Editorial Review

Quite possibly the bluegrass album of your dreams, this was recorded at the fertile midpoint of a two-decade partnership that ended when Carter Stanley died in 1966. Lead singer-guitarist Carter and tenor harmony singer-banjoist Ralph were always the purest of the defining bluegrass groups, their stark sound and songs coming from some haunting place deep in the mountains. Rather than the machine-gun picking and frenetic vocals of many of their peers, they relied on a meditative, still-waters-run-deep approach in which serenity co-existed with deep sorrow. This set was recorded at a Bristol, Virginia, radio station around midnight, after the Stanleys had completed a full day of radio shows and personal appearances; rather than repeat their usual repertoire, they reached back for personal favorites (the Monroe Brothers' "Drifting Too Far from the Shore") and traditional songs ("John Henry") from their childhoods. In doing so, they embodied, with grace and fire, a way of life already fading even then. Read more

Features

• Live
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (4)

A Welcome Addition to the Stanley Brothers Catalog
Originally released only as a private pressing and sold only at concerts, this 1956 recording is a welcome addition to the Stanley Brothers catalog.As explained in the liner notes by producer Larry Ehrlich, "after a long day of radio shows, barn dances, hog auctions and the like," Ehrlich took Carter and Ralph Stanley into the WCYB studios around midnight and set up a mike and turned on the tape recorder.Accompanied by Curly Lambert on mandolin and Ralph Mayo on fiddle, what transpires is nothing short of magic.
Intimate, one-of-a-kind portrait of bluegrass legends
It's a nice surprise when archivists dig up something new on well-known; doubly so when the material expands our view of their careers. This disc, previously only available on vinyl at Ralph Stanley's gigs, provides welcome new details on the roots of one of bluegrass music's greatest acts. A sweet, stripped-down, informal recording
Simply sublime.Recorded in an after-hours session at Bristol, VA radio station WCYB, this twenty song set captures bluegrass legends Ralph and Carter Stanley at the peak of their fame, in March, 1956, playing in a relaxed, informal setting that emphasizes the their softer, folkier side.Station engineer Larry Ehrlich asked the brothers to play some of their favorite traditional songs, and while they still wound up performing several of their own original songs, the bulk of the album is material that were a little off the beaten track for the Stanleys, and has a haunting quality that will make you sit up and take notice.Although many of these tunes would become part of their regular repertoire, these versions have a more subdued, old-fashioned feel than in their more polished, popular studio renditions.On shorter instrumental numbers such as "John Henry," the band shows that size isn't everything: in 76 seconds they rip through the melody, with some notably slick banjo playing by Ralph, with dazzling accompaniment throughout; even goofy novelty numbers like "My Long Skinny Lanky Sarah Jane" show the breadth of the band's entertainment repertoire.Mandolinist Curly Lambert and fiddler Ralph Mayo provide some sweet, understated accompaniment... Nice stuff! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Appalachian Folk    2. Bluegrass    3. Bluegrass-Gospel    4. Country    5. Old-Timey    6. Pop    7. Traditional Bluegrass    8. Traditional Country   

Features

• Live

Reviews (8)

Engaging, Entertaining, Skillful
This live album shows off the dazzling talents of three dynamite musicians, revisits some excellent classic tunes, and (most importantly) makes a point of entertaining the listener.The Hot Club of Cowtown is an extremely talented trio of players (and singers) that avoids the common pitfall of talented players:trying to show off how talented they are.
Yes this is Elana Fremerman's band
If you've seen and got blown away by Bob Dylan's fiddler on his 2005 tour ... this is her band ... You got to love them ! :)

One of my favorite CDs!
Though the style of music is quite unlike anything else in my collection and I stumbled across the CD on a fluke, I adore it!In fact, upon discovering it, I was so pleased with it that I played it for my whole family (ages 16 through 57), and it got a thumbs up from everybody.The songs have an old time traditional American feel to them and the musicianship is fantastic.(I hope to see these three perform live someday!)I love many of the songs, but I think my favorite is track 9, "After You've Gone."The best thing about the CD is that it makes me happy every time I listen to it, without fail.Highly recommended! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Popular Music    3. Retro Swing    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Western Swing Revival   

Editorial Review

Some groups do their best work in the studio, meticulously overdubbing tracks to create the illusion of a cohesive sound. On Read more

Features

• Live
• Enhanced

Reviews (3)

A band in transition
Leftover Salmon's latest release "Live" (rhymes with Give) is their 2nd major live release and 5th album overall (not counting the more heard about than actually heard "Taper's Reel"). While some of their past albums really showcased their diverse self-billed Cajun polyethnic slamgrass sound, this one pretty much stays in the same place. In fact it's hard to point to specific songs, because much of the album feels flat. The boys do hit a few high points, most notably "Dark Green Thing", which is way spacey and reaches some deep places over its 11+ minutes. Emmitt also throws down some sweet bluegrass on "Get Me Outta This City". But the keyboard driven "Railroad Highway" is just dreadful. Overall, they can't seem to kick it into high gear, in the way we've come to know and love 'em for. A complete show really needs to be released...
God, I don't want to slam a LoS album after Mark Vann's passing. I've seen the band NUMEROUS times and he was always such a joy. I was really excited about the prospect of a live LoS CD, even though I have several shows on CDR. I picked this up and was surprised that it was a single CD. LoS needs to follow the lead of Widespread Panic, moe., The Big Wu and the Grateful Dead and release a complete show -- warts and all. This CD is good and flows OK, but there's no information about where or when the songs were performed. I almost get the impression that, since it's been a few years since Nashville Sessions, LoS was under the pressure to get some product out. It's a shame that Mark Vann's last "official" appearance will be on this CD, since he deserved to be on at LEAST a 2 CD set. LoS is a so-so studio band that just JAMS in concert and, man, I just wish they'd release a complete show -- even if it's self-released through their Web site. Stuff like this is good, but it doesn't give the novice any indication of just how phenomenal LoS is live! This is good music, good fun, there just isn't a seamless flow and the sense of a LoS show... Too bad, I was hoping for more. Still, I don't regret buying this CD. Just a bit disappointed, that's all. C'mon guys...

Live it up
Great fun. But what else would you expect from LOS.This cd was dedicated to Mark Vann, Salmon's ultra talented banjo player who past away this year after a battle with cancer. His playing really makes the disc shine, which I beleive was the intention of the remaining members.The sound quality is above average,but at some points the mix is just a bit off.But every tune is as enjoyable as the next. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Trad Rock    2. Jam Bands    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Johnny Cash had been breaking new ground for a decade when Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (8)

Johnny Cash at this best, singing to captive audiences
Johnny Cash was a legendary figure of American music who often seemed the embodiment of an prophet from the Old Testament (and not one of the happier ones at that). With his passing there is a natural impulse to want to listen to the man and his music, but we really should resist the impulse to take the easy way out and listen to one of the greatest hits collections of The Man in Black (after all, the first Johnny Cash hits album came out forty years ago). Instead you track done one of the superb albums that he put out during his music career. From that perspective "At Folsom Prison" and "At San Quentin" are the two quintessential Johnny Cash albums from what ended up being the "early" part of one of the great careers in American music. Both albums were recorded live in front of eager audiences of prison inmates in the late 1960s and provide ample proof of why Cash was one of the most imposing and influential figures in country music. This CD presents 25 of the 37 tracks from those two albums and unless you know where one album ends and the next begins you would not think these concerts were recorded three years apart.
Hello, I'm Johnny Cash
This CD features Johnny Cash's two classic live from prison albums on one CD.These albums are indeed classics, as most people know.However, one song was left off of the CD so that both albums will fit on the CD.The original San Quentin album featured two versions of "San Quentin", and there is only one version of it featured here.I would recommend getting the individual Folsom Prison and San Quentin CDs instead of this one.Those CD feature bonus tracks, plus uncensored swearing.

The Man in Black at his best
Both the Folsom Prison and San Quentin live recordings from the late 1960s have recently been reissued with a number of extra tracks included for the first time, but this CD contains some of the best tracks from each recording and has long been a favorite of mine.The songs are great, but the banter between Cash and the audience is most interesting, proving to be straight-laced and even somewhat eye-opening at times.Cash's affinity with those behind bars is apparent as he relishes the response to his more audacious lyrics and makes a few snide comments about prison life and the men who oversee it.I actually am not in favor of entertaining the types of hardcore prisoners found at Folsom and San Quentin, but I enjoy this album immensely nonetheless.Several songs surely made the guards wince, such as Cocaine Blues, with its reference to shooting cocaine and then shooting your woman down, and San Quentin, in which Cash loudly proclaims that a prison such as San Quentin does its inmates little good.In contrast, though, Cash also offers up a few songs with a religious bent to them, such as Peace in the Valley.I especially enjoy the inspirational Greystone Chapel, which was actually written by one of the inmates at Folsom.Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Country-Pop    4. Guitar    5. Pop    6. Progressive Country    7. Rock & Roll    8. Rockabilly    9. Spirituals    10. Traditional Country    11. Vocals   

Features

• Live
• Original recording reissued

Reviews (6)

Let that boy boogie-woogie
Having seen Hank Jr. in concert back around 1989, I have to say that I enjoy Hank Live even more than I enjoyed Hank live.This is largely because Hank did an acoustic version of A Country Boy Can Survive when I saw him, and that just doesn't begin to compare with the rocking version you find on this live album.I actually picked this album up on a whim right after it was released (I'm no fan of recent country music) - and I loved it.Hank Jr. really knows how to put on a show, which is why he won the Entertainer of the Year award several years running back when he was in his prime.There is a lot of audience interaction and participation on this album, and it really showcases the energy of the crowd at each concert from which tracks were taken.I especially like the way Hank pays tribute to the greats of country music - and not just his father, who was the ultimate honky-tonk man.
Must Have!
... They have no taste in music. This is a pretty hard cd to find and is awesome. I had the album and made a tape of it and loaned itout to my brother and finially got it back 3 months later wore out. lol So now it's on cd and I can't wait to here it again. ...

Simply awful
If you want to hear some of Bocephus's music, this is not the album. Lots of ranting, mostly crowd noise, and none of the fun of the studio recordings from the same era.... ... Read more

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

Features

• Live

Reviews (21)

Solid
I feel that negative reviews are almost always an exaggeration, and it is surely the case here.Jay Farrar is the alt-country love child people seem to love to hate.But they love to hate him because they just loved Son Volt (and Uncle Tupelo) so much. That's history folks.And face it, he's talented and has the voice that hundreds of men try to emulate.This album is certainly not a clone of Son Volt's, but he's not doing Son Volt stuff here.It's a solid album, and worth having in your collection.Listen for yourself.

From a reviewer that grew up near Farrar
There are some brilliant reviews here, and some that completely miss the point.I grew up about ten minutes away from Farrar's hometown, and I really fear some reviewers cannot understand the context from which he writes.Imagine the "rust belt", where factories have closed, people have moved away, and sprawl has crept in.You have our hometown area.The song Cahokian, which another reviewer took to task, is especially poignant to anyone familiar with the area.He speaks of the mounds, one being a HUGE ceromonial mound built by native americans which still stands today.The other, a landfill, visible from the first mound, stands across from a motor sports racetrack.The fact that Farrar recognizes this and chooses to speak on it, I believe, shows the consciousness that makes me love his music.If you like this slant, you should really check out March "16-20, 1992".This album completely forshadowed Tupelo's split, with noticable "tweedy songs" and "farrar songs", with Farrar's being of the social consciousness ilk.Please, continue to check out Farrar's solo work, Trace and Wide Swing Tremolo (not a big fan of much else son volt), and any Tupelo you can get your hands on.I should also add, quickly, some favorite songs from S,S,& BL.Please pay attention to Medicine Hat, Six String Belief, and Greenwich Time.Thanks for your time!

Please someone tell me where else I can find this song
I have heard this whole CD and it's nothing special. One song is very good and I do wish to have it. It is the first song, "Things don't have to be this way". I do want that song but don't want to have to pay for this very ordinary CD to get it. I have not been able to find where else it is so if someone knows I would sure appreciate you pointing me towards it. Thanks. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Americana    3. Bass (Electric)    4. Drums    5. Electronics    6. Guitar (Acoustic)    7. Guitar (Electric)    8. Keyboards    9. Pop    10. Rock    11. Rock/Pop    12. Singer/Songwriter    13. United States of America    14. Vocals   

Editorial Review

Some years ago, MGM Records issued an LP of 11 Hank Williams Opry performances originally recorded for broadcast on Armed Forces Radio. Years of digging have unearthed much more Hank at the Ryman in crystal-clear monaural sound. Disc 1's 19 songs, punctuated by onstage joshing with singer Red Foley and Opry comics Minnie Pearl and Rod Brasfield, begin with his June 1949 debut as an Opry regular, ending in July 1952, a month before his firing over drinking-related no-shows. These powerful live renditions include the broadcast debuts of "Jambalaya" and "Window Shopping" along with two stark, chilling gospel numbers. Even with his physical stamina failing--as it clearly was on the final two songs--these raw performances are powerful testaments to Hank's charismatic genius and remain as arresting today as at the moment of broadcast. Disc 2, a complete 1950 Opry segment featuring Williams, Foley, and other Opry acts, is a historically valid, though musically inferior document, and including it on a Hank Williams package tends to dissipate the album's overall focus. Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (13)

makes you feel like youre there.
this is so sweet. its an awsome live album by mr williams sr. kinda makes you feel like your there watching the concert in person, so i give this one a 5 stars for sure. long live the king hank williams sr.

hank versusthe opry - guess who wins?
For a guy who died before he turned 30, Williams' catalogue is astounding in volume. But this latest addition is a bit of a sick joke. Throughout much of his career, the deleterious country singer and the stodgy ole Opry had what could best be described as -�ahem -�a strained relationship. The Opry, with an audience of millions, insisted on predictability from its performers. For Hank, that meant cranking out the hits with zero elaboration on his talent. But Williams was also chronically self-destructive and indifferent to schedules. For the Opry, such impudence was tantamount to heresy. But Williams was so popular, they were forced to bend their own rules until they kicked him out forever after repeated no-shows in 1952. But despite such a fractious partnership, this stuttered collection of Williams live on the Opry stage between 1949 and 1952 remains a testament to the tortured musician's brilliance, not the prudence of the hoity-toity GOO. In addition to loads of unreleased material, the big difference between this and previous releases is that Williams' appearances are put in the context of the Opry variety show (particularly on the second CD, which is a radio broadcast of one complete show in 1950). Historically speaking, the comedy bits between the songs are an irritating embarrassment; various displays of painful jokemeistering, hillbilly foolishness and a prolonged and excruciating Minnie Pearl routine that bombs like the Enola Gay. Not so with Williams. More than 50 years after these crackly and prehistoric live recordings were made, Williams' graveyard bluegrass/blues and famished n' horny coyote howl are as plaintively substantial as ever; from his first hit (Lovesick Blues, You're Gonna Change) until his final performances (Window Shopping, Long Gone Lonesome Blues). Nobody, not the Opry, God or Williams himself, were able to diminish his reputation as a fascinating and genuine talent unequalled in country music.

The best Hank Williams Opry recordings available.
For those of you who own THE COMPLETE HANK WILLIAMS box set, this CD looks like a mere duplication of CD #10. It really isn't. It's substantially better. Well worth owning at the right price.Read more

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

Editorial Review

Although the groundbreaking band the Dillards would go on to expand the parameters of bluegrass in later years, this high-octane 1962 recording captures the more tradition-minded original quartet in its concert debut. The music here is fiercely energetic, incredibly fast paced, and bristling with excitement. Doug Dillard's amazing banjo work is raw but explosive and the group harmonies are a tad rough but rousing nonetheless. In the liner notes, bassist Mitch Jayne remembers the foursome as being "young and sweaty and scared and picking as if our lives depended on it," and that youthful enthusiasm and anxiety comes through clearly in the music. Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (5)

nobody plays it like the darlin boys!
i own almost every album the dillards have released. this is my favorite album and is the latest released in 1999. dougs banjo deans mandoline mitches humor and bass rodneys singing and guitar skills are truly at their prime in this 16 track album. doug picks his banjo so fast in some songs it sounds like there is 2 banjo s playing. this album is hot raw and some hardcore bluegrass it never sounded so good.

Breakneck bluegrass, NOT for the faint of heart!
Summer 1962: In a scant few weeks, The Dillards would fall off the turnip truck in L.A. and, practically overnight, nab not only a major recording contract with Elektra Records but also a plum role on one of TV's then-hottest series ("The Andy Griffith Show," as if you didn't know). But first, they had to get their feet wet at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. The boys from Salem done good, in a debut so spine-tinglingly urgent, so raw and so real, that privileged first audience was picking the hay out of their ears for weeks. Burnin' em' off!
Buy this CD!This is an incredible performance by an equally incredible group.They don't make bluegrass music like this anymore. Hip songs,lightning fast banjo playing,and great harmonizing.Hey....any groupthat sings songs about groundhogs,moonshiners,mountain folks,and dead dogswith such enjoyment and energy is worth checking out. .....and they weresemi regulars on the Andy Griffith Show......enough said.... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bluegrass    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. Folk & Traditional    5. Pop    6. Progressive Bluegrass    7. Traditional Bluegrass   

Features

• Live

Reviews (6)

Great Music
Prior to moving to America, I had heard nothing of the Refreshments of latterly Roger Clyne. I even watched King of the Hill unaware of where the theme music originated....then one day whilst searching for the Gin Blossoms I came across both the Refreshments and Roger Clyne .... This cd combines the best of Roger's whole career...the pick of his days in the Refreshments plus the best of his solo career. Counterclockwise and Banditos standout head and shoulders above anything else but the rest of the time the cd just rolls on through foot tapping song after foot tapping song . For me track 8 ...Mexico steals the show.
Better Live.
Hear the Peacemakers live. They are are better in person than any of their albums. This comes close and is very enjoyable to use to remember show time.

Billy Bob's
First off I must tell you that this is one of my favorite groups. The CD is a great mix of Refreshment/Peacemaker tunes but the usually dead-on vocals come off a bit sharp quite often and don't blend as well with the music. Solid otherwise. GO SEE THEIR SHOW!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Americana    4. Country    5. Heartland Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Roots Rock   

Features

• Live

Reviews (10)

ODE TO THE FLY-BY-NIGHT LOUNGE
Sometimes you just need some old-fashioned rock and rolling, comboy style. That is the roots too. If you, like I do, every once in a while need to hear about whiskey bars, fly-by-night hotels, pool playing hustlers, sad-eyed gals, flossies, no-name susies, broken-down cowboys, low down hotels nighttimes smells, guys saying what the hell at the last chance motel you have come to the right address. Listen on.

REAL LIVE!
There's millions of albums in the world under a title "live" but they usually lack the real live feel and that's why they are mostly disappointments to me... but this here's an exception! Hats off to Jerry Jeff again, he hasn't try to make this sound too polished and slick by destroying the sound of space. Yes, it first sounds quite a rough, to say, a field recording, but that's what makes it so charming... it sounds like you were there at the place listening to a Jerry Jeff gig in some lousy joint drinking beer and having fun with the band... It sounds really dynamic and rocks on through the show! I'm sure this album's never got any airplay and maybe never will, but it's a document, honest and true, just like Jerry Jeff and his trio of old mates...:-) Disappointing
This is a disappointing live set from the patriarch of the Texas musis scene.Night After Night lacks the spark of earlier live releases from Jerry.I would recommend both Live at Gruene Hall and Viva Luckenbach! over Night After Night. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Country-Folk    4. Country-Rock    5. Outlaw Country    6. Pop    7. Progressive Country    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

Through the 1980s, Hot Rize's virtuosic brand of bluegrass combined eclectic progressivism with bedrock traditionalism, earning a following that extended well beyond the young quartet's home base of Boulder, Colorado. Though vocalist-mandolinist Tim O'Brien subsequently moved further beyond bluegrass convention as a solo artist, focusing more on his original material, the band's reunion concerts in the '90s remained popular affairs. This recording of a 1996 homecoming performance at the Boulder Theater finds the foursome in spirited form, with a generous selection of 20 cuts. From the spiritual call-and-response of "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning" and "Working on a Building" to Pete Wernick's banjo breakdown on "Empty Pocket Blues" to the Irish romp through "Colleen Malone," a signature tune for the group, the interplay has the feel of friends who plainly enjoy each other's musical company. The belated release also serves as a memorial to guitarist Charles Sawtelle, whose thoughtful, bluesy progressions give the music a unique dimension, and who died of leukemia in 1999. Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (6)

God Bless Charles Sawtelle
After their amicable breakup in 1990, Hot Rize staged various reuinion concerts over the next several years, including this marvelous 1996 effort secretly caught for prosperity by bassist Nick Forster. Hot Rize appealed to almost every facet of the bluegrass world by, as mandolinist/fiddler/lead singer Tim O'Brien put it, "Making the old sound new." Most of the group's non-original material (O'Brien is a prolific song writer, with Forster and banjoist Pete Wernick also key contributers) came from the classic bluegrass artists/old timey song book (represented here by Bill Monroe's "Blue Night", The Delmore's "Life's Too Short", and Hazel Dicken's "Won't You Come and Sing For Me"), but the band's trademark instrumental synchopation gave their music a fresh, modern sound. O'Brien and Wernick are wonderful players, but the true intrumental "voice" of the band was the late, great guitarist Charles Sawtelle (a/k/a "The Bluegrass Mystery"), whose unmatched tone and clever phrasing pervades and haunts this session. Hot Rize at the Top of Their Game
While the always innovative Hot Rize continued to perform reunion shows throughout the Nineties, their last studio album was 1992's Take It Home.That's what makes this 1996 live recording of a couple of Boulder Theater shows such a treat. Hot Rize is performing before an enthusiastic home crowd and the band is hitting on all cylinders. Great live album!
A nice posthumous concert album from one of the big bluegrass supergroups of the 1980s.This album features Hot Rize at their best, professionally plowing their way through a powerful repertoire of original tunes and well-chosen oldies.This set was recorded during a 1996 reunion gig, and band gets a little looser and a little more playful than on some of their studio albums, as all concerned, including the late guitarist Charles Sawtelle, play the good stuff, all sweet and fine.Recommended! ... Read more

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

Features

• Limited Edition
• Live
• Import

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

Features

• Enhanced
• Live
• Limited Edition

Reviews (2)

Awesome CD!
It's not too often that a Live CD captures the energy of a band, but then again, not too many bands have the kind of energy the Randy Rogers Band has.This is no studio CD.This is live.I've seen these guys live many times (unfortunately I did miss this recording), and this CD captures their energy.The music is something that's hard to describe.You just have to listen to it.Randy's voice is just amazing.Brady's fiddle playing is unbelievable.This is just one of those "must have" cds.
Very cool!
This is a great CD to add to your collection.The live "stuff" wasn't editted out. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. A part of the Texas Revolution...TWO CHART HITS and a real Texas Honky Tonk .. Swing .. And Country MUST HAVE.    2. Contemporary Country    3. Country    4. Pop   

Editorial Review

"Howdy, howdy folks. We're glad to be back for another show here. As we do the numbers now, we're gonna call each fellow's name out so we can get right along with the show." And what a show. Bluegrass has always been a live-performance genre, on stage or in the studio, and Bill Monroe never sounded better on stage than during these heady years of the folk revival. He had something to share and to prove to his new audience, and he wouldn't meet them halfway, choosing instead his grittiest traditional material and singing, especially in the late '50s, with full, high yodel and wail. His voice mellowed into the '60s, but his band, including many of the best bluegrass pickers Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (10)

An intimate glimpse at Monroe's onstage charm
A treasure trove of rare Monroe performances, from various folk fests and concerts.For the most part these live renditions don't capture the full intensity of Monroe's music, but there's certainly not a bad cut on this album.The best bit, though, is a track called "Monroe Family Segment," which consists of Q&A dialogs with fans and festival moderators asking Monroe to explain his techniques and how he learned them from various family members... Interesting in and of itself, but also a great glimpse at Bill's rapport with his fans.

That was I call MUSIC.
I have gotten myself into bluegrass lately even though I'm not new to it either.I grew up hearing bluegrass music on television like the Beverly Hillbillies, Hee Haw and the Dukes of Hazzard. However, I always wanted to learn more about Bill Monroe and his music.The music on this CD is of course authentic, traditional bluegrass.I highly recommend this to any bluegrass and even non-bluegrass listener.I would like to see America get back to its music roots. We are losing it with the non substance music we hear today.

Definitive -- Essential
This one is a must -- live recordings that show Monroe and the various Blue Grass Boys at their best.You will not be disappointed. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

This double live CD, recorded with the Dukes on their tour supporting Earle's 2002 album Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (31)

Steve is in the groove here
His songs here shoot from the heart and can be oh so related to. His political stancing is done in fine form through song and some dialogue with the audience. The album is chock full of good stuff to listen, it also sounds good in the process.
A Window In Time
If you've been fortunate enough to see/hear live Steve Earle over the years, then you know how much his live sound has evolved.This disc presents a pretty good picture of where Steve and the Dukes were at in late '02 into early '03: telling it as they saw the truth to be and not pulling a single punch.Sure, there are loads of people that don't want to hear politics blended into music, so you'll find plenty of scathing reviews for this set.I find it difficult to be too critical of Earle's positions, because he presents them from a knowledgeable perspective and he is no doubt a patriot.
Based on the Music - 5 more Stars for Independence
hey kids!
Read more

Subjects:  1. Country-Rock    2. New Traditionalist    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Roots Rock    7. Singer/Songwriter   

Features

• Live

Reviews (6)

very very good
not the master that townes van zandt was, but if i was looking to award silver i can't think of many better. on par with the best of guy clark, steve earle, etc. second that nod for this and the companion cd and also, check out the studio/country album blaze recorded shortly before this live recordingthe masters were destroyed but a copy of a copy of a board recording was recently found, lovinglyrestored and finally released 10.05.

Lost Art Records
Both this album and his newly release album Oval Room are available from Lost Art Records...www.LostArtRecords.com...

Absolutely the Saddest/Best Album Ever
This is my first Amazon.com review and will probably be my last because music for me is something very personal. With that said, this is the best album I own out of hundreds and I would have done anything to have been there for this amazing live performance. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Country    3. Country-Folk    4. One of Austin's legendary singer-songwriters in a live performance at the Outhouse.    5. Singer/Songwriter    6. United States of America   

Editorial Review

This 1995 recording captures the Squad's mixture of hillbilly humor (allegedly the basis for much of Jeff Foxworthy's work) and their formidable folk and bluegrass. Lead jokester Ron Thomason handles the comedy with an exaggerated drawl and a somewhat trite hillbillies-are-dumb theme. When it comes to actual music, however, the Squad can truly light it up. Thomason's mandolin and Bill Evans' banjo impressively race through standards including "John Henry," "Late Last Night," and "Blue Grass Breakdown." Gentle ballads such as "Aragon Mill" and the lovely "Hard Times" are handled with sensitivity while "Red Rocking Chair" showcases Suzanne Thomas' clawhammer banjo. While the comedy may become stale (especially after repeated listenings), it's nothing the CD program function can't handle. Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (5)

If You Can Only Buy One, This is it!
I own every single CD and most of the preceeding albums that this band has produced.I play them all, but Live!At Last is my favorite, as it is the only one that captures a hint of their live performances.(Although after awhile, you skip the stories--you can only hear them so many times...) When Ron Thomason sings Aragon Mills, he is, without a doubt, an out-of-work mill worker.The song breaks my heart.If you have to make a choice, make this your first DBFS CD.There's not a loser in the bunch, though.And I have to agree with the other reviewers; Dry Branch Fire Squad MUST be seen live to be fully appreciated.

Live Bluegrass!
Dry Branch Fire Squad offers a range of bluegrass & gospel music in this live CD, plus several tracks of the comic interludes common to their performances.Seeing them in concert is an unforgettable experience, but owning this CD is the next best thing to seeing them live.Dry Branch plays everything from the old-timey traditional bluegrass (try the song sample above for "Little Red Rocking Chair") to fast-paced banjo (check out "Bluegrass Breakdown") to variations on folk ("Aragon Mill") & gospel ("Goin' Up on the Mountain").I've seen Dry Branch in concert for over 10 years now & this CD is the one I listen to when I'm waiting for them to come back to town.My all-time favorite songs on the album are "Hard Times" and "Walk the Streets of Glory."Whether you're new to bluegrass or a longtime fan, you'll enjoy Dry Branch Fire Squad's CD "Live! At Last". I started out listening to this as a tape, but after 5 non-stop years of play, I finally managed to break it, so now it's on my short list of favorite CD's. Try it out!.

Wonderful mix of music.
Nobody can sound like Ron of DBFS.I promise you will love this CD. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Appalachian Folk    2. Bluegrass    3. Contemporary Bluegrass    4. Country    5. Neo-Traditional Folk    6. Old-Timey    7. Pop    8. Progressive Bluegrass    9. String Bands    10. Traditional Bluegrass   

Features

• Limited Edition
• Live

Subjects:  1. Jam Bands    2. Neo-Psychedelia    3. Pop    4. Progressive Bluegrass    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop