Fervor Coulee’s Favourite Bluegrass Albums of 2018

Favourite, not best. I happen to consider them the best, but you certainly may feel different. One will notice no ‘big tent’ bluegrass on this list-the furthest afield I go is with my #1 album, which is still fair solid bluegrass. These are the albums I felt delivered in 2018. 1. The Travelin’ McCourys- The…

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Mickey Galyean & Cullen’s Bridge- Songs From the Blue Ridge review

Mickey Galyean & Cullen’s Bridge Songs From the Blue Ridge Rebel Records Unheralded bluegrass bands performing music to the highest quality abound. Hailing from the Blue Ridge Mountain area of Virginia and North Carolina, Mickey Galyean & Cullen’s Bridge have been performing and developing without the benefit of overbearing promotional folks and management. They are…

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Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road- True Grass Again review

Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road True Grass Again Pinecastle Records When we last heard from venerable bluegrass vets Carolina Road, the Lorraine Jordan-led group was teaming with 70s and 80s country chart toppers including Eddy Raven, John Conlee, Lee Greenwood, Crystal Gayle, and John Anderson for a disc of ‘grassified, rearview-mirror country imaginings. The results…

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Carolina Chimes: Rudi Ekstein’s All Original Bluegrass Instrumental Showcase review

Rudi Ekstein Carolina Chimes Rudi Ekstein’s All Original Bluegrass Instrumental Showcase FoxFire Recordings One of the strongest bluegrass sets of the year comes from a name most bluegrass aficionados, me wee self included, are unfamiliar with prior to its release. Rudi Ekstein is an absolutely beautiful mandolin player, and while his name may not roll…

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The Earls of Leicester- Live at the CMA Theater…Fame review

My regard for The Earls of Leicester is no secret. Funny that the member of the band I first appreciated was lead singer Shawn Camp, not only for his long-ago country albums but most importantly for his long ago live album recorded at The Station Inn. Jerry Douglas is fine, I suppose, for a Dobro…

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From the extensive if not valued Fervor Coulee Archive: The Coal Porters– The Chris Hillman Tribute Concerts (Prima SID 013) 52:03 Within a band of fascinating characters, Chris Hillman was, for me, always the most cool of the Flying Burrito Brothers.  I would like to think it was because I sensed the soulful spirit of…

Auldridge, Bennett, & Gaudreau- Blue Lonesome Wind review

From the extensive if not valued Fervor Coulee Archive: Auldridge, Bennett & Gaudreau- Blue Lonesome Wind (Rebel REB-CD-1768) 44:44 Auldridge, Bennett & Gaudreau inhabit that frequently uncomfortable place between retro- traditionalism and artistic experimentation; with Blue Lonesome Wind, their sophomore effort, ABG has achieved a melding of musical alchemy which should satisfy fans of all…

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O Brother, Ralph Stanley, & Dolly Parton reviews

More roots review from the extensive if not valued Fervor Coulee Archive: Various Artists O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack Mercury Universal (2000) Musical luminaries diverse as John Hartford, Norman Blake, Dan Tyminski, and the Fairfield Four came together to record the music for the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, providing stellar performances of…

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Kathy Kallick Band- Horrible World review

Kathy Kallick Band Horrible World Live Oak Records KathyKallick.com I’ve been writing about Kathy Kallick almost as long as I’ve been writing about roots music. With others, I produced a concert for the Kathy Kallick Band, have bought several CDs—and been afforded others— and spent time listening to her music at multiple festivals and various…

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Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard- Sing Me Back Home: The DC Tapes, 1965-1969 review

Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard Sing Me Back Home: The DC Tapes, 1965-1969 Free Dirt Records Rare, archival material from the most important female duo in bluegrass history will always be welcomed. The contributions made by Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard have long been acknowledged by people who have chosen to delve into their music…

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