returns to her bluegrass roots, accompanied by banjoist Tony Trischka, guitarist Scott Nygaard, and mandolinist Sam Bush, among others. The program opens with a burning performance of "Sally Goodin," and it also includes a great fiddle and banjo arrangement of "Katy Hill" and a cute fiddle-and-bongo arrangement of "Ducks on the Millpond." She also gets good and countrified in collaboration with Tim O'Brien on "A Good Woman's Love" and on a slow waltz entitled "Montana Glide." The variety works very well; this is an excellent album. (AllMusic Review by Rick Anderson)

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)

Fly Through The Country: New Grass Revival

Flying Fish FF-016

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1975
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 Skippin' In The Mississippi Dew (2:37)
A2 Good Woman's Love (3:16)
A3 Glory (3:04)
A4 All Night Train (3:12)
A5 Fly Through The Country (5:16)
B1 This Heart Of Mine (2:10)
B2 The Dancer (3:44)
B3 When She Made Laughter Easy (3:16)
B4 Doin' My Time (6:21)
B5 These Days (5:41)
[Credits]
Sam Bush (mandolin/fiddle/guitar/vocals) Curtis Burch (guitar/dobro/vocals) Courtney Johnson (banjo/vocals) John Cowan (bass/vocals) Chuck Cochran (piano)
Directer: Keith Case, Producer: Garth Fundis, Chuck Cochran & Sam Bush, Photographer: The Grease Brothers, Designer: Penny Case
[Notes]
Released in 1975, Fly Through the Country was the New Grass Revival's first album with singer John Cowan and arguably the best album recorded by this incarnation of the group (Sam Bush, Courtney Johnson, and Curtis Burch). It wasn't that the group wouldn't record other memorable albums during the '70s, only that none possessed the spontaneity of Fly Through the Country. There's a sense of everything -- the romantic material, the vocal exuberance, and instrumental dexterity -- falling into place here. The band never seems like it's going out of its way to impress the listener or trying to get things perfect in the studio, as it later would on Barren County in 1979. Instead, the pacing of a song like Steven F. Brines/Bush's "Glory" feels natural and the vocal deeply felt. It's also hard to underestimate the addition of Cowan's vocals on songs like Cy Coben's "Good Woman's Love" and Jackson Browne's "These Days." Surely Bush could've delivered good versions of both of these songs, but Cowan, with his rock & roll background, adds an emotional kick more suitable to the dreamy lyrics of both songs. While guitarist Burch and banjoist Johnson probably never received enough credit for the band's success, it's their instrumental prowess that keeps all of these great vocal performances afloat. Their harmonies were also central to buoying the Revival's high-flying choruses. If anyone was ever curious about how good the New Grass Revival really were, Fly Through the Country is an excellent place to start. (AllMusic Review by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.)

Dolly Parton: The Grass Is Blue

Sugar Hill Record SUG-CD-3900

Format: CD, Album
Country: United States
Released:1999
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Travelin' Prayer (4:15)
02 Cash On The Barrelhead (3:07)
03 A Few Old Memories 4:01
04 I'm Gonna Sleep With One Eye Open (3:04)
05 Steady As The Rain (3:04)
06 I Still Miss Someone (3:37)
07 Endless Stream Of Tears (2:39)
08 Silver Dagger (4:54)
09 Train, Train (2:49)
10 I Wonder Where You Are Tonight (3:13)
11 Will He Be Waiting For Me (3:25)
12 The Grass Is Blue (3:43)
13 I Am Ready (2:44)
[Credits]
Dolly Parton (vocals) Jim Mills (banjo) Jerry Douglas (dobro) Stuart Duncan (fiddle) Bryan Sutton (guitar) Sam Bush (mandolin) Barry Bales (bass)
Designer: Sue Meyer Design, Musical Director: Jerry Douglas, Engineer: Chuck Turner and Toby Seay, Photographer: Dennis Carney, Producer: Steve Buckingham
[Notes
The Grass is Blue is a bluegrass album by Dolly Parton, released on October 25, 1999 on the Sugar Hill label. It is her 35th studio album. In addition to rejuvenating Parton's career, the album, along with the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack and the work of Alison Krauss, is credited with making bluegrass a hugely popular musical genre during the early 2000s. Though the album received little airplay on mainstream country radio, it sold well (peaking at number 24 on the U.S. country albums charts), and was among the most critically acclaimed albums of Parton's career. The album was listed on many critics' year-end "best of" lists and won a 2001 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. The songs included a mixture of Parton originals and folk and bluegrass standards, as well as a Billy Joel cover. "Silver Dagger", a late nineteenth century ballad, had been popularized by Joan Baez during the early 1960s. Norah Jones would later record the title song on a 2003 Parton tribute album. Parton had originally written "Steady as the Rain" for her younger sister Stella Parton, who had a top-forty country hit with the song in 1979. "Will He be Waiting for Me" is an update of a song which originally appeared on Parton's 1972 album Touch Your Woman. The album also includes an acoustic cover version of the Southern rock band Blackfoot song "Train, Train".

Doc Watson: Memories

Liberty LLS-67041～2

Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1975
Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, & Country
[Tracklist]
A1 Rambling Hobo (1:50)
A2 Shady Grove (2:38)
A3 Wake Up, Little Maggie (2:52)
A4 Peartree (2:15)
A5 Keep On The Sunny Side (2:06)
A6 Double File And Salt Creek (1:38)
B1 Curly Headed Baby (2:53)
B2 Miss The Mississippi And You (3:34)
B3 Wabash Cannonball (2:57)
B4 My Rose Of Old Kentucky (2:35)
B5 Blues Stay Away From Me (2:45)
C1 Walking Boss (2:20)
C2 Make Me A Pallet (2:58)
C3 In The Jailhouse Now (3:25)
C4 Steel Guitar Rag (1:55)
C5 Hang Your Head In Shame (2:39)
C6 You Don't Know My Mind Blues (3:07)
D1 Moody River (2:33)
D2 Don't Tell Me Your Troubles (2:45)
D3 Columbus Stockade (3:12)
D4 Mama Don't Allow No Music (4:10)
D5 Thoughts Of Never (2:35)
[Credits]
Doc Watson (guitar/harmonica/banjo/vocals) Merle Watson (guitar/banjo/dulcimer/guitar/slide guitar/steel guitar) Sam Bush (fiddle/mandolin/vocals/harmony vocals) Courtney Johnson (banjo) Jim Isbell (drums/percussion) Joe Smothers (guitar/harmony vocals) Chuck Cochran (bass/piano/organ) T. Michael Coleman (bass/background vocals) Joe Allen (bass)
[Notes]
Recorded at Clement Studio, Nashville, TN. 1975

Oz and Charlie: Bashful Brother Oswald and Charlie Collins

Rounder Records 0060

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: United States
Released: 1976
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, & Country
[Tracklist]
A1 Mountain Dew (2:21)
A2 Indian Killed A Woodcock (2:46)
A3 Homestead On The Farm (2:00)
A4 Hilo March (2:38)
A5 Nobody's Darling But Mine (3:31)
A6 Stoney Point (2:39)
A7 Black Smoke (2:22)
B1 Oswald's Special (2:49)
B2 Polly Wolly Doodle (1:48)
B3 Hills Of Old Kentucky (1:59)
B4 Snowflake Reel (2:44)
B5 Mother, The Queen Of My Heart (2:28)
B6 Loo Loo's Nest (1:40)
B7 What A Friend We Have In Jesus (2:27)
[Credits]
Bashful Brother Oswald (banjo/dobro/guitar/vocals) Charlie Collins (fiddle/mandolin/vocals) Sam Bush (fiddle/mandolin/guitar) Norman Blake (mandolin/guitar)
Designer: Douglas Parker, Recording Engineer: Claude Hill, Mix Engineer: Bob Stoughton, Photograper: Les Leverett, Producer: Michael Melford, Sleeve Notes: Connie Gately
[Notes]
Recorded on November 4, 5 and 6 in 1974 at Hound's Ear Studio, Nashville, Tennessee