Brother Oswald

Rounder Records 0013

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1972
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass & Country
[Tracklist]
A1 End Of The World (2:50)
A2 Island March (2:35)
A3 Sailing Along (3:50)
A4 Kansas City Kitty (2:40)
A5 Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain (3:17)
A6 Farewell Blues (2:38)
A7 Echo Chimes (2:28)
B1 Wabash Cannonball (1:38)
B2 Prairie Queen (2:37)
B3 Tennessee Waltz (2:50)
B4 Song Of The Islands (3:00)
B5 Dobro Chimes (2:41)
B6 I'll Be All Smiles Tonight (2:54)
B7 Two Different Worlds (2:54)
B8 Carry Me Back To The Mountains (2:10)
[Credits]
Brother Oswald (dobro) Charlie Collins (guitar) Norman Blake (guitar/mandolin/dobro) Tut Taylor (mandolin/dobro)
Producers: Mike Melford and Tut Taylor
[Notes]
Recorded at Glaser Sound Studios, Nashville, on January 1972. As a member of Roy Acuff's Grand Ole Opry band, Bashful Brother Oswald played a dumb-hick hillbilly character for the sake of comic relief, his slapstick antics and clown-like apparel making him an audience favorite -- but his dobro playing was no joke. During the Depression, Oswald found work playing Hawaiian-style dobro music at a Flint, Mich., radio station. When he was picked up by Acuff later in the decade, he brought with him the weeping, island-flavored style of playing that is one of the defining characteristics of country music. While Oswald was not solely responsible for this sound, his role as a key player in the modern country vocabulary is indisputable. Although he worked mainly as a sideman, he did record a couple of solo efforts on which he sang as well as played, showcasing a taste for old-time Bluegrass and singing in a friendly, weathered voice.

CSN: Crosby, Stills & Nash

Atlantic SD-19104

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Presswell Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1977
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk Rock
[Tracklist]
A1 Shadow Captain (4:32)
A2 See The Changes (2:56)
A3 Carried Away (2:29)
A4 Fair Game (3:30)
A5 Anything At All (3:01)
A6 Cathedral (5:15)
B1 Dark Star (4:43)
B2 Just A Song Before I Go (2:12)
B3 Run From Tears (4:09)
B4 Cold Rain (2:32)
B5 In My Dreams (5:10)
B6 I Give You Give Blind (3:21)
[Credits]
David Crosby (vocals) Stephen Stills (guitar/vocals) Graham Nash (piano/harmonica/vocals) Joe Vitale (organ/flute/drums/percussion) Russ Kunkel (drums/congas) Craig Doege (piano) George Perry (bass) Tim Drummond (bass)
Producer and Recorder: Howard Albert and Ron Albert, Designer: Gary Burden and R. Twerk & Co., Photographer: Joel Bernstein, Engineer: Steve Gursky
[Notes]
CSN featured strong writing from all three members, the last time for seventeen years that the band would compose songs and handle vocals without major assistance from outside sources.Many of Stills' songs on the album echo his marital problems, with "Dark Star" returning to the Latin rhythms he had favored all the way back to his Buffalo Springfield days. Crosby continued the existential probings consistent with much of his past work, and Nash offered both a radio-ready acoustic ballad with "Just a Song Before I Go", and an elaborate set piece re-creating a vision of an LSD experience that he had in Winchester Cathedral with "Cathedral". Many tracks were sweetened with a string section, a first on a CSNY project.

Plainsong: In Search Of Amelia Earhart

Elektra K-42120

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1972
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Folk rock
[Tracklist]
A1 For The Second Time (3:48)
A2 Yo Yo Man (2:10)
A3 Louise (3:17)
A4 Call The Tune (5:22)
A5 Diesel On My Tail (2:04)
A6 Amelia Earhart's Last Flight (4:05)
B1 I'll Fly Away (2:03)
B2 True Story Of Amelia Earhart (4:31)
B3 Even The Guiding Light (4:10)
B4 Side Roads (3:28)
B5 Raider (4:30)
[Credits]
Ian Matthews (guitar/vocals) Andy Roberts (guitar/organ/dulcimer/vocals) Dave Richards (guitar/vocals) Martin Jenkins (mandolin/cello/mandola) Bob Ronga (bass/vocals) Dave Mattacks and Timi Donald (drums)
Producer: Sandy Roberton, Liner Notes: Fred Goerner, Photographer: Jeremy Ensor, Design – Seabrook Graves Aslett, Engineer: Jerry Boys
[Notes]
In just under three years, Ian Matthews split from Fairport Convention, went solo, formed Matthews' Southern Comfort - with whom he scored a number one U.K. hit - left the group at the height of its popularity, recorded three more records on his own (only two were released at this time) and in early 1972 started Plainsong, his fourth band in five years. And while his track record led one to believe that Plainsong may be just another short stay, the subsequent album, In Search of Amelia Earhart, proved to be worth the venture. Ian Matthews was of course the obvious draw, but Plainsong seemed to be formed as more of a collective effort, with lead guitarist Andy Roberts, who shares the lead vocal duties, the other focal point in the band. On the other hand, Matthews, whose folk and country-tinged tunes set the tone for the record, is the only member to contribute original material. Included among these is the thematic "True Story of Amelia Earhart," which along with the haunting "For the Second Time," leads a pack of five Matthews compositions that range from good to excellent. Elsewhere, Paul Siebel's heartbreaking "Louise," the dulcimer and harmony driven Appalachian gospel of "I'll Fly Away," and Roberts' readings of the playful "Yo Yo Man," Jim & Jesse's "Diesel on My Tail" and the mournful 1939 tale of "Amelia Earhart's Last Flight" are all highlights. Its title and artwork, along with notes by Charles Goerner on the flight and disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Frederick Noonan, gave In Search of Amelia Earhart the feel of a concept album, even though the title is nowhere to be found on the outside jacket and there are only two songs related to the subject contained within. It wasn't really a surprise when a follow-up, though recorded, failed to materialize, with the band parting ways on less than amicable terms, and Matthews going on to record two more records for Elektra. Still, In Search of Amelia Earhart fits nicely alongside the rest of his terrific early-'70's catalogue. (AllMusic Review by Brett Hartenbach)

Red Allen & The Kentuckians: Live And Let Live

Folkways Records FTS-31065

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1979
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 Doing My Time (5:43)
A2 It's Only The Wind (2:58)
A3 Are You Teasing Me (2:30)
A4 Angel Band (4:09)
A5 Troubles Around My Door (1:48)
A6 Billie In The Low Ground (2:50)
B1 Live And Let Live (2:47)
B2 B.J. And D.J. (3:46)
B3 I'm Confessing (2:57)
B4 Christian Life (2:51)
B5 Home Sweet Home (2:59)
B6 O Don't Love Nobody (2:51)
[Credits]
Red Allen (gitar/vocals) Greg Allen (guitar/banjo/vocals) Ron Mesing (dobro) Harley Allen (guitar) Buddy Griffin (fiddle) Red Butler (mandolin/vocals) Dorsey Harvey Jr. (mandolin) Red Hartley (bass)
Liner Notes: Tom Teepen, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
Veteran Bluegrass performer Red Allen (1930–1993) is joined by son Greg and the Kentuckians on this 1979 bluegrass recording. Known for his powerful tenor voice, Red and his son sing harmony on several songs, among them "It's Only the Wind" and "Live and Let Live." Two instrumentals—"Billie in the Lowground" and "Home Sweet Home"—also appear on the recording. Allen was inducted into the IBMA Bluegrass Hall of Fame in 2005. Cox Newspapers columnist Tom Teepen contributed the liner notes, which include a short biography of Allen and a review of the album, followed by song lyrics.

Bluegrass: Red Allen, Frank Wakefield And The Kentuckians

Folkways Records FA-2408

Label: Folkways Records FA-2408
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1964
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 Little Maggie (3:11)
A2 Somebody Loves You Darlig (2:27)
A3 New Camptown Races (2:32)
A4 Are You Afraid To Die (2:41)
A5 Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong (2:57)
A6 Are You Washed In The Blood (2:47)
B1 Deep Elem Blues (2:31)
B2 Ground Hog (2:03)
B3 The Little Girl And The Dreadful Snake (3:21)
B4 Catnip (1:48)
B5 I'm Just Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail (2:15)
B6 Shake Hands With Mother Again (2:42)
[Credits]
Red Allen (guitar/vocals) Frank Wakefield (mandolin/vocals) Pete Roberts (banjo/vocals) Bill Keith (banjo/vocals) Tom Morgan (bass/vocals) Fred Weisz (bass)
Producers: David Grisman and Peter K. Siegel, Designer: Nancy Grilikhes and Julian Winston
[Notes]
Allen and Wakefield's music ranges from strictly traditional songs like "Little Maggie" to pieces introduced by Bill Monroe to sacred material, all with their hallmark close harmonies and tight instrumental backing. Like Monroe and Roscoe Holcomb, Allen's voice embodies the "high lonesome" sound.

Aretha Franklin featuring Keith Richards and Whoopi Goldberg - Jumpin' Jack Flash

Aretha Franklin: Jumpin' Jack Flash

In 1986, the song's title was used for the Whoopi Goldberg film Jumpin' Jack Flash. In addition to the Rolling Stones' version of the song, the film features Aretha Franklin's cover version for which Ronnie Wood and Richards played guitar, but Franklin played piano. This version is characterised by influences from the popular black music scene. Both the Rolling Stones' and Franklin's versions are on the film's original soundtrack recording.

Joan Baez: Fare Thee Well Tour - Live in Olympia Paris

Live @Paris Olympia on June 13, 2018

Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Setlist]
01 Don't Think Twice (Bob Dylan)
02 God Is God (Stephen F. Earle)
03 Farewell Angelina (Bob Dylan)
04 Whistle Down The Wind (Tom Waits - Kathleen Brennan)
05 Silver Blade (Josh Ritter)
06 It's All Over Now Baby Blue (Bob Dylan)
07 Deportee (Woody Guthrie - Martin Hoffman)
08 L'Auvergnat (Georges Brassens)
09 Diamonds And Rust (Joan Baez)
10 Me And Bobby McGee (Kris Kristofferson - Fred Foster)
11 The Times They Are A Changin' (Bob Dylan)
12 The President Sang Amazing Grace (Zoe Mulford)
13 Joe Hill (Earl Robinson - Alfred Hayes)
14 Seven Curses (Bob Dylan)
15 The House Of The Rising Sun (Woody Guthrie - Traditional)
16 Darlin' Corey (Traditional)
17 Gracias A La Vida (Violeta Parra)
18 Imagine (John Lennon)
19 The Boxer (Paul Simon)
20 Here's To You (Joan Baez - Ennio Morricone)
[Cresdits]
Joan Baez (guitar/vocals) Dirk Powell (fiddle/banjo/mandolin/guitar/accordion/keyboards) Gabriel Harris (percussion) Grace Stumberg (vocals)
Tour manager: Blair Woods, Sound engineer: Jason Reboin
[Notes]
Joan Baez also gave ten concerts at the Paris Olympics on their "Fare Thee Well Tou" tour in June 2018. Together with her fans, the folk icon reviews six decades of music. A unique, emotional evening. For Joan Baez music and social engagement belong together. The singer is one of the outstanding figures of the counterculture: she sang in Woodstock, raised her voice against the Vietnam War, demonstrated alongside Martin Luther King and denounced dictatorships all over the world. Concerns for which the American woman is as passionate today as in the 1960s. In early 2018 Joan Baez brought out a new album to the delight of her fans: "Whistle Down the Wind". Ten years earlier she had recorded on "Day After Tomorrow" songs by Tom Waits, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Josh Ritter and others. At the Olympia, her new songs and her famous hits and compositions by Bob Dylan are on the program. New, old and cover versions - what more could you want on a farewell tour? GOOD-BYE, JOAN

Pete Seeger: American Folk, Game & Activity Songs

Smithsonian Folkways SFW CD 45056

Format: CD, Album, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 25 Jan 2000
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
01 Bought Me a Cat (3:14
02 The Blue Tailed Fly (Jimmie Crack Corn) (2:18)
03 The Train is A-Coming (3:09)
04 This Old Man (2:38)
05 Froggie Went A-Courtin' (4:25)
06 Jim Along Josie (2:07)
07 There Was an Old Man and He Was Mad (1:46)
08 Clap Your Hands (3:01)
09 She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain (1:56)
10 All Around the Kitchen (2:04)
11 Billy Barlow (2:38)
12 I Know a Little Girl (2:21)
13 I Want to Be a Farmer (2:50)
14 Skip to My Lou (3:35)
15 Candy Gal (5:02)
16 Ring Around the Rosy / Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush / London Bridge (1:01)
17 Shoo Fly (1:48)
18 Liza Jane (1:49)
19 Pig in the Parlor (2:32)
20 New River Train (2:56)
21 Yankee Doodle (1:47)
22 Jolly is the Miller (4:15)
[Credits]
Pete Seeger (banjo/vocals)
Recorder: Moses Asch, Designer: Galen Lawson, Mastering Engineer: Charlie Pilzer
[Notes]
Kick off your shoes, tap your feet, and clap your hands along with Pete Seeger, whose contagious performances have introduced generations of children to the richness of traditional American music. Accompanied by his banjo, Pete Seeger presents 22 songs for young children that the whole family will enjoy. Extensive notes include lyrics and some instructions for dance. Especially for children 3 to 7. 59 minutes. Originally released as "American Folk Songs for Children." Winner of the 2001 Early Childhood News' Director's Choice Award Winner of the Parents' Choice 2000 Audio Classic Award.

The Folk Music Of The Newport Folk Festival 1959-60 Vol.1

Folkways Records FA-2431

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1961
Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 On The Banks Of The Don: O. J. Abbott (2:01)
A2 Barley Grain: O. J. Abbott (3:03)
A3 I'm A Stranger Here: Willie Thomas* With Butch Cage (3:04)
A4 44 Blues: Willie Thomas With Butch Cage (4:15)
A5 Bonny Bunch O' Roses-O: Pat Clancy (4:48)
A6 Fair Ellender: Mike Seeger (4:23)
B1 Cumberland Mountain Bear Chase: Pete Seeger (1:43)
B2 Citadel Hill: Alan Mills (1:50)
B3 Cod Liver Oil: Alan Mills (2:21)
B4 I'm A Stranger Here: Frank Hamilton (3:41)
B5 I Am a Pilgrim: Frank Hamilton (2:54)
[Credits]
Producer: Irwin Silber, Designer: Interdesign, Photographer: David Gahr
[Notes]
This volume is half of a two-recording set that includes recordings not issued on the Vanguard or Elektra Newport compilations. It features folk songs and ballads sung by Irish, Canadian, and American singers, as well as selections from Louisiana blues singers Willie Thomas and Butch Cage.

Maddox Brothers & Rose: America's Most Colorful Hillbilly Band

Arhoolie Records CD-391

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1993
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Rockabilly
[Tracklist]
01 George's Playhouse Boogie (2:45)
02 Midnight Train (3:06)
03 Shimmy Shakin' Daddy (2:11)
04 Careless Driver (2:50)
05 Move It On Over (2:47)
06 Whoa Sailor (2:36)
07 Milk Cow Blues (3:11)
08 Mean And Wicked Boogie (2:40)
09 Brown Eyes (2:58)
10 Honky Tonkin' (2:27)
11 Time Nor Tide (3:09)
12 New Mule Skinner Blues (2:10)
13 Philadelphia Lawyer (3:15)
14 Sally Let Your Bangs Hang Down (2:19)
15 When I Lay My Burden Down (2:16)
16 Hangover Blues (2:38)
17 Water Baby Boogie (2:10)
18 Dark As A Dungeon (2:23)
19 Mule Train (2:56)
20 Oklahoma Sweetheart Sally Ann (2:15)
21 Faded Love (2:42)
22 New Step It Up And Go (2:29)
23 (Pay Me) Alimony (2:13)
24 I Wish I Was A Single Girl Again (2:13)
25 Your Love Light Never Shone (2:02)
26 Meanest Man In Town (2:33)
27 I Want To Live And Love (2:05)
[Credits]
Rose Maddox, Don Maddox (vocals) Fred Maddox (bass/vocals) Don Maddox (fiddle) Henry Maddox (mandolin/guitar) Cliff Maddox (mandolin) Cal Maddox (guitar/harmonica) Gene Breeden, Jimmy Winkle, Roy Nichols (guitar) Bud Duncan (steel guitar)
Reissue Producer: Chris Strachwitz, Designer: Wayne Pope, Liner Notes: Keith Olesen
[Notes]
The Maddox Brothers & Rose were America's most colorful hillbilly band all right, and not just because they wore snazzy sequined Western suits that screamed louder than a blast of TNT. Everything they did was at the top of their lungs, from sister Rose's effectively braying twang and tittering, high-pitched asides to the brothers' nuclear-charged postwar fusion of boogie-woogie, Western swing, and California honky-tonk. Most colorful of all was the group's aesthetic--unabashed emotionalism on a poignant gospel ballad such as "When I Lay My Burden Down" alternating with broad comedy displayed on covers of "Milk Cow Blues" and "Honky Tonkin'." "Got a hillbilly band called Maddox and Rose ... [and] they play a boogie-woogie that'll wiggle your toes," Rose guffaws on "George's Playhouse Boogie." Never has such a colorful self-description been so accurate. --David Cantwell

Abigail Washburn: City Of Refuge

Rounder Records 11661-3289-2

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 11 Jan 2011
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, Folk
[Tracklist]
01 Prelude (0:52)
02 City Of Refuge (3:42)
03 Bring Me My Queen (4:14)
04 Chains (3:51)
05 Ballad Of Treason (3:07)
06 Last Train (3:55)
07 Burn Thru (4:26)
08 Corner Girl (3:24)
09 Dreams Of Nectar (5:51)
10 Devine Bell (2:38)
11 Bright Morning Stars (4:40)
[Credits]
Abigail Washburn (banjo/vocals) Batubagen, Kai Welch, Ketch Secor, Kevin Dailey, Yiliq (vocals) Kai Welch (guitar/keyboards/loops/organ/piano/slit drum/trumpet) Annalisa Tornfelt, Rayna Gellert (fiddle) Jeremy Kittel (viola/violin) Wu Fei (guzheng) Ketch Secor, Kevin Dailey (guitar) Bill Frisell, Carl Broemel, Chris Funk (electric guitar) Carl Broemel, Chris Funk (pedal steel guitar) Morgan Jahnig, Viktor Krauss (bass) Nathaniel Smith (cello) Chris Funk (dulcimer) Jamie Dick, Kenny Malone, Tucker Martine (drums) Diego (trombone) Joe Murphy (tuba) Jamie Dick, Kenny Malone, Tucker Martine (percussion) Ben Elkins, Bobby Funk, Carla Parisi, Casey Mickle, Dabney Morris, Dyar Jr., Elizabeth Pullum, Harry Skeen, Jacob Gordon, James Wallace, Kevin Dailey, Leslie Arney, Neil Anderson, Reverend Robert Hardy, Veta Bates Allen (Choir)
Producer and Recorder: Tucker Martine
[Notes]
City of Refuge, the ambitious third album by singer, songwriter, and banjoist Abigail Washburn, extends the reach of both the stripped-down roots sounds on Song of the Traveling Daughter and the more musically exploratory Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet. She’s been seasoned by continually playing with stellar musicians and opening herself to musical traditions from those of the Deep South and the British Isles to folk traditions from Asia, jazz, and rock. This set showcases her singing and lyrics up front. Produced and mixed by Tucker Martine, City of Refuge boasts an extensive and impressive list of players and singers -- including Bill Frisell, Jeremy Kittel, Viktor Krauss, guzheng master Wu Fei, and Kai Welch, to name a few. In Martine, Washburn found the perfect collaborator: he understands implicitly how far-reaching her songs are; he assists her in cracking wide the conventions of traditions while showcasing their influence with reverence and grace. The title track opens with her clawhammer banjo-style playing “old-time mountain music,” but quickly shape-shifts through country gospel, folk-blues, open droning tones, and shimmering rock. The orchestration on the heartbreaking “Bring Me My Queen” is spacious with lilting piano; Kittel’s fiddle provides soft textural elements that let Washburn's voice articulate the deeply poetic lyric. Rayna Gellert's fiddle, Frisell's electric guitar, and a pedal steel adorn “Last Train,” as Washburn and Welch harmonize the loneliness of loss and longing in her lyric. “Burn Thru” opens with what seems like a coda with an orchestral lushness that almost reaches a crescendo before it all disappears, just before Washburn, backed by acoustic guitars and her banjo, declares her resilience and her ability to transcend: “There’s shadows in my tracks/I’m not lookin’ back at the rest of you...I’m not goin’ down with the rest of you.” The musical abstraction and sheer beauty on City of Refuge is born out best on “Dreams of Nectar.” Its root is an a cappella Appalachian ballad, but before long, Wu Fei’s dreamy guzheng (a zither-like instrument) enters, and is layered upon by a humming choir, chirping birds, and even tempered brass instruments. Yet, even as the elements gel, they slowly dissolve into a gauzy haze, leaving the listener in reverie -- which is shattered by the stomping country gospel of “Divine Bell.” The set closes with the haunting “Bright Morning Stars,” a hymn that contains choir drones resembling the chanted throat-sung prayers of Tibetan monks. City of Refuge reveals that Abigail Washburn has grown exponentially as an artist. She's created a visionary American music that extends its traditions as it embraces others, free of borderlines. City of Refuge shines from West to East, from South to North -- and beyond. (AllMusic Review by Thom Jurek).

Profile II: The best of Emmylou Harris

Warner Bros. Records Inc. 9-25161-2

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country
[Tracklist]
01 Blue Kentucky Girl (3:16)
02 Wayfaring Stranger (3:25)
03 Beneath Still Waters (3:40)
04 Born To Run (3:43)
05 Someone Like You (3:14)
06 Mister Sandman (2:18)
07 Pledging My Love (2:57)
08 I'm Movin' On (2:38)
09 (Lost His Love) On Our Last Date (3:20)
10 Save The Last Dance For Me (3:38)
[Credits]
Emmylou Harris (guitar/vocals)
Producer: Brian Ahern, Designer: Simon Levy, Photographer: Jim McGuire, Engineers: Donivan Cowart, Bradley Hartman, Stuart Taylor, Alan Vachon and Mike
[Notes]
Harris' second hits collection is highlighted by a pair of chart-toppers, "Beneath Still Waters" and "(Lost His Love) On Our Last Date." It also includes the Top Five smashes "Born to Run," "I'm Movin' On" and "Save the Last Dance for Me." (AllMusic Review by Jason Ankeny)

Nanci Griffith: Winter Marquee

Rounder Records 11661-3220-2

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2002
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Folk Rock
[Tracklist]
01 Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness (4:40)
02 I Wish It Would Rain (2:36)
03 Boots Of Spanish Leather (6:34)
04 Two For The Road (2:59)
05 Listen To The Radio (3:51)
06 There's A Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret) (4:46)
07 Gulf Coast Highway (3:32)
08 The Flyer (4:46)
09 Good Night, New York (5:06)
10 Traveling Through This Part Of You (4:19)
11 Last Train Home (3:05)
12 I'm Not Drivin' These Wheels (Bring The Prose To The Wheel) (3:40)
13 What's That I Hear (4:08)
14 White Freight Liner (5:01)
[Credits]
Nanci Griffith (guitar/vocals) Le Ann Etheridgeh (guitar/vocals) Ron De La Vega (bass/vocals) James Hooker (keyboards/vocals) Chas Williams (dobro/guitar) Pat McInerney (drums)
Producer: Monty Hitchcock, Engineer: Dean Norman and Mark Lambert
[Notes]
Artistically speaking, Nanci Griffith has been in somewhat of a funk since 1998's Other Voices, Too. 1999's The Dust Bowl Symphony offered a syrupy greatest-hits package and 2001's Clock Without Hands, her first new material in several years, seemed both over-produced and overwrought. To further muddy the picture, Rounder released three early Griffith albums in 2002, reminding listeners how well she could write. Also released by Rounder, the live Winter Marquee is the first new album Griffith has released on the label since the mid-'80s. Following the reissues, it seems like something of a homecoming. The straightforward, hour-long set is made up of old favorites, a couple recent pieces, and a few covers. Accompanied by a country-folk band, Griffith's vocals take center stage to offer fine versions of "I'm Not Drivin' These Wheels" and "The Flyer." She's in great voice, and one of the pleasures of her music has always been the way she lovingly lingers over phrases for emphasis. She's joined by a couple of special guests, including Emmylou Harris on "Good Night, New York" and Tom Russell on "What's that I Hear" and "White Freight Liner." The set is also strengthened by the inclusion of less-frequently covered pieces like "There's a Light Beyond These Woods." While Winter Marquee may lack the spark of an early album like Once in a Very Blue Moon, fans will enjoy this live set. (AllMusic Review by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.)

The Bergerfolk Sing For Joy

Folkways Records FA-32415

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1971
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 I'll Fly Away (2:24)
A2 Who Killed Cock Robin? (4:48)
A3 What'll We Do With The Drunken Sailor (2:53)
A4 What'll We Do With The Baby-O (1:31)
A5 The Bowery / Yankee Doodle / Tom Dooley (1:24)
A6 We Are Going To The Zoo (1:40)
A7 Roll On Columbia (2:05)
A8 Amazing Grace (1:41)
B1 Deportees (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos) (4:49)
B2 I'm Gonna Mail Myself To You (1:26)
B3 Jesse James (3:12)
B4 Shule Aroon (2:13)
B5 Baby Tree (1:49)
B6 Plastic Grass (1:22)
B7 Day Is Done (3:39)
[Credits]
The Bergerfolk: Steve Berger (banjo), Phoebe Berger, Claudia Berger, Jennifer Anne Berger, Margaret Louise Berger, Jonathan Glenn Berger and Emily-Kate Berger
Designer: Ronald Clyne, Photographer: Mort Mace and Donald Clyne
[Notes]
The musical family band Bergerfolk performs a collection of traditional, modern, and original folk songs on this, the first of 4 albums they recorded for Folkways Records. The family consists of dentist and banjo player Steve Berger, his wife Phoebe, and their five children: Claudia, Jennifer, Margaret, Jonathan and Emily. The Bergerfolk lend their vocals and instrumentation to renditions of traditional tunes, including "Amazing Grace" "What'll We Do with the Drunken Sailor" and "I’ll Fly Away". The group covers two songs written and originally recorded by Woody Guthrie: "Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)" and "I'm Gonna Mail Myself to You". They also perform two original songs written by Phoebe Berger: "We Are Going to the Zoo" and "Plastic Grass". The album closes with "Day Is Done" penned by Peter Yarrow of the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. An introduction by Phoebe Berger and all song lyrics are included in the liner notes.

Dolly Parton Interview

Running Time: 8 minutes  Event Date: 2018/02/28

Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton discusses her Imagination Library children's literacy program and her new partnership with the Library of Congress. For transcript and more information, please visit: https://goo.gl/XBptFM

Jim & Jesse: Songs From The Homeplace

Pinecastle PRC 1082 CD

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1998
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 East Bound Freight Train (2:36)
A2 Dreaming Of A Little Cabin (3:16)
A3 Give Me Your Love And I'll Give You Mine (2:39)
A4 Worried Man Blues (2:42)
A5 Faded Love And Winter Roses (2:38)
A6 Jimmy Brown The News Boys (2:45)
B1 The End Of Memory Lane (2:46)
B2 No Letter In The Mail Today (2:50)
B3 Keep On The Sunny Side Of Life (2:46)
B4 I'll Be An Angel Too (2:57)
B5 My Time Is Running Out (2:58)
B6 My Long Journey Home (2:14)
[Credits]
Jim McReynolds (guitar/vocals) Jesse McReynolds (mandolin/vocals) Allen Shelton (dobro) Roy Husky Jr. (bass) Carl Jackson (fiddle/guitar) Mike Scott (banjo) Steve Thomas (fiddle) Scotty Blevins (bass) Emmylou Harris (vocals)
Producer: Tom Riggs and Carl Jackson, Designer: Rebecca Pittard, Photographer: Kitsy Kuykendall, Engineer: Scotty Blevins and John Eberle
[Notes]
On Songs From the Homeplace, the veteran bluegrass duo Jim & Jesse cover songs that they learned growing up in Virginia and that have continued to have a special place with them throughout their career. The aging McReynolds brothers are still in fine throat here and offer up strong versions of tunes by the Carter Family, Grandpa Jones, and Cliff Carlisle, among others. The vocals of Emmylou Harris (who is fast becoming the most ubiquitous album guest in the music industry) meld nicely with the brothers on the plaintive "No Letter in the Mail Today." While possessing a less-haunting sound than peers such as Ralph Stanley (and despite a run at commercial country at one point), the McReynolds brothers are original bluegrass masters. And anytime you hear Jim & Jesse's vocal tones merging together and Jesse's distinctive cross-picking on the mandolin, you're staring down bluegrass history. (AllMusic Review by Erik Hage)

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.

Laurie Lewis & Her Bluegrass Pals

Rounder Records ROUNDER-11661-0461-2

Format: CD, HDCD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1999
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Tall Pines (3:17)
02 Stepping Stones (4:16)
03 Blow, Big Wind (2:53)
04 Going To The West (4:20)
05 When I Get Home (2:35)
06 Black Waters (5:04)
07 Big Eddy (3:16)
08 Acony Bell (3:04)
09 Wind At Play (3:32)
10 Weevily Wheat (3:04)
11 Hard Luck And Trouble (3:05)
12 The Wood Thrush's Song (3:09)
13 Beyond The River Bend (4:31)
[Credits]
Laurie Lewis (fiddle/guita/vocals) Tom Rozum (mandolin/vocals) Mary Gibbons (guitar/harmony) Craig Smith (banjo) Todd Phillips (bass) Mary Gibbons(guitar)
Designer: Angelynn Grant, Photographer: Jon Sievert, Liner Notes: Neil Rosenberg and Laurie Lewis, Engineers: Tom Size, Ken Lee, Dave Wellhausen and Matt Campagna
[Notes]
Laurie Lewis comes full circle and brings a batch of her friends together for an inspired session of straight-ahead bluegrass. There's an empathy to the playing of Lewis with mandolinist Tom Rozum, banjoist Craig Smith, bassist Todd Phillips, and rhythm guitarist Mary Gibbons that grows on you as the album unfolds with the strong trio singing of Lewis, Gibbons, and Rozum that's equally as seductive. Highlights include "Tall Pines," Jimmy Martin's "Stepping Stones," Jean Ritchie's "Black Waters," "Acony Bell," and Lewis' own "Wind at Play," "Blow, Big Wind," and "Big Eddy." An inspired session. (AllMusic Review by Cub Koda)

Lucinda Williams: Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Mercury P2-58338

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1998
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style:
Country, Folk
[Tracklist]
01 Right In Time (4:35)
02 Car Wheels On A Gravel Road (4:44)
03 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten (4:42)
04 Drunken Angel (3:20)
05 Concrete And Barbed Wire (3:08)
06 Lake Charles (5:28)
07 Can't Let Go (3:28)
08 I Lost It (3:31)
09 Metal Firecracker (3:30)
10 Greenville (3:23)
11 Still I Long For Your Kiss (4:09)
12 Joy (4:01)
13 Jackson (3:42)
[Credits]
Lucinda Williams (guitar/vocals) Jim Lauderdale (vocals) Buddy Miller, Steve Earle, Bo Ramsey, Buddy Miller, Charlie Sexton, Gurf Morlix, Johnny Lee Schell, Bo Ramsey, Buddy Miller, Charlie Sexton, Gurf Morlix and Johnny Lee Schell (guitar) Buddy Miller (mandoguitar) Roy Bittan (accordion) Roy Bittan (organ) John Ciambotti (bass) Donald Lindley (drums)
Producer: Roy Bittan, Designer: Jeffdidthis, Art Directer: Margery Greenspan, Photographers: Miller Williams, Birney Imes, Shelby Lee Adams and Alan Messer, Engineers: Ed Thacker, Steve Churchyard, Hank Williams, Jim Scott and Rick Rubin
[Notes]
It's not that the performances on Car Wheels on a Gravel Road aren't first-rate — they are. It's just that when you start with songs this impressive, it's hard to go wrong. Lucinda Williams had done strong work before, but it all came together here. From the openhearted yearning of "Right in Time" to the surrealist country funk of "Joy," she runs a gamut of styles and themes, handling each with authority and ease. You don't arrive in your mid-forties without stories to tell — Williams' are riveting in every detai. (Rolling Stone)