Bluegrass Today

Performer: Various Artists
Producer: Joe Sasfy (Compilation)
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Includes liner notes by Eddie Dean. Liner Note Author: Eddie Dean. Photographers: Emmylou Harris; Les Leverett; John Arthur Lee. Unknown Contributor Roles: Del McCoury; Nickel Creek; Ricky Skaggs. Time Life Music put together this collection of amiable contemporary bluegrass songs, highlighting some of the biggest names working in Bluegrass Today. The disc balances performances between bluegrass legends like Ralph Stanley, Earl Scruggs, Del McCoury, J.D. Crowe, and Alison Krauss (yes, she's now officially a bluegrass legend) and relatively recent additions to the American roots music family like Lynn Morris, Rhonda Vincent, and Larry Cordle. While Patty Loveless' "The Boys Are Back in Town" and Steve Earle's "The Mountain" can certainly be seen as long-lasting additions to the bluegrass song canon, Nickel Creek's airy "The Lighthouse's Tale" and the usually terrific Jerry Douglas' rendition of "Hey Joe" don't really hold up compared to the other performances on the disc. Still, the title indicates a good cross section of contemporary bluegrass artists and music, and it delivers just that, and while there are better compilations out there (pretty much anything on Rounder Records), fans of the O Brother soundtrack will find much to explore here. ~ Zac Johnson

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25