CMT Blog: Archive

Over the years I have fallen hard for bluegrass music. I’ve written quite a few stories about the artists, and inevitably wound up on a lot of mailing lists. Within the last few weeks I’ve been inundated with new bluegrass CDs and I’m gradually working my way through them – and happy to do it! Not all of these are commercially available yet, but here are the ones that have perked up my ears so far:

Bobby Osborne & the Rocky Top X-press, Bluegrass Melodies (Rounder)
Excellent picking, as always. I really like the arrangement of “Music Makin’ Man,” which is sure to put a bounce in your step. Rhonda Vincent takes a verse of “Go Rest High on That Mountain.”

Grasstowne, The Road Headin’ Home (Pinecastle)
Steve Gulley’s vocals knock me out and I enjoyed Dobro player Phil Leadbetter’s last album, so this is right up my alley. I like “Here Comes That Feeling Again” – or anything written by Craig Market, really.

The Charlie Sizemore Band, Good News (Rounder)
This lawyer also balances a cool bluegrass career. His version of “Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart” is terrific, and so are the clever songs dedicated to Alison Krauss and Vern Gosdin.

Two bluegrass bands with loyal fans -- the Seldom Scene and the Steep Canyon Rangers -- also have noteworthy new CDs coming next month. In addition to these, I’m taking along new bluegrass releases from Jim Lauderdale and Merle Haggard on a road trip this weekend for a first listen. Lauderdale’s last few albums were outstanding and I find it remarkable that Haggard is giving a new spin to many of his classics, with a few new tunes to boot. Also keep an eye out for a kids’ bluegrass album from the McCoury family and an Elvis Presley bluegrass tribute from Shawn Camp and Billy Burnette. Time Life is also offering the three-disc Classic Bluegrass Collection with all the big names. I’m saving that for the road trip after this one.

By the way, if you can’t get enough bluegrass, make sure you bookmark one of my favorite Web destinations, The Bluegrass Blog.