D. J. & The CB Pickers "Through Her Eyes" (Texas Records, 1987) (CD)
(Produced by Wayne Busbice)

Dailey & Vincent "Dailey & Vincent" (Rounder Records, 2008)
(Produced by Jamie Dailey & Darrin Vincent)
An utterly gorgeous set of harmony-drenched traditional bluegrass, with a strong emphasis on super-sweet, super-soulful male duet vocals. The pickin' is pretty solid, too. These guys are both veteran truegrass players -- Darrin Vincent is Rhonda Vincent's brother, and went from her old band The Rage into long tenures with John Hartford and Ricky Skaggs; Jamie Dailey sang with Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver starting in the late 1990s, and has been collaborating with Vincent for a few years. It's no surprise that with this wealth of experience that they can tap so beautifully into the vocal tradition of the Stanley Brothers, or that about half this album is gospel material, as heartfelt and moving as anything you'll hear in the genre. The repertoire sounds old, but includes a lot of more modern material, including a couple of Dailey's original tunes, as well as a tune by the late Randall Hylton and even a song from indie darlings Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. This is old-school melodic bluegrass at its very best: it doesn't get any sweeter than this. Highly recommended!

Dailey & Vincent "Brothers From Different Mothers" (Rounder Records, 2009)
(Produced by Jamie Dailey & Darrin Vincent)
Their previous album was one of the finest traditional bluegrass albums of the decade, and Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent keep up the pace on this fine, frolicking follow-up. There's simultaneously a greater emphasis on gospel material and a more modern, country-ish tone on a few tunes (particularly on "Years Ago," where they sound for all the world like the young Statler Brothers did on the similarly-themed "Flowers On The Wall.") Above all, though, there's the gorgeous harmonies and fine picking that define this duo's strengths. These guys sound fully committed to their music and engaged with it emotionally. They don't overdo anything, but they play and sing better than nearly anybody around, with feeling and power to spare. Highly recommended!

Dailey & Vincent "Teach Bluegrass And Gospel Duet Singing" (Homespun Music, 2009) (DVD)
While we're on the topic, I bet this instructional video is pretty great, too. (If anyone tests it out, let me know what you think... :-)

Dailey & Vincent "Sing The Statler Brothers" (Rounder Records/Crackerbarrel, 2010)
(Produced by Jamie Dailey & Darrin Vincent)
Now wait a minute... Was is really me, a couple of years back, who pegged Dailey and Vincent as having a Statler Brothers vibe to their work? Why, yes it was...! Not that I'm bragging or anything, but I do know a nice harmony when I hear one... Anyway, here it is in 2010, and they've gone whole-hog with a tribute to one of the most successful country vocal acts, and boy, does this sound good. The music is flawless, the harmonies are sweet, and the lyrics stand out in ways they didn't in the Statler Brothers originals... Despite their obvious talent and chart success, the Statlers had a bit of a novelty-act sheen to their work, but here, played straight by Dailey & Vincent, the songs emerge more clearly as sentimental, evocative, nostalgic gems. No matter which band you're a bigger fan of, this record ought to knock your socks off. Highly recommended!

Dailey & Vincent "Singing From The Heart" (Rounder Records, 2010)
A sweet, sweet, sweet all-gospel set. Doyle Lawson, watch out.

Dailey & Vincent "The Gospel Side Of Dailey & Vincent" (Cracker Barrel, 2012)
(Produced by Jamie Dailey & Darren Vincent)
An excellent gospel collection, the second by the harmony duo of Jamie Dailey and Darren Vincent, who have become luminaries in the world of traditional bluegrass gospel singing. On this set they move away from their strictly truegrass roots and sing some more country-oriented material, as well as a few songs that could be considered part of the pop-oriented "contemporary Christian" sound, as well as a few jaunty jubilee songs in the style of the Blackwood Brothers. The singing and musicianship is uniformly sweet... There are a couple of tracks I'd skip, but most of it is quite nice. Includes a particularly sweet version of "Family Bible," as well as a good, obscure Buck Owens oldie, "Eternal Vacation." Recommended!

Dailey & Vincent "Brothers Of The Highway" (Rounder Records, 2013)

J.B. Dailey & Jamie Dailey "Brothers Of The Highway" (Pinecastle Records, 2020)
(Produced by Jamie Dailey & Greg Cole)
Great set of straight-up truegrass with a lot of oldies in the mix, kicking off with "Ashes Of Love" and moving into other classics such as "Great Speckled Bird," "Nobody's Darling But Mine," and even an old Blue Sky Boys song, "Behind These Prison Walls Of Love." J. B. Dailey is Jaime Dailey's dad, and in addition to being a rock-solid vocalist, he picks some fine dobro too. The high quality of this album is all the more impressive since it was recorded while Mr. Dailey struggled with steadily escalating Parkinson's Disease -- they recorded his sessions when he felt up to it, and held off when he didn't. Of course, Darrin Vinent is in the mix, playing guitar and holding down the baritone vocals, and Doyle Lawson chimes in on the mandolin for one track, "It Was Only The Wind." There are a slew of gospel tunes on here, with one standout being a version of Onie Wheeler's "Mother Prays Loud In Her Sleep." Great record, highly recommended.

The Daughters Of American Bluegrass "The Daughters Of American Bluegrass" (CMH Records, 2004)

The Daughters Of Bluegrass "Back To The Well" (Blue Circle Records, 2006)

The Daughters Of Bluegrass "Bluegrass Bouquet" (Blue Circle Records, 2009)
(Produced by Dixie Hall, Paula Wolak & Frances Mooney)
When they say "daughters of bluegrass," they really mean "daughters of bluegrass": this disc features contributions from dozens of female artists, including folks like Carol Lee Cooper (daughter of Wilma Lee Cooper), Lisa Martin (Jimmy's daughter), Jeanie Stanley (Carter's "baby girl") and Sonya and Becky Isaacs, of the Isaacs family band... Along with a slew of other female picker, plunkers and harmonizers, including well-known artists and newcomers such as Tina Adair, Dale Ann Bradley, Becky Buller, Sierra Hull, Alecia Nugent and many more whose names are less familiar; Rhonda Vincent, who gets a teasing shout-out as a big star with a tour bus to travel in, also pitches in. It's a big helping of talent, with many faces that are doubtless familiar to folks who frequent the festivals and hang out at informal jam sessions. The project is the brainchild of Dixie and Tom T. Hall, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on here, so if you're a bluegrass fan searching for new, original material, this disc is a much-welcome treasure trove as well. Good spirits, fine picking and fuzzy nostalgia mix together quite nicely here... It's a sweet humble, down-to-earth album that reflects the DIY culture of the modern bluegrass scene... Nice!

David Davis "...And The Warrior River Boys" (Rebel Records, 2004)
A fine set of rough-hewn truegrass from these soulful Alabama pickers... The band struts its stuff on "My Rocky Mountain Sweetheart," showing that, sure 'nuff, they can play it hot and fast whenever they want to. That's what makes the slower songs all the more sweet, as Davis and his crew take their time, hitting just the right emotional tone on song after song. The phrasing on the solo vocals may get a bit choppy, but when the harmony kicks into a full chorus, it sounds mighty, mighty fine. Recommended!

David Davis "Troubled Times" (Rebel Records, 2006)

David Davis "Two Dimes And A Nickel" (Rebel Records, 2009)

Hubert Davis & The Season Travelers "Harvest" (RHD Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Behrens)
This bluegrass-based band was led by North Carolinian banjo plunker Hubert Davis, an alumnus of the 'Fifties-era Bill Monroe band who modeled his playing on new Earl Scruggs style, and was one of the banjoists brought in to fill the gap when Flatt & Scruggs went solo. Much later, Davis got a full-time gig playing at a local club in Nashville called the Wind In The Willows, where he mostly played straight-up, traditional old stuff. This outlaw-era album is packed with standards like "Roll On Buddy," "Rocky Top," "Wabash Cannonball," and "Orange Blossom Special" -- there are also some cross-genre covers, like Kris Kristofferson's "Me And Bobby McGee," and western swing's "Faded Love." In the band at the time was a young mandolin picker named Mike Compton, who would later help co-found the Nashville Bluegrass Band, and worked with John Hartford throughout the 1990s. Although the Season Travelers, like most bands, had a fair amount of turnover, Davis kept the band running for decades, and recorded several other albums during this era.

Skeeter Davis "I Love Flatt & Scruggs" (RCA Victor, 1968) (LP)
Nashville star Skeeter Davis lays down a nice late-Sixties tribute to bluegrass legends Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. As the liner notes point out, at the time this album was made, Flatt & Scruggs were making regular appearances on the "Beverly Hillbillies" TV show and playing gigs at trendy rock-folk clubs, so Davis' electric guitar-and-pedal steel arrangements for all these old bluegrass tunes wasn't so far off the mark -- in fact, it wasn't that different than what the boys were doing on their own albums at the time. Not the greatest renditions of this material, but Skeeter does get inside the songs and convincingly brings out the old-fashioned sentimentality from the lyrics.

Honi Deaton "What Should Have Been" (Chateau Music, 2003)

Honi Deaton & Dream "Promise To A Soldier" (Chateau Music, 2005)
Heartfelt independent bluegrass, with several 'grassed-up cover tunes -- "Walkin' After Midnight," "Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On" and Patsy Montana's classic "Cowboy's Sweetheart" -- along with a slew of first-rate original tunes. Deaton's greatest strength is as a songwriter, particularly as a gospel composer... Songs such as "I'm Callin' Jesus," "Here I Am Lord" and "Glory, Glory" have the ring of classics, indeed, I was surprised to find out they were new songs written by Deaton in recent years. Her band, Dream, has gotten much tighter as well, and the picking is pretty solid, taking off at a pretty fast clip and keeping the pace through the length of the album. Definitely worth a spin!

Honi Deaton "Chasin' Dreams" (C & L Entertainment, 2007)

Honi Deaton "The Other Side" (C & L Entertainment, 2009)

Dehlia Low "Dehlia Low" (2008)
A bluegrass/old timey band from North Carolina, featuring two female lead singers, fiddler Anya Hinkle and guitarist Stacy Claude... ("Dehlia Low" is the band's name, not the name of a person in the band...)

Dehlia Low "Tellico" (2009)

Dehlia Low "Live" (2010)

Dehlia Low "Ravens & Crows" (Rebel Records, 2011)
(Produced by Travis Brook & Dehlia Low)
This is the fourth album from this North Carolina bluegrass/old-timey/Americana band, which features the twin female vocals of fiddler Anya Hinkle and guitarist Stacy Claude (with bassist Greg Stiglets singing lead on a couple of tunes...) In tone and tonality, the band taps into a Gillian Welch-like vibe, mixing rural authenticity with modern songwriting, indeed, on several slower songs, such as the doleful "Cannonball Blues, you'd be excused for mistaking this for a Gillian Welch record, although on most tracks they take a faster, more bluegrassy approach. The clattersome, rugged sound prized by old-timey fans comes through as well, tempered with some fine dobro playing throughout. An excellent record for folks in search of bands that are taking this style into the future -- definitely worth checking out!

Della Mae "This World Oft Can Be" (Rounder Records, 2013)

Detour "Radio Hill" (2007)

Detour "The Road That Lies Ahead" (2009)

Detour "A Better Place" (Bluegrass Ahead, 2012)
(Produced by Detour)
Top-notch independently-produced bluegrass, with solid musicianship and a strong mix of original material and well-chosen covers. Lead singer Missy Armstrong has a great voice: clear, confident and joyful, while mandolinist Jeff Rose is also a superior songwriter, providing over half the tracks on here, each of them a concise gem of melodic truegrass, crafted in the traditional style. This Michigander band is the real deal: a powerful band with a sweet sound that modern-day bluegrass fans will want to check out. (For more info, check out their website at www.detourbluegrass.com)

Hazel Dickens - see artist discography

The Dillards - see artist discography

The Delaware Water Gap "String Band Music" (Adelphi Records, 1977)

The Delaware Water Gap "From The Rivers Of Babylon To The Land Of Jazz" (Kicking Mule Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by John Standish & The Delaware Water Gap)
Branching off from strictly traditional bluegrass, this relaxed, capable quartet presents a delightful mix of styles, including acoustic swing and blues, to Irish fiddle tunes and a fine, twangy cover of the Melodians' reggae classic, "By The Rivers Of Babylon," which closes the album. For bluegrass fans, guitarist Bob Carlin is probably the best known of these musicians, though banjo plunker Henry Sapoznik went on to become a prominent klezmer revivalist, as well as mandolinist Alan Podner, who also crossed over into klezmer and Celtic music. This early album is a gem, thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

The Done Gone Band "The Done Gone Band" (Police Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Max Berueffy)
This Mill Valley, CA combo was pretty much a straight-up local bluegrass band, but they gained some notoriety for their cover of the Grateful Dead's "Friend Of The Devil" -- another "KFAT classic," if I recall correctly. It's a nice record. The thing I like about it is the mellow feel of their delivery... they aren't a fusion band, but rather choose to play traditional (and progressive) bluegrass without all the drag-racing pyrotechnics thta most hardcore 'grass bands go for. also, there's a wealth of original material on here, with four songs from singer Don Humphries and a sizzling instrumental called "Old Red Mandolin," written by picker Tom Bekney. A nice, unassuming set of relaxed but rootsy picking.

Jerry Douglas -- see artist discography

Dreadful Snakes "Snakes Alive!" (Rounder Records, 1995)
Great stuff, with solid vocals and propulsive, melodic picking... also some surprisingly nuanced instrumentals, such as "Sally Ann." Then again, with Blaine Sprouse, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck and Roland White on board, there's a lot of talent to burn... Proving that when these studio cats choose to play it old-school, they can really sizzle! The band's name, which is a phrase from some old song or another, may throw you off their scent, but don't be fooled: this is top-flight material from start to finish!

Casey Dreissen "3D" (Sugar Hill Records, 2006)
Wildly eclectic and playfully goofy, this debut album by fiddler Casey Driessen touches base with both newgrass and truegrass roots, establishing Driessen as one of the more daring, capable musicians of his generation. The album reflects Driessen's work with jazz-grasser Bela Fleck, as well as his long association with Tim O'Brien, whose sense of humor has clearly influenced his style. On a few tunes, Driessen falls into some of the more cumbersome tropes of spacegrass jazz, but elsewhere he displays a lighter touch, and on his funky, greasy cover of "Sugarfoot Rag," he seems to be channeling the anarchic spirit of the late John Hartford. For me, the album's real gem is "Good Boy Blues," wherein the squeaky fiddle prods an old hound dog (uncredited?) into a long mournful, howling duet -- it's a hilarious track, the kind of thing that would have been a late-night staple in the glory years of 1970s freeform radio. Will it launch Rover's solo career? Let's hope so: that dog's got chops!

Casey Dreissen "Oog" (Red Shoe Records, 2009)

Keith Driver "Love Moved In" (Mid-Knight Records, 1996)

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Born To Be Lonesome" (Rounder Records, 1981) (LP)
Founded in 1976, the Dry Branch Fire Squad is the brainchild of mandolinist and raconteur Ron Thomason... Over the years the group has been recognized as a cultural reservoir for Appalachian traditions, earning recognition from the Smithsonian Institution and various other guardians of the public good. Unfortunately, these first few albums remain out of print on CD, but with diligent effort, you may find them on vinyl out there, somewhere.

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Antiques And Inventions" (Rounder Records, 1981) (LP)

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Fannin' The Flames" (Rounder Records, 1982) (LP)

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Good Neighbors And Friends" (Rounder Records, 1985) (LP)

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Golgotha" (Rounder Records, 1986) (LP)
An all-gospel outing that won a place on the Smithsonian's list of essential American recordings...!

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Tried And True" (Rounder Records, 1987)

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Fertile Ground" (Rounder Records, 1989)

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Long Journey" (Rounder Records, 1991)

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Just For The Record" (Rounder Records, 1993)

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Live! At Last" (Rounder Records, 1996)
The Fire Squad prove themselves superior live performers, leavening the zippy picking with some goofy, self-deprecating hillbilly humor (lead singer Ron Thomason lays it on thick with an exaggerated drawl, cracking jokes about the supposed backwardness of Appalachian hill folks, even while he makes a few sly political points, from the liberal end of the spectrum... ) The tall tales and not-quite-as-corny-as-it-seems proto-Foxworthy humor might not appeal to everyone, but if you settle in on the right wavelength, it's kinda fun.

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Memories That Bless And Burn" (Rounder Records, 1999)
Another all-gospel album, with craggier-than-usual vocals and somber-themed songs. On the solo numbers, Susan Thomas sounds, for all the world like good old Hazel Dickens, while the full group harmonies are quite sweet. If you like the old-fashioned bluegrass gospel style, this disc fits right in that spirit.

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Hand Hewn" (Rounder Records, 2001)
They just keep getting better and better! This is an ideal midway ground between tuneful truegrass and craggier old-timey music. The picking is solid but understated, the vocals are a perfect match: lead vocalist Ron Thomason has a simple, declarative style that echoes the glum delivery of the 1920s old-timers, but has a modern smoothness that takes the edge off. Singing the most minimal of harmony vocals, Susan Thomas takes a low-key approach that's entirely appropriate to the genre, adding nudging support while demanding none of the spotlight. Great song selection on this set; maybe too mellow for some, but the laidback approach suits me just fine.

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Live At The Newbury Firehouse" (Rounder Records, 2005)

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Thirtieth Anniversary Special" (Rounder Records, 2007)

Dry Branch Fire Squad "Echoes Of The Mountains" (Rounder Records, 2009)

Due West "These Boots" (Native & Fine, 2003)
Another nice release from the independent Native & Fine label. This SF Bay Area band features a nice mix of straightforward, low-key truegrass picking and a penchant for covering country heartsongs such as Dwight Yoakam's "The Heart That You Own" and Buddy & Julie Miller's "Does My Ring Burn Your Finger" (recently a big Top 40 country hit for Lee Ann Womack) ...Oh, yeah: they also cover Nancy Sinatra's "Boots," and have a few instrumental flights of fancy. Not a life-altering album, but refreshingly unpretentious and filled with mighty fine picking.

John Duffey "Always In Style" (Sugar Hill Records, 2000)
This multi-decade retrospective came out in memoriam, following mandolinist John Duffey's untimely passing in 1996... It captures the co-founder of the Seldom Scene and the Country Gentlemen at his sublime best, a performer with a strong melodic touch, stuffed with what can best be described as a strong dose of soulfulness and beauty. No matter which of his various incarnations you catch Duffey in, they all sound great. This is a really sweet-sounding collection, well worth picking up. Recommended! (By the way, here's an interesting tribute to Duffey that was included on the Seldom Scene website.)

John Duffey "The Rebel Years: 1962-1977" (Rebel Records, 2011)
A great overview of the late John Duffey's pioneering work in the "progressive" bluegrass scene of the 1960s and '70s, with a selection evenly split between his tenures in the Country Gentlemen and the Seldom Scene. It's great stuff, with fine examples of the poetic-folkie vibe of the newgrass movement, alongside strong traditional material and a healthy helping of bluegrass gospel, which includes some of the most soulful stuff on the album. Highly recommended, especially for folks who are new to the genre and want to become familiar with one of its most revered figures. (Available online through the Rebel Records website.)

The Duhks "Your Daughters And Your Sons" (Sugar Hill Records, 2003/2006)
A much-welcome reissue of the 2003 debut album by this fine, young neo-bluegrass band. In addition to some lively, smile-inducing truegrass pickin', there's a heavy dose of Celtic music in the mix, as well as a modern Americana folk/pop feel. Fans of artists such as Dar Williams, Be Good Tanyas and Jolie Holland may find a kindred spirit in singer Jessica Havey, who gives a sultry, modern twist to several songs. And folks who dug good, ole John Hartford might also like this band: they have a similar joyous, freewheeling style, clearly having fun with each song they play. And, yes, the title track is a cover of that old Dick Gaughan folk song... Like I said, this is a class act! (Oh, yeah... by the way, their name is pronounced "ducks," like the little critters that go "quack, quack.") Recommended.

The Duhks "The Duhks" (Sugar Hill Records, 2005)

The Duhks "Migrations" (Sugar Hill Records, 2006)
(Produced by Tim O'Brien & Gary Paczosa)
Yeesh. From a lively, innovative Celtic/'grass crossover band, the Duhks has transformed themselves into a dreadfully self-important contemporary folk band, showily diverse and overstuffed with lofty lyrical ideals. The Celtic tinge still provides some savings grace, but most of the songs on here I found utterly insufferable. I guess the mellower Be Good Tanyas/Jolie Holland moments are okay, but the bluesy soul-folk growling slips all too easily into Odetta-ish territory, and it just doesn't sound right. I'm sure there's a big chunk of their fan base that will love this evolution, but I found very little on here I'd want to come back to, especially the tracks with Jessee Havey's pulled-out-a-plum, aren't-I-the-greatest, hey-look-at-me vocals on 'em... Sorry, but it drove me buggy!

The Duhks "Live At Merlefest, NC 4/24/09" (FestivaLink.net, 2007)

The Duhks "Live At The Backdoor Theater -- Nederland, CO: 4/29/08" (FestivaLink, 2007)

The Duhks "Fast Paced World" (Sugar Hill Records, 2008)

Glen Duncan "Glen Duncan" (OMS Records, 2002)
A real whiz-bang fiddler who's been around for a while, playing with Lonesome Standard Time, Longview and Rock County (as well as on a zillion studio sessions) but he shows no signs of slowing down on this zippy solo release. Duncan saws away in a variety of styles, from sizzling hoedowns to a few drippy Alison Krauss-y crossover arrangements. Pals including Earl Scruggs, Jesse McReynolds and Bobby Osborne pitch in on a tune or two... As with most all-instrumental fiddle albums, a little bit goes a long way, but it's all pretty good. Oh, wait: did I say "all instrumental"? Actually the last track, "Touch Of The Master's Hand," a deliciously goofy old-fashioned recitation tune with a not-so-hidden religious message. Nice album!

Stuart Duncan "Stuart Duncan" (Rounder Records, 1994)

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Hick Music Index

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