CMT Blog: Archive

May is National Bluegrass Month, and the releases keep piling up. I took a bunch of new CDs with me to California last week, to keep my company while driving from L.A. to the Stagecoach festival and back. Here are a few new releases that I want to share with you ...

Sierra Hull, Secrets: This ambitious teenager already knows her way around a mandolin. Ron Block, a longtime member of Alison Krauss & Union Station, produced this debut album. (You can hear it for a limited time on CMT.com.)

Dave Evans, The Best of the Vetco Years: A remastered collection from his 1979 and 1980 albums. His haunting voice keeps you hanging on every word.

Larry Sparks, Bound to Ride: The Best of Larry Sparks: Despite the simple lyrics, there's a surprising and disarming depth to these songs about easier days.

And coming up in the next few weeks ...

Crooked Still, Still Crooked: They take an eerie approach to acoustic music. I really like "Undone in Sorrow," which sets the somber mood.

The Infamous Stringdusters, The Infamous Stringdusters: I'm quite impressed with their original songs, and their picking is top-notch. Good work, guys.

Dan Paisley & the Southern Grass, The Room Over Mine: Seriously hardcore bluegrass singing. As Alison Krauss has said, "This is so good I don't know how to deal with it! Bluegrass music has been waiting for a record like this for a long, long time."

I haven't had a chance to listen to Dan Tyminski's upcoming album, Wheels, but judging by his set at Stagecoach, I know I'll like it. He just filmed an Unplugged at Studio 330 performance here at CMT, so keep an eye out for that, too.