Jerry Salley/Various Artists "New Songs/Old Friends" (Mountain Home, 2007)
An all-star homage to songwriter Jerry Salley... Features performances by bluegrassers such as Larry Cordle, Rob Ickes, Sonya Isaacs, Carl Jackson, Doyle Lawson, Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, and Rhonda Vincent, as well as a few Top Forty stars such as Vince Gill and Darryl Worley... Whew!!

Jack Sanbower & George Garris "Same Ole Fools" (Buck Hollow, 2002)
Although they're a little shaky around the edges, this Maryland-based band has plenty of fun new, original tunes to offer the bluegrass community, courtesy of of songwriter George Garris, who kicks things off with the fine and funny "Same Ole Fool," and adds nearly ten more compositions to the tally by album's end. DIY bluegrass with plenty of nice, rambunctious spirit.

The Sauceman Brothers "On WYCB, Bristol" (Copper Creek, 1994)
Vintage live performances from this little-known 1940s/'50s ensemble. The Saucemans, brothers Carl and J. P. Sauceman, had a powerful band backing them up, including veteran pickers Joe Stuart and Curley Seckler (who had worked with Flatt & Scruggs and Bill Monroe) and two brothers, Arville and Carmen Freeman, whose careers peaked during this early 'Fifties stint with the Saucemans on Tennessee border radio. Nice stuff, with a raspy, unruly quality that is too often missing in modern bluegrass albums. This disc captures two live sets on Bristol, Tennessee's WCYB radio station, working through a variety of secular and religious material, and keeping things rolling along with charming, down-home patter. The first set is best, with crackling musicianship and a fluid, familiar relationship between the bandmembers (although Sauceman's habit of introducing vocalist Curly Seckler as their "kinky, dark-haired boy" is a little disconcerting...) On the second set, they seem a bit more ragged -- maybe the WCYB engineer forgot to brew some coffee that morning -- but it's still fun to hear true, blue, old-school bluegrass in its purest, rough-edged original form, just the way folks would hear it at home back then. The liner notes don't give exact dates for these performances, but it must've been somewhere between 1950-52...

Charles Sawtelle "Music From Rancho DeVille" (Acoustic Disc, 2001)
An absolutely gorgeous album with and all-star cast of newgrass/acoustic revivalists. The late Charles Sawtelle was a veteran of one of my favorite bluegrass bands from the '80s, Hot Rize, who infused their albums with a driving but subtle country and pop sensibility. This record, recorded over a long period of time while Sawtelle battled with leukemia, covers a lot of musical territory. It includes good old-fashioned hi-speed bluegrass breakdowns, sentimental ballads and sweet instrumentals, old-time classic like the Carter Family standard, "Storms Are On The Ocean," and even a cajun tune or two. with folks like Norman Blake, Michael Doucet, Peter Rowan and Vassar Clements on board (to name only a few...), how can this go wrong? Mostly, it's the mellow, relaxed atmosphere that label head David Grisman seems to promote which helps make this such a delightful album -- it's so great to hear these super-talented folks just taking it easy and enjoying themselves, rather than trying to sculpt a Grammy-winning album, or whatever. Sawtelle's Hot Rize pals, Pete Wernick and Tim O'Brien also pitch in, as well as album producer Laurie Lewis. Great stuff -- highly recommended!

The Scenic Route "The Scenic Route" (RCH, 2001)
A sweet set, released in honor of the late John Duffey, co-founder of the Seldom Scene. Duffey appears on here, as well as Mike Auldridge, Ben Eldridge, Jimmy Gaudreau, Chris Eldridge and others, as well as lead singer R. C. Harris, who self-released this album on his own label. Not sure exactly when this was recorded -- the liner notes mention sessions in 1985, '93 and 2000 -- but with a lineup like this, you'd expect this to sound every bit as sweet as it does... A lovely album which really lives up the tradition laid down by the Seldom Scenesters... Nice!

Tracy Schwarz "Learn To Fiddle Country Style" (Folkways Records, 1965)

Tracy Schwarz "Look Out! Here It Comes" (Folkways Records, 1975)

Tracy Schwarz & Dewey Balfa "Traditional Cajun Fiddler: Instruction By Dewey Balfo And Tracy Schwarz" (Folkways Records, 1976)

Tracy & Eloise Schwarz "Down Home With..." (Folkways Records, 1978)

Tracy Schwarz "Dancing Bow And Singing Strings" (Folkways Records, 1979)

Tracy Schwarz "Tracy Schwarz's Fiddler's Companion" (Folkways Records, 1981)

Tracy Schwartz & Ginny Hawker "Good Songs For Hard Times" (Copper Creek Records, 2000)
Beautiful! '50s/'60s folk scene veteran Tracy Schwartz has, of course, been one of the great champions of old-timey music ever since his days in the New Lost City Ramblers, and Ginny Hawker has been rising through the ranks in recent years... On this early album, they sing fifteen lovely, understated duets, presenting some of the finest, most heartfelt songs in the mountain music canon, including tunes of aching beauty such as "Your Lone Journey" and gospel tunes galore. Their approach to the material is just so right, and so wonderfully unpretentious and filled with sweet, simple harmonies that this disc is a real gem. In later years, Hawker started to exaggerate her twang a bit too much; here she sings in a much sweeter, less craggy style than you may have heard on subsequent releases. Anyway, this album's a keeper, as far as I'm concerned. Highly recommended!

Tracy Schwartz & Ginny Hawker "Draw Closer" (Rounder Records, 2004)
(Produced by Dirk Powell)
Once again, these two deliver as fine and understated a set of old-timey ballads as you're likely to hear... Really fine stuff! The accompaniment is a delight: straightforward and no-frills, but also very melodic and sweet, a perfect match for their plainspoken vocals. Dirk Powell pitches in playing mandolin on a couple of tunes, but fancy picking isn't the point of this new record, the songs are and that's the way it should be. Includes some standards such as "Poor Willie" and "Katie Dear," as well as a bunch of well-chosen obscurities, and some wonderful gospel tunes. Highly recommended!

Barry Scott & Second Wind "In God's Time" (Rebel Records, 2009)
This is an absolutely stunning, top-flight set of bedrock bluegrass gospel music - beautiful melody and harmonies, heartfelt performances and uncompromised lyrics about preparing for the Judgment Day. It's the kind of stuff that can send shivers up the spine of even the most agnostic listener. And you certainly don't have to share the band's theology to recognize the beauty of the music -- there's plenty of sweet picking and great vocals, particularly Scott's high, pure lead. This album ranks up there along with the best gospel works of Doyle Lawson, the Stanley Brothers, the Bluegrass Album Band, or Paul Williams. It's first-rate stuff: if you like the style, this record is a must-have.

Mike Scott "Home Sweet Home: Civil War Era Songs" (Rural Rhythm Records, 2013)
(Produced by Mike Scott)
A tasteful all-instrumental set of songs popular in early 1860's America... Many remain well-known, either as the ind of folk tunes children learn (or used to learn) in school ("Camptown Races," "Turkey In The Straw," "Battle Hymn Of The Republic") or as standards in bluegrass music ("Bonaparte's Retreat," "Soldier's Joy," "Banks Of The Ohio"), along with similar tunes of more recent vintage, such as Jay Ungar's "Ashokan Farewell," which was used in Ken Burns' Civil War documentary a few years back. Mike Scott, who plays banjo in Ronnie Reno's band, enlists an all-star cast of Nashville 'grass musicians, including Mike Compton, Aubrie Haynie, Ben Isaacs, Adam Steffey, Bryan Sutton and others -- their performances are understated and sweet, and the repertoire is largely devoid of explicit references to the war, just to the popular culture of the time.

Tommy Scott -- see artist profile

Eva Scow & Dusty Brough "Sharon By The Sea" (Adventure Music, 2009)
Drawing equally on Latin-American and bluegrass traditions, this is perfect melding of the acoustic jazz style pioneered by David Grisman and his pals, and the dynamic Brazilian improv genre called choro. The California-based duo of guitarist Dusty Brough and mandolinist/fiddler Eva Scow -- along with modest accompaniment of a tune or two -- produce a large, expansive sound that will appeal to fans of the original "spacegrass" scene of the late 1970s and early '80s. This album is surely the kind of record Mike Marshall was dreaming of when he started the Adventure Music label: inventive, eclectic and engaging.

Earl Scruggs -- see artist discography

Second Hand "Used Music" (Flatlands Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Wally Cleaver)
A bluegrass'n'country band from the Flatlands Jubilee variety show in Bowie, Maryland -- the group included attorney-by-day, singer-by-night, Sammy Knight, Herb Currie on guitar and mandolin), Emma Currie plucking the bass, Dan Rawlings (lead guitar) Roy Tolliver (fiddle and banjo) and Mike Valadez (accordion). Plus, Peter Bonta sits in on steel guitar! They cover country oldies like "Born To Lose" "One Has My Name (The Other My Heart)" and "I Saw The Light" as well as some original material. And of course, they also cover "Orange Blossom Special" and "Green Green Grass Of Home."

Mike Seeger -- see artist discography

The Seldom Scene -- see artist discography

Alan Senauke "Old Songs From The Southern School" (Native & Fine Records, 2002)
A sweet set of Antebellum-flavored old-timey (and moderately bluegrassy) story songs, featuring Berkeley-based picker Senauke and a slew of super-talented pals such as Jon Scholle, Eric & Suzy Thompson, Kate Brislin, Jody Stecher, and others. Senauke, who has been picking and singing in various back-porch bands ever since the early days of the 1960s bluegrass revival, has a very soulful, expressive feel for this material. This wonderful little album (affectionately designed to look like an old Folkways LP) might be easy to miss if you don't know what to look for, but it'll be a gem for those who manage to pick it up. Recommended!

Allen Shelton "Shelton Special" (Rounder Records, 1977)
An elegant, sometimes dazzling all-instrumental set from banjo virtuoso Allen Shelton, who played with Jim Eanes and Mac Wiseman while still in his teens, but is perhaps best known for his work with Jim & Jesse in the early 1960s, when the duo was at its commercial peak. His old boss Jesse McReynolds sits in on mandolin on this fine session, getting in some mighty sweet licks himself, and nicely complimenting Allen's forthright, straight-arrow style. This is a smooth, safe set, but richly felt and quite rewarding... if you enjoy all-instrumental 'grass albums, this is one you'll definitely want to check out.

James Alan Shelton "Road To Coeburn" (Copper Creek Records, 1997)
Guitar picker James Alan Shelton has a real smooth touch on the Martin flattop; here he steps out from his supporting role helping anchor Ralph Stanley's band to lead on a swell all-instrumental album of his own. Features top-flight contributions by a bunch of Shelton's buddies -- particularly noteworthy are James Price's fiddle and Steve Sparkman's well-punctuated banjo work. Recommended!

James Alan Shelton "Song For Greta" (Rebel Records, 2002)
Another top-notch, mostly-instrumental album from this light-fingered guitar whiz. Ralph Stanley II, mandolinist John Rigsby, banjo picker Steve Sparkman and others join in; Gillian Welch and David Rawlings sing on the gorgeous gospel tune, "Fifty Miles Of Elbow Room," which is certainly one of the album's highlights. Sometimes Shelton's "cross-picking" style may seem a little too formal and less fiery than many bluegrassers might like, but it's still lovely stuff, with flawless musicianship throughout.

Karl Shiflett & The Big Country Show "Karl Shiflett & The Big Country Show" (Rebel Records, 1999)

Karl Shiflett & The Big Country Show "In Full Color" (Rebel Records, 2001)
Wow! What a stunner...!! These Texas fellas have the old-style bluegrass sound down so well that when this disc starts belting out your speakers, you might do a double-take wondering if you bought an old Flatt & Scruggs album or some old Bill Clifton by accident. No fooling -- they're really that good, and they have that old-time sound. Recording through vintage equipment explains part if it, but how anyone in this day and age can sound so durn authentic is still pretty impressive! If you like the traditional, driving classic sound of late-'40s bluegrass, then you owe it to yourself to check these guys out!

The Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show "Worries On My Mind" (Rebel Records, 2003)
Yup... no doubt about it: Karl Shiflett is one of modern bluegrass's most underrated secret weapons -- his bluesy country approach doesn't seem to ring the right chord with a lot of the bluegrass purist crowd, but for folks like me, who just loved Jimmy Martin's old crossover records, Shiflett's style is a real blast. This new album is a doozy -- maybe less 'grassy and more country than ever, but packed with one great losin,' boozin' heartsong after another... For the traditionalist truegrass crowd, there are still a few dazzlers such as his zippy "Hoss Fly" instrumental and the equally dazzling, '50s rock-tinged "Bobo's Boogie." If you're willing to branch out a little, Shiflett and his crew can't be beat!

George Shuffler "Cross Picking" (Freeland Records, 1998)

George Shuffler & James Alan Shelton "The Legacy Continues" (Copper Creek Records, 2000)
Pleasant, but unchallenging, instrumental guitar duets, in Shuffler's trademark "cross picking" style, which he introduced to the Stanley Brothers band in the early 1960s. Shelton, who is now Ralph Stanley's lead guitarist, is the style's major exponent... It's pretty and all, softer than the standard flatpicking style, and in some ways more expressive. Still, I guess I need a little singing to go along with it... this album didn't floor me.

George Shuffler "Aged To Perfection" (Copper Creek Records, 2000)
Likewise, this all-instrumental album highlighting Shuffler's fairly reserved approach is a bit on the sleepy side. Nice to listen to, but a little bit goes a long way.

George Shuffler & Laura Boosinger "Mountain Treasures" (Copper Creek Records, 2003)
Shuffler in duets with banjoist Laura Boosinger...

Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad "Pickin', Praisin' & Singin' " (Rural Rhythm Records, 2008)

Sidesaddle -- see artist profile

Silver Dollar Jubilee "Silver Dollar Jubilee" (Silver Dollar City, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by Allen Reynolds)
Well, maybe Rodney Dillard and Dean Webb were a little down on their luck when they landed a day job at Branson, Missouri's Silver Dollar City amusement park and cut this souvenir album for thr tourists... But at least it was a paying gig and they did put their hearts into the recording, with the result that it's a pretty darn good record. Dillard's wife, Beverley Cotten Dillard, adds vocals on a number of tracks, and the musicianship is solid from start to finish. Other than the Dillards and Webb, I don't recognize the other musicians, though pianist D. A. Callaway performed on other Silver Dollar commemorative albums, so I'm guessing most of these folks were on staff at the park. Also, I had assumed that this was the same record as Dillard's At Silver Dollar City album (below) but it turns out they are completely different... So, if you're a Dillards completist, you might wanna track this one down.

Mark Simos "Race The River Jordan" (Self-Released, 1995)

Mark Simos "Crazy Faith" (Devachan Records, 2003)
Contemporary folk sung in an old-timey musical meter, with a dash of Celtic music thrown in for good measure. Songwriter Simos comes very much from the coffeehouse folkie tradition, but with pals like Bruce Molsky, Tom Rozum, Sally Van Meter and Ronnie Simpkins backing him up (and glowing encomiums from Alice Gerrard and Alison Krauss on the album art), this is a record that should attract a fair amount of attention within the bluegrass/folksinger communities. Molsky produced this album, and his deep old-timey influence is deeply felt, and most welcome... the mix of styles is pretty interesting and unique. Many of Simos's songs have been covered by the likes of Laurie Lewis, Del McCoury, and Union Station; here's a chance to hear him perform them in his own voice and style. Sweet guitar work by Simos, too!

Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice "Blue Side Of The Blue Ridge" (Rebel Records, 2008)
(Produced by Ronnie Bowman)
Slam-bang, real-deal bluegrass, the way I like it! Every song on here rings true, with solid songwriting and powerful, confident, understated musicianship. It's the calibre of the songwriting that really knocks my socks off: this album is packed with one great song after another, kicking off with "The Wolf Is At The Door" (about economic hard times) and numerous spunky, country oriented tunes of the kind that Jimmy Martin and Hylo Brown did so well back in the 1950s and '60s: "You Let The Dog Off The Chain," "Leaving Baker County," "Little Bit Of This, Little Bit Of That"... Pure gold. There are also a nice gospel tune (a cover of "Dust On The Bible") and a sweet, folky romantic number, "The Man In The Moon," which is sure to be a sentimental favorite for years to come. Really, this album floored me. Easily one of the best bluegrass albums of '08!

Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice "Heartaches And Dreams" (Rebel Records, 2010)
(Produced by Wes Easter & Rambler's Choice)
Another fine set of modern "high lonesome" traditionalist bluegrass, with some fine uptempo tunes in the country-tinged Jimmy Martin style. Highlights include a bouncy recession-era anthem, "Working Hard Ain't Hardly Working Anymore" and some of the heart-songs like "The Laugh's On Me" and "Don't You Cry," as well as several fine gospel numbers, particularly a haunting number called "The Lowest Valley." A couple of more novelty-oriented songs didn't work for me -- "Bullets Always Win" and "Guns, Coins And Jewelry" have a tough-guy crime element that seems too forced and disconnected from the vibe of the rest of the record. But overall, this is another strong effort from this powerhouse crew -- solid picking and soulful singing throughout.

Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice "The Heart Of A Song" (Rebel Records, 2011)
A real stunner! Great traditional bluegrass with pure, simple harmonies and solid musicianship. The album starts out with a wistful homage to the golden age of bluegrass, "A Far Cry From Lester And Earl," and after that Sisk doesn't deviate from his path -- a beautifully performed set of heartsongs, gospel tunes and sweet, straight-ahead picking. Rhonda Vincent sings a duet, "The Sound Of Your Name," though I also enjoy Sisk's plainspoken vocal style. All the right stuff - highly recommended!

Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice "The Story Of The Day That I Died" (Rebel Records, 2013)
(Produced by Wes Easter)
Fun, traditionally oriented melodic bluegrass with a slight country tinge, played in the style of the great Jimmy Martin. This time around Sisk is specializing in novelty numbers, including the oddly-named title track, which is about a guy who fakes his own death and cashes out his insurance policy as a way to get back at his cheating ex, as well as "Old Bicycle Chain," which is the device what he's gonna whup somebody with if they don't start doing like he wants them to do. On the other side of the coin are several high-quality gospel songs, the most resonant of which is "Prayers Go Up" (and blessings come down), as well as several fine, straightforward trad-grass numbers about the old folks back home and true loves we can't forget. Another solid set from one of the best bands around... Recommended!

Junior Sisk & Joe Mullins "Hall Of Fame Bluegrass" (Rebel Records, 2013)
(Produced by Joe Mullins & Junior Sisk)
More zippy, high-lonesome bluegrass with dynamic picking, great vocal harmonies and a strong mix of secular and gospel material. These two guys -- each of them a bandleader in his own right -- have a strong simpatico feel and raise the duo to a lofty height. There's plenty of high-class traditional bluegrass out there these days, and these guys are making some of the best!

Charlie Sizemore "Singing With The Angels" (Old Homestead Records, 1989)
An all-gospel offering featuring bluegrass bandleader/vocalist Charlie Sizemore...

Charlie Sizemore "Back Home" (Rebel Records, 1994)

Charlie Sizemore "In My View" (Rebel Records, 1996)

Charlie Sizemore "The Story Is... The Songs Of Tom T. Hall" (Rebel Records, 2002)
A fine, bouncy truegrass tribute to songwriter Tom T. Hall, with clean, bright playing and warm vocal interpretations of over a dozen of Hall's tunes. The song selection includes some of his less well-known tunes, as well as old hits like "Pamela Brown," "The Year That Clayton Delaney Died," "Ballad Of Forty Dollars" and others. Along with Sizemore's core backup band, several high-power guest artists are featured on here -- J.D. Crowe, Ralph Stanley, Kathy Mattea and Tom T. Hall himself, delivering the introduction to "Old Dogs, Children And Watermelon Wine." It's interesting to hear Hall's work in the hands of someone else -- his voice and delivery are so distinctive, it's hard to imagine these songs being sung any other way... But Sizemore does a fine job, really getting into the sentimental side of the material, which Hall does as well, though with him it's harder to sort out what's ironic and what's sincere... Anyway, this is a nice record; good example of someone making the most of someone else's work.

The Charlie Sizemore Band "Good News" (Rounder Records, 2007)
(Produced by Buddy Cannon & Charlie Sizemore)
A rock-solid bluegrass set from singer-guitarist Charlie Sizemore, known in his teens as the kid who sang lead in Ralph Stanley's band after Keith Whitley split for Nashville, and now a forty-something tunesmith revered as a songwriter of high standing in both the country and bluegrass fields. This is his first album in five years, and fans are well-primed for its delights... Like many great craftsman, Sizemore appreciates the work of others, and in addition to several of his own fine compositions, and here he includes gems from Paul Craft, Tom T. Hall and a hillbilly boogie oldie from Eddie Noack. There are songs about the Civil War, drinking, love lost and life lived, all delivered with a soulfulness and restraint that's kind of refreshing in the drag-racing world of super-picking bluegrass bands. Highlights include Hank Cochran's sombre "My Dying Day," Sizemore's "The Less That I Drink" (one of three tracks co-written with Buddy Cannon) and a pair of clever tribute songs -- "Alison's Band" (where Sizemore cheerfully fantasizes about hitting the road with Alison Krauss) and "Blame It On Vern," which pays homage to Vern Gosdin, one of the finest honkytonk singers ever... All in all, this is a fine offering from an old pro -- hopefully it won't take so long for the next one to come out!

Charlie Sizemore "Heartache Looking For A Home" (Rounder Records, 2011)

Ricky Skaggs -- see artist discography

Shannon Slaughter "The Sideman Steps Out" (Self-Released, 2011)

Shannon & Heather Slaughter "County Clare" (Elite Circuit Records, 2013)
(Produced by Wes Easter, Shannon Slaughter & Heather Slaughter)
The second "solo" album by guitarist Shannon Slaughter, joined this time by his wife Heather and their band, County Clare. Its modern bluegrass with a traditional feel and contemporary themes... Perhaps the most notable track on here is also the most controversial, the anti-abortion weeper, "They Never Got The Chance," in which the lost accomplishments of unborn babies are mourned, as are the choices of naive almost-mothers who were too quick to pull the plug. Heather Slaughter tries really hard to sound evenhanded and thoughtful on this one -- even grudgingly inserting a line about how the folks at the clinics give some, meagre advice to these women before performing the procedure -- but in its essence this is a condescending and judgmental narrative, sure to stir the emotions of right-to-life listeners, but unlikely to persuade others. There are also interesting cover tunes, such as a version of "If I Were A Carpenter" and Rodney Crowell's "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues," along with a mix of secular and gospel material, including a bunch of original tunes from the Slaughters and their band. These guys were okay, though I found the abortion song to be kind of a turn-off.

Sleepy Man Banjo Boys "America's Music: Classic American Bluegrass" (Self-Released, 2011)

Sleepy Man Banjo Boys "The Farthest Horizon" (Self-Released, 2012)
(Produced by Chris Mizzone)
Sweet, joyful bluegrass from a family band featuring several teen and pre-teen brothers -- Johnny Mizzone (banjo), Robbie Mizzone (fiddle) and Tommy Mizzone (guitar), along with their uncle Chris Mizzone on mandolin, and non-Mizzone bandmembers Sal Ciaravino on bass and singer Ashley Lilly. Judging from this record, I'd say they've been having a lot of fun at family gatherings over the years, because this is a very accomplished, lively group -- the guitar has a heavy Tony Rice influence, while the banjo has a classic Earl Scruggs sound and the fiddle has a nice, subtle old-timey rasp. The album is mostly instrumental, and thet's where the band's strengths lie, as amply heard on tunes like "Jonny's Tune." I have seen the future of bluegrass, and it's looking mighty Mizzone!

Slipstream "Waterbound" (2004)
Pleasant-sounding progressive bluegrass from the Colorado trio of Brad Murphey (guitar), Paul Waitinas (bass) and Rich Zimmerman (mandolin & vocals), an easygoing group with echoes of New Grass Revival, Tony Rice and Norman Blake... The band's name is kind of misleading (guess no one told them about the Spacemen 3 psychedelic rock spinoff by the same name...) and the album art also doesn't immediately telegraph "roots music"... But if you look closely, you'll see that the guest musicians include Rushad Eggleston, Norm Pikelny, Ben Winship and other up-and-coming newgrass young'uns, so if you're in the know, that'll tip you off to the twangy nature of this release. This was pretty enjoyable... Worth checking out if you're in a 'grassy state of mind... Doubtless to be seen at a few festivals as well...

Josh Sloane "Josh Sloane & Coaltown" (Rural Rhythm Records, 2011)
(Produced by Josh Sloane)
A rugged, mid-tempo mix of bluegrass and gruff country ballads... Kentuckian Josh Sloane has a heavy, honky-tonkish voice and the picking isn't full of the usual drag-racing bluegrass breakdowns... Instead, Sloane keeps a mellow, mournful vibe throughout, with a country-tinged sound that might appeal to fans of Jamey Johnson. Other than fiddler Gerald Evans, I didn't recognize any of the musicians backing him up... No complaints from me, though: I'm always happy to see new talent come up, and while this disc isn't packed with blistering solos, it's certainly solid and worth a spin. If you're on the lookout for new bluegrass talent, you might wanna check this guy out.

Luke Smathers String Band "Mountain Swing" (June Appal Records, 1977) (LP)
A delightful all-acoustic album of lively, uptempo bluegrass and old-timey music, mixed with Depression-era swing and jazz. The Luke Smathers band originally formed in 1930 and played professionally in and around North Carolina up until the early '40s... This later edition of the group featured one new feller along with the lanky old-timers, a young David Holt plunking banjo and paying his dues as an earnest folkie... Anyway, it's great stuff: if you want to hear the real deal, track this album down. It's pretty cool.

Fiddlin' Arthur Smith "...And His Dixieliners" (County Records, 2002)

Fiddlin' Arthur Smith "Give Me Old Time Music" (BACM, 2005)

Emma Smith "Memories" (Old Homestead Records, 1991)

Hobart Smith "Hobart Smith Of Saltville, Virginia" (Folk-Legacy Records, 1964) (LP)

Hobart Smith "Blue Ridge Legacy" (Rounder Records, 2001)

Hobart Smith "In Sacred Trust: The 1963 Fleming Brown Tapes" (Smithsonian-Folkways Records, 2005)

Kenny Smith "Studebaker" (Sugar Hill Records, 1997)

The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band "Slowly But Surely" (Farm Boy Records, 2001)

The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band "House Down The Block" (Rebel Records, 2003)
A nice, solid truegrassy set, with several original songs written by the Smiths and lots of well-chosen material from the likes of Becky Buller, Buck Owens, Tim Stafford and even a tune from western swing singer Tommy Duncan. The Smith's predilection for country songs doesn't get in the way of their pickin', though, and this is a pretty fast-paced album, with solid guitar work by Kenny Smith and banjo plunkin' by Steve Huber (along with Smith, a veteran of the Lonesome River Band...) The Smith Band's sound isn't super-flashy, but it is impressive in a not-too-perfect, not-too-slick, still-got-our-roots-intact kinda way. None of these songs really leapt out at me, but the album as a whole was quite good. Worth checking out!

The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band "Always Never Enough" (Rebel Records, 2005)

Kenny & Amanda Smith "Tell Someone" (Rebel Records, 2006)
A fine all-gospel bluegrass set with sweet vocals and soulful but understated picking; the singing takes the front seat here, and all voices are raised in praise. A couple of tunes are too intense for me, but mostly this is the kind of sweet bluegrass gospel that I really like. Nice song selection, and plenty of heartfelt emotion to back it up. If you like the genre, you'll love this album.

Kenny & Amanda Smith "Live And Learn" (Rebel Records, 2008)
(Produced by Kenny & Amanda Smith)
The husband-wife team of Kenny and Amanda Smith have honed their sound to perfection, presenting high-power contemporary bluegrass with strong traditional roots and an eye fixed firmly on the future. . Amanda Smith's voice has never sounded sweeter, as she delves into a series of songs both old and new, from the chilling Appalachian murder ballad, "Cruel Willie" and some bluesy barnburners to gentler, more contemplative contemporary folk-grass, such as the softly inspirational "Do The Best You Can" and "You're Gonna See Me Shine." Sound familiar? Yeah, it'll also ring a bell if you pick up this fine new album, which contains numerous glittering gems -- it's the Alison Krauss formula, with Smith's dulcet tones easily matching those of Ms. Krauss, and musicianship that's also on a par with the better-known Union Station band. If anything, when the Smiths stick to the rootsy stuff, they play in a more rugged, raucous style than the AKUS-ers, who sometimes sound a bit too formal and controlled. On the folk-tinged tunes, though, the similarity is quite powerful, and the songs are as well: if you like modern bluegrass leavened with thoughtful, intelligent folk overtones, then this is an album you'll want to check out. There are several on here that I've come back to time and time again, and I'm sure I'll continue to do so for years to come. Recommended!

Paul Smith & Friends "Devil Eat The Groundhog" (Rounder Records, 1999)
A sweet, very down-to-earth stringband session, with a Kentucky old-timer who used to work a lot with fiddler Kenny Baker, and who has very deep, very local, musical roots. This is fine, uncomplicated stuff that hits the right emotional note each and every time. Recommended!

Valerie Smith "Patchwork Heart" (Rebel Records, 1998)

Valerie Smith "Turtle Wings" (Rebel Records, 2000)

Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike "No Summer Storm" (Rebel Records, 2002)
A yummy treat for those who wish gals like Alison Krauss could just "keep it real" a little bit more... Missouri native Valerie Smith covers some ornate, poetically written, poppish material -- along with plenty of good, old-fashioned stompy-style bluegrass -- but she does it with an untamed rural edge. Her vocals are still admirably rough-hewn, although it's clear she knows the lay of the land in modern bluegrass-landia and could easily smooth everything out and be more crossover-y... The title track is one of those slightly-overwritten grassipolitan tunes that seem to be so popular with the big-spending, big city crowd, but the picking is pretty straightforward, and doesn't get all flowery. A pretty solid album by a pretty solid band.

Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike "That's What Love Can Do" (Bell Buckle Records, 2005)

Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike "Wash Away Your Troubles" (Bell Buckle Records, 2006)

Valerie Smith & Becky Buller "FestivaLink Presents Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike At Wintergrass: 2/24/07" (FestivaLink, 2007)

Valerie Smith & Becky Buller "Here's A Little Song" (Bell Buckle Records, 2008)

Jim Smoak & The Louisiana Honeydrippers "Bayou Bluegrass" (Arhoolie Records, 1972)
Blistering old-fashioned bluegrass from this sharp Louisiana combo. In the 1950s, hotshot banjo plunker Jim Smoak was a longtime member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, and later on part of Hylo Brown's band. In the early '60s he formed his own band, the Honeydrippers, which he headed up until 1972, when this album originally came out. In addition to Smoak's hot, old-fashioned five-string banjo playing, the group had a great fiddler and a tireless rhythm section. Fans of the lively, rougher end of old-school bluegrass will want to check this one out. Pardon the pun, but... it smokes!

Jim Smoak "Moonshine Sonata" (Blue River Records, 1979)

Jim Smoak & The Louisiana Honeydrippers "Carolina Boy" (Copper Creek Records, 2004)
Smoak, as an old man, has slowed down a bit, but in that way that master musicians have when they revisit familiar old music, and play it with utmost calm... Michael Cleveland accompanies on fiddle, along with several less well-known players. The young'uns backing him here are often a little too perky and singalongish, but Smoak himself is totally cool... And when he just settles back to play the banjo, it sure sounds sweet.

The Smoky Mountain Travelers "Live On Stage In Gatlinburg" (LP)

The Smoky Mountain Travelers "Smoky Mountain Pickin' " (Traveler Records) (LP)
An all-instrumental set...

The Smoky Mountain Travelers "Smoky Mountain Memories" (LP)
A nice, independently produced quintet from Gatlinsburg, Tennessee... Particularly strong is the flashy banjo work by Randy Watson, as well as Carl E. Strump's mandolin picking, and fiddler Dorothy Curtis, who gets in some sweet licks... Not sure if any of these folks wound up in other bands, but this is a nice, humble DIY offering. The repertoire is pretty much straight-up old-school traditional bluegrass, with a cover of "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain" being a brief excursion into country territory. Unfortunately, this album has pretty limited liner notes, so there's no indication if any of the songs were written by the bandmember; there's also no label or producer info, and no release date, though judging from the look of things, I'd guess this came out sometime in the early 1980s.

The Smoky Mountain Travelers "Vacation In The Smokies" (GRP Records, 1983) (LP)
No address or producer info on this one, but we know who they are... The music includes uptempo oldies such as "Nine Pound Hammer," "Orange Blossom Special," "Sally Goodin'," "and "Salty Dog," as well as some sentimental tunes such as "Say Won't You Be Mine," and "I'll Go Steppin' Too," which they may have nicked off of Emmylou Harris's recent bluegrass album.

Southern Rail "Drive By Night" (Turqouise Records, 1991)

Southern Rail "Roadwork" (Turqouise Records, 1992)

Southern Rail "Carolina Lightning" (Turqouise Records, 1993)

Southern Rail "Glory Train" (Pinecastle Records, 1995)
An all-gospel bluegrass set...

Southern Rail "Wasting My Time" (Pinecastle Records, 1998)

Southern Rail "Coal Tattoo" (Railway Records, 2002)
Good modern bluegrass, with a friendly, broad-smiled feel similar to Charlie Waller and the Country Gentlemen. This is the eighth album by this long-lived Massachusetts-based ensemble, and has a nice not-too-perfect feel to it, along with great song selection, mostly tending towards melodic story songs and vocal harmony numbers. Recommended! Visit the band's website for more information.

Southern Rail "Live At The Linden Tree" (2008)

The Spark Gap Wonder Boys "Cluck Old Hen" (Rounder Records, 1970) (LP)
I mostly picked this up as a historical curio (...was this really the second album Rounder ever put out? Golly.), but was pleased to find that the New England-based SGWBs were as able and agile an old-timey band as any that came before or after, rollicking through an impressive repertoire of Depression-era oldies, with plenty of zippy, accomplished picking and fun, grumpy old-man vocals. They also let their hippie side drag, peppering a few tunes with contemporary pop culture references, such as a shout-out to underground cartoon character Snappy Sammy Smoot, during the comic patter in "Lee Highway Blues." It's a shame this disc is long out of print, because it really is one of the best, most stylistically varied albums of its kind. If you see it used, snap it up.

Larry Sparks "John Deere Tractor" (Rebel Records, 1980)
Throughout the '70s, bluegrass was being updated and experimented with, most notably by young'uns who were bringing story-oriented country and folk influences into the style. Guitarist Larry Sparks was always one of the best at this new style -- he could expand on the old canon, but always sounded rootsy enough that his stuff sounded traditional even when it was something brand new. John Deere Tractor is considered by many fans to be be Sparks's best album, and if you pick it up, you'll soon know why... the title track is a great example of the modernized style I was talking about, but all the old stuff from Flatt & Scruggs and Kitty Wells is mighty fine, too. Great from start to finish... recommended!

Larry Sparks "Christmas In The Hills" (Rebel Records, 1997)
A nice, understated acoustic holiday set from this '70s bluegrass old-timer. Nice! (By the way - if you like country Christmas records, I review a whole bunch of them on my hillbilly holiday page... )

Larry Sparks "Special Delivery" (Rebel Records, 2000)
Any new album by truegrasser Larry Sparks is cause for celebration. Since the 1960s, when he played with Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, Sparks has been a bluegrass traditionalist's fondest dream -- old-guard enough to carry the torch, but not dogmatically wed to an idealized "classic" style. Although he never went newgrass, Sparks has always sounded modern. Perhaps it's the ease of his delivery, the naturallness with which he sings and plays guitar that has marked Sparks as a special artist, a cut above the rest. Here, on tunes like "The Undelivered Message" and "Ghost Stories," he tackles the sort of remember-the-South Civil War/rural life nostalgia that frequently sounds schmaltzy or leaden in other people's hand, and... no surprise... makes it sound convincing and sincere. On older material such as "San Antonio Rose" or Jimmie Davis's "Be Nobody's Darlin' But Mine," Sparks absolutely shines. The simplicity of his approach and the honesty of his vocals are an unbeatable combination. Special Delivery, indeed! Another great album - highly recommended!

Larry Sparks "The Coldest Part Of Winter" (Rebel Records, 2003)
(Produced by Larry Sparks)
Wow. Sparks really never lets up... the guy just keeps getting better and better! Although this album gets its main magic from Spark's ability to convey a story through his vocals, the picking is pretty dazzling as well, starting with the banjo-mandolin-fiddle drag race in "Leavin' Me," and never falters from then on. This is an album that never hits a false note: the band is restrained when needed, fiery when the moment strikes, and Sparks is rock solid throughout. Not a bad song on here!

Larry Sparks "40" (Rebel Records, 2005)
Singer-guitarist Larry Sparks is a bluegrass insider's favorite artist, a low-key performer who'll blow away any attentive listener with his calm, firm, soulful delivery, pure, simple approach and top-notch repertoire. The title of this album refers to the four decades Sparks has spent making music... He got his big career boost in the late '60s when Ralph Stanley tapped him to become the new lead singer of the Clinch Mountain Boys, following the death of Carter Stanley, and since then Sparks's name has been a hallmark of quality and purity in the bluegrass scene. Here, Sparks again follows in Dr. Ralph's footsteps, recording an all-star guestfest with the likes of Larry Cordle, Vince Gill, Tom T. Hall, Carl Jackson, Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent and Paul Williams join in on rich, soulful versions of many of Sparks's favorite old songs. A few newer Nashville stars like Kevin Denney, Andy Griggs and Rebecca Lynn Howard also pitch in, as well as Southern Gospel vocal stars, The Isaacs, and -- of course -- Ralph Stanley himself. It's an excellent record, with each and every song reaching the right emotional height, and Sparks's voice in fine form, as resonant and heartfelt as ever. Highly recommended.

Larry Sparks "Let Him Lead You" (Rebel Records, 2011)
A great collection of gospel record by bluegrass singer Larry Sparks, drawn from several albums recorded between 1976-96. Sparks recorded secular material as well, but he really threw himself into these gospel songs, and had strong backing from his crew of pickers, most of whom are less well-known (although Ricky Skaggs pops up on a tune or two..) (Available online through the Rebel Records website.)

Scottie Sparks "Scottie Sparks" (Doobie Shea Records, 1999)
Nice, newly-minted bluegrass heartsongs, with straightforward picking and sweet, sweet fiddling by Aubrie Haynie. Also on board are Dan Tyminski on mandolin and Craig Smith on banjo. A welcome inclusion of several original songs into the bluegrass canon, including a nice trio written by one Gerald Williamson (who I've never heard of, but I sure like his style). Sparks -- no relation to Larry Sparks, by the way -- has since gone on to join the Lost & Found band, as their guitar player.

The Special Consensus "A Hole In My Heart" (Turquoise Records, 1989) (LP)
Alt.country icon Robbie Fulks apprenticed with this long-lived local Chicago country-grass band. He gets writer's credit on a couple of songs: "She Hurts For A Living," which is a classic, ever-clever Fulks novelty song, and on an instrumental tune, "Purple Curtains," co-written with banjo plunker (and bandleader) Greg Cahill. Good picking, and a nice light-hearted, relaxed approach overall. Pity that "She Hurts For A Living" seems to have been dropped out of the Fulks canon; it could certainly be recycled for his country fans.

The Special Consensus "Hey, Y'All" (Turquoise Records, 1991)
Another amiable, progressive 'grass set, with a pronounced countryish bent, from this stalwart Chicago quartet.. This edition includes bass and vocals by future honkytonk hero, Dallas Wayne (who has a few albums listed in my Alt.Country section as well...) Not dazzling or jaw-dropping, but nice & fun. Includes, among other things, covers of the hard country classic, "14 Carat Mind" and the Elvis oldie, "Viva, Las Vegas."

The Special Consensus "Green Rolling Hills" (Turquoise Records, 1993)

The Special Consensus "Strong Enough To Bend" (Pinecastle Records, 1996)
(Produced by Mark Schatz)
Starting over, all over again, bandleader Greg Cahill adds several new players to his constantly-shifting roster: SF-bred mandolinist Colby Maddox and bassist Diana Phillips and guitarist Bobby Burns, and Aubrie Haynie sitting in on fiddle. Burns and Phillips split the lead vocals, and I gotta say that overall, I found them to be a bit underwhelming, although I suspect the newness of the group has something to do with the relative lack of spark. Nice song selection, though, including Keiran Kane's "Gonna Walk That Line," "I Wonder" (from the Asleep At The Wheel songbook) and a swinging version of the Bob Wills oldie, "The Devil Ain't Lazy." Real DIY stuff from the Windy City.

The Special Consensus "Our Little Town" (Pinecastle Records, 1998)

The Special Consensus "25th Anniversary" (Pinecastle Records, 2000)

Special Consensus "Route 10" (Pinecastle Records, 2002)
For several years, this long-lived Midwestern bluegrass outfit has had a strong "progressive" streak, that it, they've pursued slick, musically complex material and developed an affection for songs that are About Something (please note capital letters). That tendency is still present here, although fans who also like more straight-ahead, old-fashioned pickin' and plunkin' will find this album a nice return to form. I still find a couple of the songs to be a bit much, but overall this is a pretty strong album. Folks who appreciate more modernized 'grass should get a kick out of this disc.

Special Consensus "Everything's Alright" (Pinecastle Records, 2005)
Another top-flight set of melodic, propulsive, 100% heartfelt heartsong-y truegrass. This Chicago-based bluegrass band, anchored by its longtime leader, banjoist Greg Cahill, has been pickin' its heart out since the late 1970s, but only recently have they really started to get their props in the bluegrass world. The picking on this disc is particularly hot... Cahill's banjo and the zippy mandolin work by Ron Spears particularly stand out, although Justin Carbone's Tony Rice-tinged flatpicking is also nice, and the bass playing by Tres Nugent helps anchor a pretty solid sound. Their harmony numbers are vocal standouts, and while there are a few tracks where the solo vocals sound a little ragged, they also have an earnest, real-people charm to 'em... Frankly, I'd rather hear someone sing it "wrong" and have it feel right than hear someone playing all perfect, but sound all stuff and overly-professional. I think you scrappy truegrass fans out there will agree: this is a fine, fun album, well worth checking out! (Also check out the band's website: http://www.specialc.com.)

Special Consensus "The Trail Of Aching Hearts" (Pinecastle Records, 2007)
Another rock-solid bluegrass record from this long-lived Chicago ensemble. Old-timer Greg Cahill plunks a mighty banjo, but stays in the background for the vocals, letting the young-uns throw on all the harmonies and high notes... This disc -- the band's thirteenth album in 30+ years -- is one of their tightest, smoothest sets to date. It's also packed with great material, mostly well-chosen cover songs from folks such as Charlie Louvin, Hank Snow and Marty Robbins... Mandolinist Ron Spears contributes two new songs, including the gospel number, "Lift Your Voice In Prayer" and the secular "I'd Like To Wander Back To The Old Home," which sounds like something Mac Wiseman would have recorded in the early 'Fifties... Just to show of some hot licks, there are a couple of instrumental tunes, including a zippy Cahill original and a sweet version of "Blue Skies." All in all, another nice album from this low-key Midwestern powerhouse.

Special Consensus "Signs" (Pinecastle Records, 2009)

Spectrum "Opening Roll" (Rounder Records, 1980) (LP)
Despite the pretentious name and futuristic band logo (I'll scan the cover some day...) these guys were actually a pretty straightforward, zip-bang-zoom truegrass band. Up-and-comer Bela Fleck's banjo work rips through these tunes, while mandolinist Jimmy Gaudreau adds a sweetness and authority to the proceedings. The other guys aren't slouches, either -- bassist Mark Schatz came over with Fleck from the ashes of Tasty Licks, while guitarist Glenn Lawson was one of Gaudreau's cohorts in J.D. Crowe's New South. The repertoire includes country and pop -- oldies from Paul Anka, The Everly Brothers, Merle Haggard, Paul Simon and Bob Wills -- but all played with pure twang and sizzle. Worth checking out, if you can track it down!

Spectrum "Too Hot For Words" (Rounder Records, 1982) (LP)

Spectrum "Live In Japan" (Rounder Records, 1983) (LP)

Buddy Spicher -- see artist profile

Spring Creek "Way Up On A Mountain" (Rebel Records, 2009)
(Produced by Jeff White)
Sweet, mellow bluegrass with a traditional sound, but little apparent interest in the whole super-picker, drag-race aspects of the genre. Now, I like sweet, sentimental material and I also like records where you can hear some just-plain-folks-ishness in the performances; there are plenty of bands that play everything perfectly, so it's nice to hear someone who plays it with a bit of individuality and personal style. This Colorado crew's got plenty of both, as this nice, unassuming set demonstrates -- it's a nice, relaxed set where the songs are given room to breathe, where you can fall in love with the tune rather than be dazzled by technique. Not that these guys are any slouches in the musical department, it's just that they focus more on the feeling in the lyrics, and let the picking speak for itself. This is the sort of record I find fun to sing along to... Really nice!

Blaine Sprouse & Kenny Baker "Indian Springs" (Rounder Records, 1989)
Gorgeous twin fiddles from young'un Blaine Sprouse and old-timer Kenny Baker, who are both completely tapped into the tradition. A very sweet set with rich melodies and an excellent repertoire. Recommended!

Blaine Sprouse "Brilliancy" (Rounder Records, 1990) (LP)

Blaine Sprouse "Appalachian Mountain Fiddler" (Cumberland Records, 2009)

The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers "Blue Grass Favorites" (Crown Records, 1962)
I have this odd fascination with '50s/'60s fly-by-night cheapie labels like Crown and Spin-O-Rama, where anonymous session players typically would cover current country hits, sometimes even with "soundalike" singers semi-pretending to be the original artists. It's usually pretty hard to know who played on these records, but this particular album has a pretty clear provenance: it's a real record by one of Chris Hillman's first bands, a straight-up bluegrass set with Hillman on mandolin, along with Ed Douglass, Larry Murray, guitarist Gary Carr and Kenny Wertz on banjo. It was a California band packed with talented players who would be at the core of the wildly eclectic SoCal country-rock scene: Byrds, here we come!

The Stairwell Sisters "The Stairwell Sisters" (Yodel-Ay-Hee Records, 2003)

The Stairwell Sisters "Recording No. 2: Feet All Over The Floor" (Yodel-Ay-Hee Records, 2005)
The second album by this SF-Bay Area fivesome is a fine set of squeaky, raspy old-time music with plenty of fiddle, banjo and twang... The songs are a nice mix of older material from the public domain and a half dozen originals written by the band members... These gals -- Lisa Berman on guitar, Martha Hawthorne on bass, Evie Landin on banjo, Stephanie Prausnitz sawing on the fiddle and Sue Sandlin on guitar -- hail from several other local bands and have a nice, relaxed feel as a band. Their new material fits right into the classic old-timey vibe -- if you like your stringband music "crooked" and uncompromised, like, say, Jim & Jennie or the Crooked Jades, this is a fine record to check out...

The Stairwell Sisters "Get Off Your Money" (Yodel-Ay-Hee Records, 2008)
(Produced by Lloyd Maines)

Art Stamper "The Lost Fiddler" (County Records, 1994)

Art Stamper "Goodbye Girls, I'm Going To Boston" (Rebel Records, 2000)
One of the finest and most versatile bluegrass/old-timey fiddlers around, Stamper really knows how to put a lot of feeling into his music. A nice mix of raspy traditional stuff and sweet melodic playing, with a few nice vocal tunes to boot; Stamper helped anchor the Ralph Stanley band for years, and is an outstanding performer. Highly recommended!

Art Stamper "Wake Up, Darlin' Corey" (County/Rebel Records, 2004)
Veteran bluegrass fiddler Art Stamper, most recently known for his work in the Ralph Stanley band, bangs out another fine solo album, with old-timers Harry Bickel and Doc Hamilton on banjo and guitar, respectively. Tim O'Brien, who's getting to be kind of an old-timer himself these days, pitches in on a trio of tunes, singing and playing guitar, and the net effect is one fine twangy little album. Stamper hearkens back to the good old days of pre-bluegrass hillbilly music, but he approaches the old-timey style with none of the stiffness and stuffiness that many of today's revivalists exemplify. He realizes that Charlie Poole and all them fellers from the Great Depression era were having a good old time playing their tunes, and Stamper does a nice job bringing that loose, lively feel back into the music. All of his records are fun, and this one's a winner as well. Recommended!

The Stanley Brothers -- see artist discography

Pete Stanley & Wizz Jones "More Than 16 Tons Of Bluegrass And Other Fine Stuff (Roller Coaster Records, 2001)
This is a reissue of a 1966 album on Columbia Records' UK imprint, showcasing the guitar-banjo duo of Wizz Jones and Pete Stanley, two of the earliest English artists to master American-style bluegrass, years after the roots-oriented skiffle craze had died down. This CD also includes an additional album's worth of bonus material, mostly unreleased recordings from the vaults.

Pete Stanley & Roger Knowles "Banjo Bounce" (Transatlantic Records, 1973) (LP)

Pete Stanley & Roger Knowles "Picking And Singing" (Transatlantic Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Ritchie Gold)
A dazzlingly good bluegrass'n'old-timey set from British banjoist Pete Stanley and guitarist Roger Knowles... This is really quite good -- an excellent repertoire, performed with vigor and conviction. There's a bluesy folk feel to many tracks that reminded me of Norman Blake (and indeed, they cover Norman Blake's "Last Train From Poor Valley," along with tunes by Charlie Poole, Red River Dave, J. E. Mainer, John Prine and the Osborne Brothers... An unusual album for the Transatlantic label, but a good one!

Ralph Stanley -- see artist discography

Ralph Stanley II & John Rigsby "Clinch Mountain Echoes: Songs In The Stanley Tradition" (Copper Creek Records, 1996)

Ralph Stanley II "Let My Hammer Ring" (Rebel Records, 1999)

Ralph Stanley II "Pretty Girls, City Lights" (Rebel Records, 2001)
I predict that Ralph Stanley, Jr. is going to become a big country star, sort of like Keith Whitley and Ricky Skaggs did after they left the Ralph Stanley band. He's a very talented musician, although he doesn't quite have the live-wire intensity that his dad has as a vocalist, and his bluegrass recordings don't have the same crackle and fire. But each of his solo albums have had slower, country-flavored tracks where his burnished, rumbling voice is really at its best. When I first Ralph, Jr. perform, he was a skinny little kid whose voice was still changing -- now that it has, he's got a real asset to work with: great tone and a soulful feel. Keep your eyes on this lad.

Ralph Stanley II "Stanley Blues" (Rebel Records, 2002)
This disc is more bluegrassy than Pretty Girls, but still has some country-ish material. Again, he doesn't have the intensity of his old man, but that doesn't mean he's not a great performer. This disc has several nods towards the Stanley Brothers, including the title track, which Ralph Jr. penned himself. A slew of great bluegrass musicians back him up, and Ralph Sr. diets on two excellent gospel numbers.

Ralph Stanley II "This One Is II" (Lonesome Day Records, 2008)

Ralph Stanley II "Born To Be A Drifter" (Stanley Generation Records, 2011)

Rick Stanley & Bad Ridge "You Can't Smoke The Bluegrass" (Honey Camp Records, 1999)
Darn! Now you tell me! Well, the title track is kinda cute, full of druggie double-entendres, although this is hardly a hippie-billy newgrass outing. Mr. Stanley is, I believe, a nephew of the esteemed Dr. Ralph Stanley, and he's got the authentic truegrass spirit in his soul. Some nice, independently produced, straightforward truegrass, with a slight countryish bent, and good melodic picking. Worth checking out.

Andy Statman -- see artist discography

Jody Stecher "Going Up On The Mountain: The Classic First Recordings" (Acoustic Disc, 2000)
Amid the 1960s jugband scene, and well into the acoustic revival of the 1970s, '80s and '90s... and heck, right up to the present day, old-timey purist Jody Stecher has walked like a giant. This CD -- a reissue of his first solo album -- will show you why Stecher wins the "my repertoire is more austere than your repertoire" award. Old-timey fans will rejoice at this CD re-release of his first two albums, which were originally out on the tiny Bay Area label, Bay Records. Stecher has long been recognized as a pivotal member of the '60s folk-bluegrass revival, and particularly of the acoustic music scene in San Francisco. These early '70s recordings feature him along with a slew of well-known counterculture acoustic types, such as John Herald, Eric Thompson, Fred Solokow and, of course, Stecher's long-time partner, Kate Brislin. It's a deliberately arid, high lonesome sound; Stecher tackles the music with a severity that's still unnerving today. He wants to make sure that listeners know this is "the real stuff," and his raw, live-wire delivery rivals that of Bill Monroe at his most intense. There's also a nice back-porch feel to the proceedings, a mix of devotion and informality that up-and-coming acoustic plunkers will strive to revive for decades to come. Recommended!

Jody Stecher & Friends "Snake Baked A Hoecake" (Bay Records, 1974) (LP)
A fine set of twangier-than-thou, hippie bluegrass, with a youthful Jody Stecher delving into Appalachian and Celtic culture, and a bit of Indian drone as well... Features a slew of shaggy Bay Area locals, including Fred Sokolow and Eric Thompson, all pickin' their little hearts out. A nice, fun, innocent little record. A half dozen of these tunes made their way onto the Classic First Recordings collection listed above; the rest of it's worth hearing as well.

Jody Stecher "Going Up On The Mountain" (Bay Records, 1977) (LP)

Jody Stecher & Krishna Bhatt "Rasa" (1982)

Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin "A Song That Will Linger" (Rounder Records, 1988)

Jody Stecher & Alasdair Fraser "The Driven Bow" (Culburnie Records, 1989)
A Celtic folk collaboration with Scottish-American fiddler Alasdair Fraser...

Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin "Blue Lightning" (Rounder Records, 1991)

Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin "Our Town" (Rounder Records, 1992)

Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin "Stay Awhile" (Rounder Records, 1995)

Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin "Heart Songs: The Old Time Country Songs of Utah Phillips" (Rounder Records, 1997)

Jody Stecher "Oh The Wind And Rain: Eleven Ballads" (Appleseed Records, 1997)

Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin "Songs Of The Carter Family" (Appleseed Records, 2000)
This Bay Area duo has long been a potent force in the old-timey revival scene, and here they capture the plaintive emotional longing of the Carter Family sound, although their take on things may be a bit softer and less desolate (or rowdy) than the Carters themselves. Still, this is pretty sweet and certainly loyal to the material. Nice stuff.

The Steel Drivers "Reckless" (Rounder Records, 2010)
Well, hot diggety! Here, at last, is something new under the sun. Bluegrass crossovers have taken a few, very well-defined forms over the last few years: the poetic "progressive" folk-fusions of the early 1970s, the spacegrass jazz of David Grisman and his followers, the flowery adult pop of Alison Krauss, and most recently the occasional banjo twinkle on a Nashville single or two. But these guys have come up with something new, a real mix of hardcore bluegrass and greasy, Southern roots music. Backed by a powerful but subtle band, lead singer Chris Stapleton pushes the boundary with gritty, impassioned vocals that bring Travis Tritt to mind, just without the swagger, or Danny Barnes without the hipster irony. The band runs a gamut of styles: there's the rompy-stompy rowdy side with "Guitars, Whiskey, Guns And Knives," and "Good Corn Liquor," as well as some straightforward high lonesome truegrass, as well as the yearning, rueful old-geezer ballad, "Where Rainbows Never Die." The album's brightest gem, though -- and a real surprise given what seems like a redneck-y tilt to the record -- is the stunning "Can You Run," an evocative historical ballad sung in the first person from the point of view of a Southern slave planning his escape during the chaos of the Civil War. Not just his escape, but his return to the South, coming back as a Union soldier to reclaim his freedom and his pride. The song is perfectly crafted and completely haunting: I had it ringing 'round in my head for several weeks. Unfortunately, Mr. Stapleton is said to have left the band after this album was completed, but if this record is an indication of what he (and they) are capable of, I'm sure there's more good stuff to come. Anyway, if you're looking for something that really puts a new twist on a traditional sound, you'll definitely want to check this one out.

The Steeldrivers "Hammer Down" (Rounder Records, 2013)

Steel Magnolia "Something Blue" (2008)
A now-defunct bluegrass band... Not to be confused with the Top 40 country band of the same name.

Wendy Burch Steel "Open Wings" (Dragonfly Bridge Records, 2012)
(Produced by Laurie Lewis)
Bluegrass-tinged, country-flavored folk music from Berkeley, CA. This album features several original songs by Ms. Steel (great name for an Americana singer!) as well as traditional material and bluegrass oldies from the catalogs of the Dillards and Bill Monroe. The backing band features Laurie Lewis and some of her pals (such as Todd Phillips, Tom Rozum and John Schott... a talented crew, for sure!) Lewis also sings harmony, as does Nell Robinson, another addition to the Bay Area bluegrass scene. This is a little more "folkie" than I go for, but a nice, local, DIY album nonetheless. If you're a Laurie Lewis/Kathy Kallick fan, you'll appreciate this as well.

The Steep Canyon Rangers "Old Dreams And New Dreams" (Steep Canyon Records, 2001)

The Steep Canyon Rangers "Mr. Taylor's New Home" (Bonfire Records, 2002)

The Steep Canyon Rangers "The Steep Canyon Rangers" (Rebel Records, 2004)
This is the third album by this talented new bluegrass combo, a mighty fine, mighty lively set from four talented North Carolina young'uns... The music has a loose-limbed bounce to it which bespeaks some alt-y inclinations, although they keep it pretty straight and pretty traditional sounding. Their sound is playful and open, with a loping bass, a sprightly banjo, soulful fiddling and bright mandolin... Best of all, this album is almost all original material -- a dozen new songs added to truegrass canon, along with one well-chosen Jimmy Martin oldie, and even a Nascar novelty song, a tribute to Dale Earnhardt... Midway through they lose a little steam, but overall, this is a pretty impressive effort by an up-and-coming band that we should all keep an eye on in years to come.

Steep Canyon Rangers "One Dime At A Time" (Rebel Records, 2005)
Damn fine traditionally-oriented modern bluegrass... The sometimes-thin vocals may take a little getting used to, but the song selection and musicianship are top flight, all the way. This is another fun, lively record from one of the most notable new truegrass bands around... If you like all those old country-tinged Jimmy Martin albums, then you'll want to check this band out as well!

Steep Canyon Rangers "Lovin' Pretty Women" (Rebel Records, 2007)
(Produced by Ronnie Bowman)
Another solid set of good-natured bluegrass'n'novelty numbers. For me, highlights include the title track, "Lovin' Pretty Women," which opens with a pretty impressive (and distinctive) mandolin riff, as well as banjo plunker Graham Sharp's "Call The Captain" (an instant classic) and the instrumental "Kuykendall," which I'm assuming is an homage to old-timey banjoist Arthur Kuykendall, though I could be wrong: it's a nice instrumental, either way. This one didn't "wow" me as much as some of their other albums, but it's nifty music nonetheless.

Steep Canyon Rangers "Deep In The Shade" (Rebel Records, 2009)
(Produced by Ronnie Bowman)
A swell set of sleek, modern melodic bluegrass with tight harmony vocals and a streamlined tunefulness that gives it a distinctly modern feel without sacrificing any of the band's connections to their bluegrass roots. The Steep Canyon boys have settled into a country-pop tinged territory, calling to mind voices from the past such as Jimmy Martin or even the early, "Flowers On The Wall"-era Statler Brothers. There's a couple of well-chosen cover tunes, notably a fine version of Merle Haggard's "I Must Be Somebody Else You've Known," and then an album's worth of amazing original material, including the tuneful, bouncy singalong "Have Mercy" and the modern-day hard-times ballad, "There Ain't No Easy Street (In The Town Where I Live)". All in all, a really great record -- the Rangers are a band that keep moving from strength to strength and from triumph to triumph. Check it out!

Steep Canyon Rangers "Nobody Knows You" (Rounder Records, 2012)
(Produced by Gary Paczosa)

Steep Canyon Rangers "Tell The Ones I Love" (Rounder Records, 2013)

Rafe Stefanini "Hell And Scissors" (County Records, 1999)

Rafe Stefanini "Glory On The Big String" (County Records, 2001)

Rafe Stefanini & Bob Herring "Fresh Coat" (Five-String Records, 2004)

Rafe Stefanini "Bluegrass Meadows" (Five-String Records, 2006)

Rafe Stefanini "Ladies Fancy" (County Records, 2006)
Just plain gorgeous fiddle playing by a talented old hand... There's straight-ahead bluegrass and old-timey breakdowns, British/Celtic material, Cajun music, blues and a little bit of in-betweenish stuff, all played with a cheerfulness and aplomb that makes this disc quite delightful. Stefanini's wife Nikki Lee and daughter Clelia accompany him, as well as guitarist Jim Collier. If you like sweet, simple (sounding) fiddle tunes, then this album is for you. It's a keeper.

Rafe Stefanini & Clelia Stefanini "Never Seen the Like" (Yodel-Ay-Hee Records, 2009)
A delightful collaboration between bluegrass/old-timey multi-instrumentalist Rafe Stefanini and his daughter, fiddler Clelia Stefanini. Great stuff, with a wide variety of tunes. Particularly nice are their sweet, spooky, evocative fiddle duets... Recommended!

Adam Steffey "Grateful" (Mountain Home Records, 2001)

Adam Steffey "One More For The Road" (Sugar Hill Records, 2009)
(Produced by Barry Bales & Gary Paczosa)
A nice intersection between bluegrass, country and singer-songwriter folk, featuring the mandolin work and gruff vocals of Adam Steffey, a former member of Alison Krauss's formidable Union Station band. Krauss puts in an appearance (on "Warm Kentucky Sunshine") and Steffey is joined by several other Union Stationeers, including Ron Block, Barry Bales and Dan Tyminski, along with a slew of other top-flight, high-power bluegrass superpickers. Steffey is a gracious host, showing dazzling strengths as a soloist, but completely willing to give his pals the spotlight for much of the record. He also contributes three original songs, which perfectly compliment the mix of oldies (covers of Red Allen and Kris Kristofferson) with a bunch of fine contemporary tunes. A very solid album showcasing diverse styles, but rooted in straightahead traditional bluegrass -- rock solid and recommended!

Larry Stephenson "Everytime I Sing A Love Song" (Webco Records, 1988)

Larry Stephenson "I Can't Stop Myself" (Webco Records, 1991)

Larry Stephenson "Born To Sing" (Webco Records, 1994)

Larry Stephenson "I See God" (Webco Records, 1996)

Larry Stephenson "Faraway In Tennessee" (Webco Records, 1996)

Larry Stephenson "Webco Classics Volume 5: Larry Stephenson" (Webco Records, 1999)

Larry Stephenson "On Fire" (Pinecastle Records, 1998)

Larry Stephenson "Two Hearts On The Borderline" (Pinecastle Records, 2000)

Larry Stephenson "Heavenward Bound" (Pinecastle Records, 2001)
A nice, understated bluegrass gospel album, with down-to-earth, unflashy picking, and good group vocals. (Stephenson's voice may take a little getting used to, though -- he's got one of those high, nasal hillbilly voices, like Little Jimmy Dickens or some of the scragglier old-time singers from the Depression era had... But that ain't necessarily such a bad thing, now, is it?) Heartfelt and unpretentious.

Larry Stephenson "Clinch Mountain Mystery" (Pinecastle Records, 2004)

Larry Stephenson "Life Stories" (Pinecastle Records, 2006)
Mighty fine, no-nonsense, old-school bluegrass, with Stephenson telling stories (as promised!) in a straightforward, totally engaging manner. The unpretentiousness of this set is its biggest selling point -- couple that with top-flight musicianship and a complete absence of new-fangled, poppy production, and you've got yourself one really nice record. Although the sound is traditional, the songs are mostly of modern vintage or Nashville-ish lineage... There are a couple of Tom T. Hall tunes, along with oldies by Jim Reeves, Fred Rose and Lester Flatt... This was a nice record to just listen to from end to end; never a false note or stylistic misstep. Recommended!

Larry Stephenson "Thankful" (Pinecastle Records, 2008)

Steve & Leroy "Life's Railway To Heaven" (Crown Sound Records, 1971-?) (LP)
(Produced by Jack Scott)
The first album by the Southern California bluegrass gospel duo of singer/guitarist Steve Hatfield and dobro whiz Leroy McNees (aka Leroy Mack) who met in 1965 and played together as a duo for the rest of the decade before cutting this disc in Southern California. McNees was the best-known of the two, having been in the legendary progressive bluegrass band The Kentucky Colonels, along with brothers Clarence and Roland White. In 1961 the Colonels (then still known as the Country Boys) appeared on a couple of episodes of the Andy Griffith Show and soon became regional stars on the SoCal folk and country scene. Steve Hatfield was not a music professional, though during his college days he was in a Christian folk group called the Overland Three, and after he and Leroy Mack were introduced to one another by a local pastor, they began writing original gospel material together. They are joined on various tracks by two different bass players -- Roger Bush (another former Kentucky Colonel) and Rudy Q. Jones, who recorded with Bush and Mack on his own album a couple of years earlier. In the early 'Seventies this duo evolved into The Born Again Bluegrass Band, which Leroy Mack led for over three decades. This is an album filled with original material co-written by the two longtime collaborators.

Wayne Stewart & Friends "Aspen Skyline" (Sierra Briar Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by John Delgatto)
An outstanding "progressive" bluegrass set with a song list that digs deep into the country-folk and Southern rock of the time. The album opens with a cover of the Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider" and closes with "Ramblin' Man," mixing high lonesome classics by Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers with grassed-up rock songs by J. J. Cale and Stephen Stills. Wayne Stewart was a Kentucky native and childhood friend of newgrasser Sam Bush; he tried to make the scene in hippie California, but returned home in the early '70s to co-found a band called the Bluegrass Alliance. Then he ping-ponged around for a while -- he recorded an album with a teenaged Sam Bush spotlighted in the band Poor Richard's Almanac, and went back to the West Coast to kick around with the Dillards and other folks in SoCal scene. This album was his musical swan song -- according to the liner notes, Stewart got born again and gave up on the business side of music, but he agreed to record this album for Sierra Briar, and fronted a great band packed with little-known artists. Fiddler Vassar Clements adds plenty of tasty licks, and a couple of guys were in John Denver's early-'70s band, dobroist Steve Weisberg and banjo picker John Sommers (who had composed Denver's big hit, "Thank God I'm A Country Boy." Stewart was a fine picker himself, but it's as a singer that he really distinguishes himself -- his earthy, soulful, country-tinged vocals remind me of Peter Rowan's singing of the same era, rural stuff with a tinge of Jimmy Martin-style bluesiness. This is a nice record, definitely worth checking out!

Ernest Stoneman & The Stoneman Family -- see artist discography

Scotty Stoneman -- see the Stoneman Family

Carl Story -- see artist profile

Don Stover "Things In Life" (Rounder Records, 1972)
I'm so glad the digital age caught up to this sweet little album... now I don't have to wear my old vinyl copy out anymore! This is a style of bluegrass music that I just love -- humble, confident in its own worth, but back-porchy and still a little bashful. If you like the sweeter, more melodic side of say, Ralph Stanley, and don't feel the need for drag-race style instrumental fire, then check this quiet, unassuming album out. I was surprised (but very pleased) when Rounder reissued this disc -- it's always been a favorite, but it's so low-key it hardly seemed like a candidate for revival. So, hey, take advantage of its availability while you still can, before it goes out of print for another fifteen years! Also features some of the most understated mandolin work David Grisman has ever done.

Strange Creek Singers "Strange Creek Singers" (Arhoolie Records, 1972)
An old-timey classic, joining Hazel & Alice up with Mike Seeger and Tracy Schwarz of the New Lost City Ramblers. They open the album with a rough-hewn shape-note song ("When I Can Read My Titles Clear"), just to let us know that they've got the real low-down on this mountain music... Then they gradually ease into more melodic, bluegrassy terrain. It's great stuff from start to finish, originally recorded between 1968-70.

Strength In Numbers "Telluride Sessions" (MCA Nashville, 1998)
A bunch of newgrass usual suspects -- Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor -- get together for a mellow set of mildly twangy instrumental tunes. For Fleck, this is a positive return to roots (I guess), but traditional 'grass fans will still find their attention wandering, and wonder what happened to the other guys in the band. It's okay, not great, just more noodly new acoustic easy listening. At least they stick to the acoustic side of things and don't indulge much in the way of wild stylistic mood swings.

Stringbean - see artist discography

Marty Stuart -- see artist discography

Summerdog "Blue Grass" (Peek Records, 1978)
This is the first album by the Summerdog Bluegrass Experience, Mariachi And Swing Ensemble (their original name, it was a little unwieldy...) was a fixture on the Tucson, Arizona music scene of the 1970s and early '80s... They only recorded three albums but they cut a wide swath in the Southwest and West Coast, where they frequently toured...

Summerdog "Tucson, AZ" (M&I Records, 1979)

Summerdog "New Moon" (M&I Records, 1980) (LP)

Summertown Road "Summertown Road" (Rounder Records, 2010)
(Produced by Don Rigsby)
Ambitious contemporary bluegrass, with a storytelling style that brings those old, early-1970s "progressive bluegrass" records to mind. Fans of old Country Gentlemen, etc. might also enjoy these fellas... The talent includes mandolinist John Rigsby on vocals and banjoist Jack Hicks (an alumnus of many, many classic bands...) providing a lot of the band's musical oomph. Nice stuff!

The Sunny South "Old Friends" (Grassroots Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Sunny South & Michael O'Rourke)
These fellas from Portland, Oregon play nice, simple, straightforward traditional bluegrass, with songs from the catalogs of Lester Flatt, Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Benny Martin and others. This self-released record also includes two strong originals, "Call Me Your Darlin'," written by banjo player Michael Stahlman, and "Old Friends," by the band's mandolin picker Dave Elliott. Sweet stuff, all around -- a nice, unpretentious indie album, with glowing liner notes from West Coast bluegrasser Vern Williams...

The Sunnysiders "Motor City Bluegrass" (Fortune Records, 1967-?) (LP)
(Produced by D. Brown & J. Brown)
Formed in 1964 at the height of the folk scene bluegrass revival, this Detroit-based band was led by tenor vocalist Roy McGinniss and originally played for a couple of years in the Monroe County Jamboree, then became the house band for an equally obscure venue called the Harbor Lights Jamboree. The band recorded under its own name and also backed several other artists such as Roy Cobb, Clyde Moody and Ford Nix, and was Nix's backup for his own album on the Fortune label, which was billed as the first bluegrass album recorded in Detroit (a claim I am not qualified to confirm or deny...) On this debut LP, the Sunnysiders consisted of Roy McGinniss singing tenor vocals, Paul Boyd on banjo and guitar, Jim Childress (guitar), Garmon Mullins (fiddle), Tim Wilson (rhythm guitar), and Peter Wolf playing bass... Along with a bunch of bluegrass standards the album is peppered with original material, notably several songs credited to Osborn Thorp and a couple more written by Paul Boyd. Although this was their first album, they had previously recorded a four-song gospel EP. Roy McGinniss was the group's driving force and by the early 1970s the lineup had completely changed, with later albums recorded under the name Roy McGinniss & The Sunnysiders.

Bryan Sutton "Ready To Go" (Sugar Hill Records, 2000)

Bryan Sutton "Bluegrass Guitar" (Sugar Hill Records, 2003)
Plus a little assist from Tim O'Brien on mandolin, Tim Crouch on fiddle, and coupla other hot pickers. A smooth all-instrumental album; a little too smooth for my tastes, but not a bum note to be heard from beginning to end.

Bryan Sutton/Various Artists "Not Too Far From The Tree" (Sugar Hill Records, 2006)
An exemplary set of bluegrass and grass-ish duets from a ubiquitous session player who wants to point folks back to some of the players who have influenced his sound. Many of these super-pickers are household names -- Sutton's boss, Ricky Skaggs, as well as Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Jerry Douglas, Tony Rice -- and digging back a little further we find Dan Crary and Norman Blake, who made their mark in the 1970s but who are less well-remembered among the post-O Brother bluegrass fanbase... Then there are a few left-field choices, such as George Shuffler, an old-timer whose unusual, minimalist "crosspicking" style is highly regarded among the git-picking elite, and Sutton's own dad, Jerry Sutton. It's a nice, unassuming set that will seem alternately lulling and refreshingly heartfelt. Worth checking out!

Bryan Sutton "Almost Live" (Sugar Hill Records, 2009)
(Produced by Bryan Sutton)
A nice set of upbeat, mostly-instrumental bluegrass tunes, with some fine flatpicking by guitarist Bryan Sutton, and sweet, sympathetic accompaniment from his all-star cast of guests. Bela Fleck, Russ Barenburg, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Tim O'Brien, Chris Thile and others join in the jams, tunes that tend towards light, joyful, inventive bluegrass/newgrass romps. Sutton also has a lot of fun with the Django-styled gypsy jazz romp, "Le Pont De La Moustache," one of several just-for-fun songs. Nice picking, with vocals on a couple of songs, including the Delmore Brothers classic, "Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar," which appropriately enough closes the album. Give it a spin!

Bryan Sutton, David Holt & T. Michael Coleman "Ready For The Times" (Sugar Hill Records, 2013)

Bryan Sutton "Into My Own" (Sugar Hill Records, 2014)

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Hick Music Index

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