Robbie Fulks- Bluegrass Vacation review

Robbie Fulks Bluegrass Vacation Compass Records Bluegrass Vacation was one of the most highly anticipated roots albums of the year ever since word started leaking that Robbie Fulks was going full-bluegrass on his next album. Okay, maybe only in my house. The Americana Outcast has been delivering spellbinding albums since the late 90s, but has…

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Larry Sparks- It’s Just Me review

Larry Sparks It’s Just Me Rebel Records Imagine, if you will: Larry Sparks stops in at your home one evening, and following a friendly chat over a cup of fresh coffee, he pulls out his aged flattop and starts playing songs. Dream no more, my bluegrass and Americana friends. Larry Sparks does just that—minus the…

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Greg Blake- People, Places, and Songs review

Greg Blake People, Places, and Songs Turnberry Records GregBlakeMusic.com Greg Blake Makes The Final Ballot The 2022 IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year Nominees were a surprise. Not that Danny Paisley (three previous wins), Del McCoury (six-time recipient, including ultimately in 2022), and Larry Sparks (two previously, but not since 2005—what’s up with that?!) were…

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Favourite Roots Albums of Quarter 1, 2023

I’ve encountered some really great roots music these first three months of 2023, and thought I would feature some of the finest as my Favourites of the First Quarter. They are not necessarily in position order from 1 to 12, but they could be… Iris DeMent- Workin’ On A World It has been too many…

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Tim Stafford & Thomm Jutz- Lost Voices review

A few weeks ago I was asked by Country Standard Time to review the latest from Tim Stafford and the prolific Thomm Jutz. The review was published in a fairly timely manner, but I neglected to cross-post it here: so the review can be found at the CST site. My unedited version is posted below;…

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Kathy Kallick & Friends- Dodi Kallick What Are They Doing in Heaven Today? review

Kathy Kallick & Friends- Dodi Kallick What Are They Doing in Heaven Today? Live Oak Records http://www.KathyKallick.com and https://kathykallick.bandcamp.com/album/what-are-they-doing-in-heaven-today Over the last fifty years, few bluegrass singers, songwriters, and performers have received less acknowledgement for their groundbreaking perseverance than has California’s Kathy Kallick. With all due respect and realizing she has received awards (a Grammy…

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Billy Strings & Terry Barber, “Me/And/Dad” review

Billy Strings and Terry Barber Me/And/Dad Rounder It’s about the story. Billy Strings’ version of hillbilly rock ‘n’ roll has engulfed the Americana music community over the past several years. He has won a Grammy, as well as multiple International Bluegrass Music Association Awards including Entertainer of the Year twice, and an Americana Music Award…

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The Alex Leach Band- All the Way review

My review of The Alex Leach Band’s second album All the Way is up at Country Standard Time. Read it here. Here is how it started before the editor did his thing: “As he’s matured, many of us have grown up with Alex Leach. I’ve been listening to him on WDVX for more than twenty…

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Cedar Hill- New Chapter review

Cedar Hill New Chapter Mountain Fever Bluegrass can be complex. It doesn’t have to be. Simultaneously, it isn’t simple music, and it certainly isn’t easy to play. I just spent a weekend at a bluegrass festival featuring 18 acts, nine of them solid bluegrass of various shades. These groups all impressed in various ways, but…

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Scott Vestal, et al- Bluegrass 2022 review

Scott Vestal, et al Bluegrass 2022 Pinecastle Bluegrass 2022 is the ninth in a series of instrumental bluegrass sets featuring Scott Vestal (banjo) and whomever he is playing with at the time. The series began in 1995 and ran consecutively until 2001 before being resurrected in 2020. This latest volume features Cody Kilby (guitar), Byron…

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