1 comments about What a Journey.

1. This CD is the latest in the Paul Williams & Victory Trio collection and it is amazing. This band always do a great job on there cd's and I Find this one is another one of those great jobs. I Recommend it to anyone that loves Bluegrass or gospel music. This is just wonderful keep up the good work.

2 comments about Rough Guide to the Music of the Appalachians.

1. Excellent recording of Appalachian music. I highly recommend this CD especially if you like folk music. The artists featured and their performances made for very enjoyable time after time listening.



2. This is a great anthology of contemporary Appalachian music. The selections range from bluegrass to folk to gospel. Like the other discs in the "Rough Guide" series, this one focuses not on older musical traditions themselves, but on how these traditions survive in music being written and performed today. So although you'll hear music that definitely shows the influence of, say, Flatt and Scruggs, this isn't the "Classics of Bluegrass" or anything like that.

   Far and away the best tracks are Claire Lynch's "God Spoke His Name" (whose only fault is that it's too short!), Tom Adams's "Box Elder Beetles", and Peter Rowan's "Wild Geese Cry Again". Like the girl in that movie "Ghostworld", I found myself stretching out on the floor and listening to these tracks over and over again. Larry Sparks's "The Old Churchyard" is another mellow old Appalachian song that shows how much this region's musical tradition owes to 17th-century English folksong.

   All the performances on this disc are fantastic and the acoustics are superb. Five stars.

5 comments about How Sweet The Sound - 25 Favorite Hymns And Gospel Greats.

1. I grew up listening to CDB and it was about Southern Rock and I mean fiddle. This collection of Hymns is just great. He does such a wonderful job with all the songs and he puts his own stamp on them. "The Devil went down to Georgia" and he didnt find a sole to keep, he found Jesus!



2. As always with Charlie Daniels, he gives his listeners a wide variety of flavors on this wonderful album. There is not one song here that doesn't sound good and real. He gives us everything from his classic southern rock to bluegrass, blues to country, and always sounds sincere. Daniels is a great Christian man and this album will become an instant favorite when you are in need of true inspiration. My favorite tracks are "Softly and Tenderly," "I'll Fly Away," "Somebody Was Prayin' For Me," and "Kneel At The Cross."



3. I recommend this CD set to anyone who loves God and country music. I can't get enough of Charlie Daniels soulful style of music that lifts your spirit and makes you feel closer to our Lord. You won't regret buying this at all!



4. I loved this CD,except for Amazing Grace,it was not very good,but every thing else was great!



5. I bought this cd based on a review in my local paper, and I was not disappointed. I am only a moderate Charlie Daniels fan(I don't have any of his other records), but I am very happy with this cd! It is full of well done Christian classics with a country flair. The backing instrumentation is tight, as befits a band that has played together for so long, but what impressed me most is Charlie's vocals. He is not a great singer, but what he lacks in finesse he more than makes up in sincerity. It sounds as if he means what he sings 100%, unlike many country singers who throw in a gospel song just to appease their fans. Anyway this is a great album!

1 comments about The Essential Ricky Skaggs.

1. The success that Ricky had in the eighties is nothing short of sensational. In the wake of the Urban cowboy craze, along came a bluegrass singer and picker to take the country charts by storm. Bluegrass purists didn't approve because Ricky added a drummer to the line-up in order to appeal to a wider audience. Yet this one concession to commercialism was a master stroke. For many people, the first bluegrass music they ever heard was by Ricky. I hadn't listened to a lot of bluegrass before Ricky came along, so he helped my interest in the music to grow.
   
   Among the classic tracks here are Crying my heart out over you, I don't care, Heartbroke, Don't cheat in our hometown and Honey open that door. All those tracks were from his first three Epic albums, which I still think were his best original albums.
   
   Ricky continued to record plenty of great songs, so his chart success continued for a few more years, reaching the top of the charts in the late eighties with Loving only me. Ricky showed how bluegrass could appeal to a wider audience. Although he faded from the spotlight in the nineties, he continued to make excellent music. Meanwhile, Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, Ralph Stanley and others have further increased the popularity of bluegrass music.
   
   This compilation contains many of Ricky's classic hits of the eighties but the omission of Highway 40 blues, Uncle Pen and Country boy devalues it somewhat. I would have expected these three tracks in any collection titled Essential. Despite these omissions, this compilation provides a useful introduction to Ricky's eighties music although I recommend you buy 16 biggest hits or (better still) the double CD, Country gentleman, rather than this one.

No comments about Best of Grand Old Gospel 2008.

4 comments about Classic Cuts: 1933-41.

1. This Is a great selection and I have enjoyed it greatley! I receiveed it fast and in great shape!
   Thank You!



2. I have a few Delmore Brothers songs from what I friend of mine gave me. I have been a lover of the real true classic country music for just a short period of time, 25 years. I just received this Delmore Collection last week in the post and it is the best collection of Delmore songs any person could want. It covers all their different musical styles with flair. If anyone is contemplating on adding this to their collection I would highly recommend it. It is the Delmore's at they really best. To me a five star rating is a bit too low. I would at least give it twice that. It should be in anyone's classical music collection. I really highly recommend it. Perfect work.



3. I think that Rich Kienzle must have written his review based on the good faith that this set would include all of the Delmores' Bluebird and Decca sides. It does not. It's a good hefty collection of their pre-war material, but there are many important sides missing. The Columbia 1931 disc is not there, and most of the Decca sides are absent. Some Bluebird B-sides are also MIA.
   This is rather shocking for JSP. They are usually so thorough in their reissue boxes. I'll grudgingly buy this, because I know the remastering will be good, but don't believe for one moment that you're getting the whole enchilada. If you're curious as to what these guys sound like, or like 'em and want 4 hrs of their music, go for it. But there's many sides left out. :( Maybe Bear Family will get off their arses and finally do the Delmores right.



4. I bought this set yesterday. For as old as these recordings are the way they were remastered sounds great. Again as I have stated in previous reviews this this set is "Great" but it's not for the new kid that thinks Country Music or Good Bluegrass is The Dixie Chicks or Toby Keith. These songs by Alton and Rabon are some of the Best Root Country Music that you can get anywhere. 1933 - 1941 ,That during the time that Jimmie Rodgers died and not many good strong groups were on the scene ( not counting the Original Carter Family). This Set is worth every penny and I think the price is downright cheap for what you are getting ! Purchase this Box Set and you will truly be Purchasing a part of real American History. "ENJOY"

1 comments about Shout! 2002.

1. If you like Southern Gospel music and the message of hope that it brings, this album is a must-have!

3 comments about The Gospel Collection 1.

1. This gospel collection by Doyle Lawson is extremely powerful! If you do not want to get transformed, renewed, or filled with the Spirit do not listen to this album. The first track "My Lord Delivered Me" will have you dancing around the room with your hands in the air. This song is definitely an upbeat and powerful testimony of God's deliverance.
   
   Another beautiful song is "Touch the Hem of His garment", while not quite as good as my exegetical paper on this passage from Mark's gospel this song really does bring this healing account to life with the bands voices and timing. The harmonies on this cd are really tight and impressive. A few of the songs on this album do not stand out, but most everything is enjoyable and really really powerful gospel music. It must be noted again the harmonies and vocal timing are really outstanding. "Let us Travel On" and "Happy on My Way" are also fun and dynamic. This is a really happy and upbeat album, and it is an awesome listening experience when you are in the mood for some serious gospel praise!



2. Uplifting songs with messages of Jesus Christ's healing. This music helped sustain me as I fought cancer and won!



3. I am an old time gospel fan and enjoy this music very much

3 comments about Roots Remain.

1. If you like great Southern fried music, pick this one up. Here, you have a sampling of every CDB album on Epic Records. I will caution you, though, that this music is addictive. This won't be the last CDB music you'll ever buy. I am a fanatic, so I have to have almost everything that Charlie ever recorded. This began when I seriously started to absorb this set. It's definitely worth the money. This also makes for a great autograph item, if you ever get a chance to meet Charlie. He's a good guy!



2. Charlie Daniels is first and always a musician. Early in his career he was one of the top session musicians in Nashville playing on numerous albums, including Dylan's "Nashville Skyline". Starting with his quirky hit "Uneasy Rider" he began to play and sing his own music. One thing I always liked about Daniels is he never sold out his music. He played what he wanted to play, and if he received awards, great. If not, oh well.

   This boxed set includes a wide range of music, from Southern Rock to country, from pop to rock. One of my favorite two albums of his, "Fire on the Mountain" and "Saddle Tramp" are well represented here. The absolutely BEST song here is "No place to go" a live song from the first Volenteer Jam. This piece is about 12 minutes long and includes some of the best guitar work I've ever heard. Some of his hits that are included here are "The South's Going to do it Again", "Still in Saigon", and of course "The Devil went down to Georgia". But don't just listen to the hits. There is so much more here. "Saddle Tramp" is a wonderful 10 minute piece that has a great jam session on it, "Billy the Kid" is another first class rocker that gives the band a chance to let it loose, and "In America" recorded in the late 70's, is a great call for America to return to greatness. Disc 3 is probably my least favorite disc, and the reason I don't give this set a 5 star rating, but it does include a very interesting version of Clapton's "Layla"

   Overall, this is a great collection. If you want the definitive Charlie Daniels "Greatest Hits" collection then go no further than this box set. If your looking for just the hits then I recommend the earlier greatest hits package "A Decade of Hits"




3. Country-rock giant (physically and musically) Charlie Daniels' career output defies easy categorization. Beginning as a straight ahead rocker, who produced blues guitarist Roy Buchanan's debut album and the Youngblood's "Get Together" Daniels did not find solo success until 1973's hippy mini-saga "Uneasy Rider," the tale of a long hair who has a flat tire outside a redneck bar in Jackson, Mississippi. Daniels' next flirtation with fame was the country-rock anthem "The South's Gonna Do It Again." His follow-up, however, was the seemingly contradictory, "Long Haired Country Boy" about a long haired redneck who enjoyed "getting drunk in the morning and high in the afternoon." Not exactly your typical country Top 40, especially in 1974. These hit singles and the mega-hit album "Fire On The Mountain" also from 1974, put CDB (Charlie Daniels Band) on both the pop and country musical maps, and set the tone for their output of the next 20 years. Mixing country ethos with rock-style playing, Daniels and co. became favorites of hippies and rednecks alike, and while he has moved further and further to the right politically, he has never isolated himself from the fun-loving long-haired crowd. "The Roots Remain" encapsulates CDB's recorded output from 1973-1992 when they departed Epic Records. The 45 tracks and more than 3 hours of music contained in the set include all his big hits as well as essential album tracks. Daniels' political leanings have always been evident, especially in works such as "The South's Gonna Do It Again," "In America," "Still In Saigon," and the American Farmer." Mixing country fiddle with rock guitar, CDB epics such as the 11:27 version of "No Place To Go" and the 10:53 version of "Saddle Tramp" display ample evidence of the band's instrumental prowess. While the Charlie and band may be immune to musical pigeonholing, they certainly know how to have a good time and to share that good time with the listener. "The Roots Remain" is a wonderful distillation of the first 20 years of the Charlie Daniels Band, and as such belongs in the collection of country-rock, rock, and country music fans alike, right next to fellow Southern rock artists such as the Allman Brothers and the Marshall Tucker Band.

2 comments about Studebaker.

1. While bluegrass, as a rule, tends to relegate the guitar to a rhythm instrument, it occasional steps out. Kenny Smith steps out with a leap and shows what bluegrass guitar should be all about. On track after track Kenny shines. And his wife, Amanda, does some beautiful vocal work on "Lay This Broken Heart To Rest". And you can not overlook Kenny's vocals on this project either, very solid.

   But his guitar is where he rises to the top. His solos are excellent and his rhythm is steady. He shows everyone what it's all about. I can't wait for his next project.

   Buy this, you will enjoy it, and play it again and again.




2. If you are looking for incredible flatpicking, bluegrass guitar, that is played in a refreshing style - this is the CD you have been looking for. There is not one "dud" on Studebaker. You will want to listen to it over and over - that's not something you can say about a lot of new albums. I look forward to future solo work from Kenny.