O Sister 2: A Women's Bluegrass Collection

Performer: Various Artists
Producer: Ken Irwin (Compilation)
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Includes liner notes by Ronni Lundy. Adapters: Ken Irwin; Hazel Dickens; Phyllis Boyens. Personnel: Ginny Hawker, Hazel Dickens (vocals, tenor); Carol Elizabeth Jones (vocals, baritone); Kathy Kallick, Alice Gerrard, Wilma Lee Cooper (vocals, guitar); Beth Stevens, Ola Belle Reed (vocals, banjo); Marie Burns, Rhonda Vincent, Tom Rozum (vocals, mandolin); Alison Krauss (vocals, fiddle, viola); Laurie Lewis, Stoney Cooper (vocals, fiddle); Jeannie Kendall, Lucy Kaplansky, Lynn Morris, Phyllis Boyens, Suzanne Thomas, Tanya Savory (vocals); Darrin Vincent (tenor, baritone); Darrell Scott (tenor, guitar); Ray Deaton (tenor, acoustic bass); Russell Moore (baritone, guitar); Tim O'Brien (baritone, mandolin); Suzanne Cox (baritone); Ron Block (guitar, acoustic guitar); Ron Stewart (guitar, banjo, fiddle); Carl Jackson (guitar, banjo); Jim Hurst (guitar, background vocals); David Reed, Dudley Connell, Bud Reed, John Rossbach, James Leva, Jeff White, John McGann, Pat Enright, Jerry Shook, Bruce Molsky, Bryan Sutton (guitar); Wanda Vick (acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle); Dan Tyminski (acoustic guitar); Sally Van Meter (resonator guitar); Jerry Douglas , Randy Kohrs (dobro); Michael McLain (banjo, background vocals); Steve Dilling, Lamar Grier, Craig Robert Smith, Mac Benford, Tom Adams, B�la Fleck, Tony Trischka, Butch Robins (banjo); David McLaughlin, Tom Beneky, Bill Carver, Adam Steffey, Larry Lynch , Mike Seeger, Roland White, Ronnie McCoury, Barry Mitterhoff, Wayne Benson (mandolin); Matt Glaser (violin, viola); John Kirk (fiddle, background vocals); John Miller , Glen Duncan, Mike Hartgrove, Pete Sutherland, Aubrey Haynie, Tracy Schwarz, Blaine Sprouse (fiddle); Andy Statman (clarinet); Barry Bales, Ronnie Simpkins (acoustic bass); Mark Burchfield (upright bass); Glen Lee Alan Davis (drums); Kenny Malone (percussion); Diane Hines, Herman Harper, Carolee Cooper (background vocals). Photographer: Rick Olivier. Arrangers: Ginny Hawker; Hazel Dickens; Stoney Cooper; Wilma Lee Cooper. In the wake of the success of O Sister in 2001, the Rounder label wisely decided to follow it up with another collection of bluegrass songs, old and new, performed by female singers and instrumentalists. Though the sound of hard-edged and high-pitched men's voices has almost defined bluegrass music from the beginning, women have made significant contributions as well, though those contributions have not always gotten the recognition they deserved. O Sister 2: A Woman's Bluegrass Collection continues the project of rectifying that oversight, and does so quite nicely by showcasing performances by relative unknowns like Carol Elizabeth Jones and Alecia McKnight alongside such usual suspects as Rhonda Vincent, Claire Lynch, Lynn Morris, and the inevitable Alison Krauss. Stylistically, this second collection ranges a bit further afield than the first one did; alongside strictly traditional material like "Poor Ellen Smith" (sung with reedy power by the gracefully aging Ola Belle Reed) and the Jimmy Martin classic "Pretending I Don't Care" (performed here by Rhonda Vincent), there are more pop-flavored delights, such as Carol Elizabeth Jones' sweetly tuneful original song "Someday" and even a downright avant-garde contribution from the Wayfaring Strangers, whose "Memories of You" features a klezmer clarinet. Everything here is worth hearing, though overall this collection doesn't pack quite as much punch as the first one did. ~ Rick Anderson

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