Editorial Review

There isn't a more ebullient live performer in all of popular music than Dolly Parton, as this chatty concert recording attests. Though Parton had been on hiatus from touring for a decade, she reconnects here with an audience that extends from country traditionalists to drag queens (to whom she dedicates her classic "Jolene"). Banjo and fiddle drive the acoustic arrangements and bluegrass harmonies highlight the choruses as Parton surveys a career-spanning selection of material on this two-disc set, applying her signature vocal quaver to hits from "Coat of Many Colors" to "9 to 5" and "I Will Always Love You." The concert extends her musical terrain to Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush," and a breathy rendition of Bread's "If," while an a cappella medley renews the likes of "Islands in the Stream" and "Here You Come Again." Parton's in fine voice throughout and even better spirits, spending almost as much time bantering with the crowd as she does singing. Where many live recordings are little more than songs with applause, this is the full Dolly. Read more

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• Live

Reviews (18)

Two doors down?
This LP is a rare gem among the country genre.Parton's voice is angelic as is her delivery of these great tunes.Given that Parton has been established for decades,the fact that she composes these gloriously melodic songs is enough to garner this LP 5 stars.As a rule,the LIVE recordings leave so much to be desired in the quality department:Not here.Very impressive music and sound.Parton's voice is NOT over powered in these selections.Parton and all the musicians on this LP are to be thanked for a job well done.Seems so effortless,I'm certain it is not.

Too good to be on anything but the first page
First of all Dolly Parton is the best country singer around and she is so good she is in the songwriters hall of fame, Country music hall of fame, A country Legend, ect.....
Amazing!
Just Amazing dolly shure knows how to make great albums and her version of after the gold rush is truly amazing and so are the other soungs and i never thought she would sound so good singing live! WOW! I also recomend her previous live album HEARTSONGS ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bluegrass    2. Contemporary Bluegrass    3. Contemporary Country    4. Country    5. Country Comedy    6. Honky Tonk    7. Pop    8. Traditional Country   

Features

• Live

Reviews (4)

Great glimpse..
great listen.
Classic music that's stronger than dirt
Two long-out-of-print LPs in one great CD, capturing the early pre-country years of NGDB. The "Alive!" performance, with its blend of great music and comedy (Jeff Hanna's monologue about how John McEuen became "King of De Banjo", the unforgettable "Fat Boys Can Make It In Santa Monica" - as well as their performaces of "Crazy Words, Crazy Tune" in both regular and speeded-up versions - are not to be missed!), paired with 1969's "Rare Junk," a compilation of songs that had not seen the light of LP or 45 (except for one song), Two Great Albums One One CD...
...is an excellent purchase. The Dirt Band at the Troubadour in November 1967 makes up the 'Alive' album,and the 1969 odds-and-ends compilation (of unused material,save 'Collegiana') "Rare Junk". Both were issued after the group broke up (1969). The NGDB later reformed a year later. This CD is an excellent purchase. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Country    3. Country-Folk    4. Country-Rock    5. Country/Bluegrass    6. Pop    7. Progressive Bluegrass    8. Progressive Country    9. Traditional Country   

Features

• Live

Reviews (1)

Get it to complete your New Grass Revival collection
The second of two "live" recordings, this one has its merits. The instrumental efforts of all the members is exceptional, as usual, and the vocal work is also quite good. There are excellent versions of "Watermelon Man" and the wonderfully penned "Reach". The 18+ minute version of "Sapporo" allows these monster musicians to demonstrate why they were often introduced as the "best pickers on the planet". The standard for the instruments they play is often measured by their accomplishments. If there is a negative to be found it is the recording's sound quality, which is not that bad but it's not tops either, thus a lower rating than other NGR works. Any of the studio recordings are a better starting point for new listeners, or the 18-track compilation "The Best Of The New Grass Revival". Avid fans will certainly want this "Live" album which is the only one including Bela Fleck and Pat Flynn, however. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bluegrass    2. Country    3. Pop    4. Progressive Bluegrass   

Features

• Live
• Original recording reissued

Reviews (8)

Over 40 Years in the Music Business!
Only a small handful of musical performers have the staying power demonstrated by Jerry Jeff Walker. Not bad for a kid from New York whose father questioned whether or not he "knew enough to come in out of the rain". Obviuosly, all reviews are a reflection of the eye of the beholder but, as one who has "tons" of JJW records, tapes and CDs, I believe Live at Gruene ("Green") Hall is one of the top two or three CDs of his long and illustrious recording career. Recorded in 2001, these songs capture JJ in his natural environment, a hundred year old dance hall near New Braunfels, Texas. This CD also captures a performer at the peak of his career. Four songs were written by JJ including the classic "Little Bird". From an up-tempo "Trash Women" to the moving ballad "Quiet Faith of Man" to the touching "I Feel Like Hank Williams Tonight" this CD covers the full spectrum of human emotions and, as another review has written "every song is gold".HIGHLY Recommended for those discovering JJW or 40+ year-long fans like me. ENJOY!

"It don't get better than this!"
I discovered Jerry Jeff in the mid 70s as a college student in North Carolina at Appalachian State University.It was a great time to be a student, as Jerry Jeff along with many others - including John Hartford, John Prine, Jimmy Buffet, and others - visited ASU and performed.My musical tastes solidified during those formative years.I became a big fan and, of course, had all Jerry's records then, and I kept up with him over the intervening years.I picked up "Life from Gruene Hall" on tape when it first came out in the early 90s.It was better than anything he had done prior to that!The recording is fantastic; in fact, except for the occasional clapping and voices from the audience, it could be a studio album.What a great sound!Rodeo Wind is my all-time favorite song.The only shortcoming, if it can be called that, is I wish his song "The Dear John Letter Lounge" was included.This is on an earlier 70s album and in the vein of "Rodeo Wind."Thank the Lord for Jerry Jeff Walker and his giving us all this great music for well over 30 years!

My Favorite Jerry Jeff Album !!!! and choosing was difficult
Somehow this one keeps coming back to me as my favorite Jerry Jeff WalkerCD.There are classic songs on Viva Terlingua, and more recently on NightAfter Night (2 other JJW "must-haves", in my opinion) that don'tappear here, of course.But for a CD that has no song rating anything lessthan a MASTERPIECE, you better buy this one!!I've seen Jerry Jeff inconcert in 3 different states, and he never disappoints live, either.Liveat Gruene Hall always takes me back to my dusty days in Texas, circa 1991,and the lonely roads we've all travelled.This is an album rich withweather-beaten experience, wisdom, and a dash of faith.Just exactly whatyou need to get through this life.Thanks Jerry Jeff, you're a trueoriginal. Rob Larimer ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Pop    4. Progressive Country    5. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

John Howie's burly baritone will shake your walls as he leadshis Chapel Hill, North Carolina, mates through this appealing livecollection of hard-core honky-tonk. While they add a tinge ofScorcheresque energy to the proceedings, the Pistols play straight-upcountry, complete with whining steel and fiddle. Guitarist Steve Howell(formerly of the Backsliders) and guest steel player John Neff knowexactly when to step in with fluid twang (Howell) and aching cries(Neff). The sterling covers of honky-tonk heroes Jones, Tubb, Owens,and Young tell only half the story; Howie's booze-and-tears originalsfit in surprisingly well with the tough competition. Read more

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• Live

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Country    4. Country & Western    5. Pop   

Editorial Review

Until the classic Read more

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• Live

Reviews (1)

Buckaroos live sound at its peak
This 1967 live recording is the perfect complement to the band's better-known Carnegie Hall release of 1966. Not only is the band in top musical form, their presentation to a Japanese audience leans more towards songs than shtick. Not that the shtick is missing entirely (it was - and is to this day - an essential ingredient of the band's stage show), but the skits presented at the Carnegie Hall disc are replaced here with straight-ahead tunes.Read more

Subjects:  1. Bakersfield Sound    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. Honky Tonk    5. Pop    6. Traditional Country   

Features

• Live

Reviews (2)

Bringing It Back Home - Literally
While ending his six-year European exile at the beginning of the 1960s, American folk legend Ramblin' Jack Elliott cut four albums for the bellwether East Coast folk and jazz label of the day, Prestige International.It began with a Woody Guthrie album in 1960 and was followed by another general folk release in 1961, both studio recordings now available from Fantasy on the "Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Hard Travelin'" CD.The last two Prestige albums - on this CD - are of 1962 vintage, the first a studio session and the second a recording of a live concert at Philadelphia's Second Fret.When one thinks of Ramblin' Jack, one thinks of his five years with Woody Guthrie as the beginning of the story.However, Elliott's music roots found a firm group in much different soil, before Guthrie's name ever had crossed his ears.His real roots were in the music of Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb, Grand Ole Opry and, above all, Roy Acuff.In the first of his two 1962 albums, Elliott not only brought it back home, but he truly went back home, doing a magnificent collection of country songs, including an impressive cover of Hank Williams' great hit, "Lovesick Blues," and A.P. Carter's "Wabash Cannonball."Still, as great as it is, the country album is the lesser half of this CD.The real jewel is the Second Fret concert, not surprising, perhaps, for those who know what it is to experience Ramblin' Jack on the stage.The Philadelpha sessions start out with nothing less than the definitive performance of "Muleskinner Blues," written in the 1930s by the Yodeling Brakeman, the late Jimmie Rodgers.It's followed by Bob Nolan's Tin Pan Alley Top 40 hit from the late 50s, "Cool Water," but you'd never guess that source hearing RJE do it.It comes across like a fragment of the 19th Century West.One impressive song follows another, mixed with Ramblin' Jack's chatter and patter, several Guthrie songs and then the grand finale, Leadbelly's "Rock Island Line," where RJE outdoes Huddie Ledbetter's fantastic 12-string picking, even though RJE's Martin had only six strings to work with.In the 1960s, "Jack Elliott at the Second Fret" was an essential part of any serious folk music collection.The "Country Style/Live" CD, which includes it, remains every bit as essential today.

Roots of the Great Folk Scare of the 1960's
I think I bought the vinyl version of Live at the Second Fret in a service station bargain record bin in 1963 for $1.79! Here is the basic music and sound that is a direct line from Woody to the Weavers to P,P&M and onto Guy Clark and Townes, Robert Earl and other singers/story tellers. Worththe price for "Tying a Knot in the Devil's Tail." Great folkmusic from an American icon, still singing! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country & Western    2. Cowboy    3. Folk    4. Folk & Traditional    5. Folk Revival    6. Folksongs    7. Pop    8. Traditional Folk   

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• Live

Reviews (4)

Either You get It Or You Don't
If you're looking for actual performaces of songs, this isn't it, but if you're looking for a classic interaction between two professional entertainers you'll love it. This is the essence of a live show. This CD is mostly just the introductions to the songs. Kinky & Little Jewford aren't for everyone .. you either get it or you don't.

Classic Snatches from Europe
If youj are expecting classic Kinky Friedman , this is not the album for you. The album is a collection of takling and introductions with just four songs on the album. If you are a consumate Kinky Friedman fan, as I, you would appreciate this album for part of your collection. Otherwise, try one of his many other albums and youynwon't go wrong.

part music, part repart�e, but all amusing and fun
Kinky Friedman and Little Jewford are probably an acquired taste for many; personally, I think they're a hoot.They point up one of the really great qualities of Texas:if you let it all hang out, Texans are inclined to accept you as a kindred spirit.Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country Comedy    3. Folk    4. Outlaw Country    5. Pop   

Editorial Review

Although the college kids and liberal urbanites who flocked tothe first Newport festivals may have romanticized bluegrass astraditional mountain music, at least they knew great pickers when theyheard them. In the early '60s, most bluegrass artists were strugglingto build a new audience in the wake of rock & roll and Nashvillecountrypolitan, and Newport gave them both a venue and a community. TheStanley Brothers,Flatt & Scruggs, Hylo Brown, andespecially BillMonroe responded with a palpable energy and joy. These three discsdocument some uniformly excellent performances, many never releasedbefore, and even those familiar with the Lilly Brothers orJim & JesseMcReynolds will treasure these rare, live, and exhilarating momentsfrom a pivotal period in American music. Read more

Features

• Box set
• Live

Reviews (4)

Old Timey Music
I love this CD set.With this much music it's hard to get tired of anything.If I had a 3 CD changer Walkman I'd be listening non-stop.It makes me glad I have a job where I can sit and listen for a few hours at a time.I just wish I could keep my mandolin and guitar by my desk so I could play along.I find the quality of recording excellent and the quality of the musicianship is second to none.If you like Old Timey Music or Bluegrass, buy this CD set.I only gave it a 4 start rating because I'm stingy with 5s.

newportfolk VISITED59-66
For anyone who wished they had been there but never knew about it or was just to far away to go and LOVE good folk music/BLUES this is a good listen. It was well worth it for me. Thanks for the lost memories returned.

Very BEST of Bluegrass
This three CD box does represent the best by several of the founders of Bluegrass, including its amazing Father - Bill Monroe.The well known Mr. Monroe, The Stanley Brothers, Flatt and Scruggs and Jim and Jesse are here at their best.The suprise may be the band of the Lilly Brothers, Don Stover and Tex Logan. The music they play here further documents that their music was in a league with these other wonderful early bands.The music of the Lilly Brothers is a hidden gem - as was the music of Monroe and these other now prominent bluegrass bands for too long. Hylo Brown and Hazel and Alice give performances worthy of the title - Best of Bluegrass too.In fact, all the music in this set is truly beautiful! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bluegrass    2. Bluegrass Collections    3. Country    4. Old-Timey    5. Pop    6. Traditional Bluegrass   

Features

• Live
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (1)

More like "on Tape", than "on Tour"
Just a short review from me on this set (I'm referring to Vol. 1 AND 2) of 'on tour' music by Patsy Cline & Loretta Lynn.If you are fans of either or both you will naturally enjoy this set of CD's/Cassettes.However, don't expect "Live" actual on Tour preformances (like I did) all the songs are the often heared studio versions recorded by each artist seperately.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Honky Tonk    4. Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan    5. Pop    6. Traditional Country   

Features

• Live

Reviews (2)

Mort lead than alive at Billy Bobs; mort, not asleep!
Wow!If this 'band' could purge itself of the Lawrence Welk influences and find a way to make the voices sound even a little distinctive, it would still be a far cry from music that I wanna listen to!The group is bland and derivative, worse the entire group seems to be manufacturing the fun instead of having it. Two cuts, Route 66 and Dont Fence Me In are guaranteed covers...guaranteed enjoyable...but NOT HERE.It takes real lead to drag these cuts down, but Asleep is up to that, and does the job!The linar note boast that some of their tunes are "truly honky tonk" is gen-u-ine bunky bunk...Honky tonk isn't even a distant cousin of wannabe line-dance sound.Texas produced Bob Wills, but this is GeoBush...nothin'butMuzak.Hush.

The Wheel Keeps on Rolling!
This is the Asleep at the Wheel's "NEW" live CD & IMHO superior to the prior one Live @ Arizona Charlie's from a number of years back.Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Neo-Traditionalist Country    4. Pop    5. Western    6. Western Swing Revival   

Features

• Live

Reviews (4)

Excellant Western music
The combination of Waddy Mitchell and Don Edwards talents really come through on this CD

We need more of these wonderful cowboys out there
Any one who appreciates Cowboy music and poetryWill really love this. And want to hear more. It takes a special person to enjoy the cowboy ways.Enjoy.

A truly great live performance
Don Edwards and Waddie Mitchell alone, are trully gifted artists in their own relm.But when put together on stage they bring forth the true meaning of the western cluture in song and verse. Anybody who enjoys western musicshould pick up this CD along with anyother recordings they can find.Withthe recent passing of Gene Autry & Roy Rogers, Don Edwards is the bestsolo performer of our time to maintain true western song. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Cowboy    4. Pop    5. Western   

Features

• Live

Reviews (1)

Worth hunting down for the Alabama fan
Since several of the tracks seem to be duplicates of 1988's "Live," only the true completist would call this a must-have.The Jeff Cook-fronted "Takin' Care of Business," however, is an unexpected surprise, showing the group's versatility and Cook's strength as a frontman. That and the well-done "Green River" make this CD a worthwhile purchase if one can get it at a good price. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. Country-Pop    5. Pop   

Editorial Review

The clown prince of old-time returns with this engaging live set that collects performances from three mid-'90s appearances on the West Virginia-based radio program. Clown, we say, because Hartford is so adept at being humorous and wistful simultaneously. And because he never takes himself too seriously, but never (OK, rarely) lapses into silliness. Filled with Hartford's distinctive banjo and fiddle work and an assortment of classic original material, the set serves as an accessible introduction to one of folk music's most unique and idiosyncratic characters. Read more

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Reviews (2)

Hartford is at his best when live...
This CD is a good introduction to John Hartford if you are not familiarwith his work.Hartford has a twangy, off beat style that is sometimessilly and other times poignant. This collection includes some of his betterknown works and showcases Hartford's flexibility as a musician. More than an entertainer
John Hartford doesn't need a passport. This late album is maybe the best one along his honourable career. It makes him more than an entertainer, more than a clown: he enters the Hall of Fame as a whole musician. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bluegrass    2. Country-Rock    3. Folk & Traditional    4. Neo-Traditional Folk    5. Old-Timey    6. Pop    7. Progressive Country    8. Songwriter    9. Traditional Country   

Features

• Live

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Pop    4. Progressive Bluegrass    5. Traditional Bluegrass   

Features

• Live

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country Gospel    3. Country-Pop    4. Cowboy    5. Pop    6. Progressive Country    7. Rock & Roll    8. Rockabilly    9. Songwriter    10. Traditional Country   

Features

• Live

Reviews (1)

Nashville West
If you are a country rock fan or a fan of music then you have to own the this CD!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bluegrass    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. Country-Rock    5. Gospel    6. Pop    7. Progressive Bluegrass    8. Progressive Country    9. Traditional Bluegrass   

Features

• Live

Reviews (3)

Live CD captures IIIrd Tyme Out's fiery bluegrass style
Live bluegrass recordings are rare, given the difficulty of sonicallycapturing acoustic instruments often played at blazing speeds in only onetake. But IIIrd Tyme Out rises to the challenge on "Live at the MAC," whichwas recorded at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonburg, Ky. Known forpushing the boundaries of bluegrass, the band chooses to recast many of thegenre's classics, including "Blue Moon of Kentucky," "White House Blues"(both written by Bill Monroe), and "Tennessee Waltz." The star of the showis Russell Moore, whose spectacular vocals swoop and soar throughout.Fiddler Mike Hartgrove also impresses, particularly on the traditional"Little Rabbit" and Flatt and Scruggs' "Someone Took My Place With You."This album is not only a must-have for bluegrass fans, but should bechecked out by anyone into country, gospel or other rootsy American music.

Impeccable musicianship
"Live at the Mac" demonstrates the outstanding versatility of a premier bluegrass band.The vocals and the instrumentals are impeccable.Classical tunes or old ones, they perform all of them well.Russel Moore lives up to his billing, and Steve Dilling and Mike Hartgrove provide the best second-generation recordings of Flatt and Scruggs tunes that you will hear.I generally don't care for the audience participation in live recordings, but this one is an exception.IIIrd Tyme Out works the crowd better than most bands, and it shows on this CD.Excellent entertainment!

Great Music - Lousy Crowd
The music on this live album is some of the best traditional and contemporary bluegrass that has been recorded by this truly outstanding group of musicians and singers.Too bad the crowd noise gets in the way of the people listening to the CD.I can only hope that they re-record the same titles in the studio soon, so we can really enjoy their versions of The Tennessee Waltz and all of the other great classic melodys that they interpreted at the MAC. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bluegrass    2. Contemporary Folk    3. Country    4. Country & Western    5. Pop   

Features

• Live

Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Pop    4. Singer/Songwriter   

Features

• Live

Reviews (2)

It?s a Loud County, Live!
WOW!I was fortunate enough to run across Cooder Graw's self-titled album about a year ago and loved the music and lyrics.When I heard they were going to produce a live album I knew I had to get my hands on a copy.Segundo exudes far more energy, and sounds more like the style of music they typically play, which wasn't captured on the self-titled album.This album has six previously unreleased songs that are fun to sing along or dance to, as well as some of the popular songs from the self-titled album.If you like Americana or County music, do you self a favor and get this album.It will live in you CD player.

segundo
this is a damn good cd you should go see him live when ever he comes to where you live he's great ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. Honky Tonk    5. Pop