From the back cover depicting Irene Kelley’s coal-mining grandfather to “You Are Mine,” the closing track written and performed with her daughters, Pennsylvania Coal is fueled by family.
Tag: bluegrass
Review: The Whiskey Gentry’s “Holly Grove”
By Ken Paulson It’s that time of the year when we rush to catch up with particularly worthy albums that we never quite got around to reviewing. Case in point is the Whiskey Gentry’s Holly Grove, the second album from the Atlanta-based band. The Whiskey Gentry melds high-energy bluegrass and traditional country with some attitude, opening the album with heartbreak and…
The Steep Canyon Rangers’ “Nobody Knows You”
By Joe Ross— Years ago, I predicted that by the time the members of the Steep Canyon Rangers were thirty, they would be well-known far and wide for their brilliant performances and excellent recordings. Now this tight unit from western North Carolina could be one of the most recognizable bands in bluegrass today. Besides having talent and youthful appeal, their…
Merl Johnson’s “A Better Man”
By Joe Ross – Everyone’s heard of Merle Haggard and Merle Travis, and now it’s time to get acquainted with Merl Johnson. Growing up in Woodbridge, Va. about 20 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., the young musician accompanied his dad to many festivals, concerts, and jams. Merl took to music early on, appearing on his first radio show at age…
Review: Carolina Road’s “Back to My Roots”
By Joe Ross It’s been about five years since I reviewed Carolina Road’s two releases on Tom T. Hall’s Blue Circle Records label. I found the hardworking band from North Carolina to be fully dedicated to presenting a traditional bluegrass sound with a copious amount of contemporary charisma. Now associated with Rural Rhythm Records, Back to My Roots is the band’s…
Ricky Skaggs interview: Staying true to faith and music
By Terry Roland – Ricky Skaggs has made several critical transitions in both his musical and spiritual lives. Although few can argue with his success, there have been some detours and U-turns along the way. This is one of the many things that make Ricky Skaggs such a compelling and enduring figure in American music. As a carrier of the…
Nell Robinson – On the Brooklyn Road
You have to love Nell Robinson’s story. From a booklet accompanying her new CD “On the Brooklyn Road: “So I just turned 50 and one of my good friends characterized my new-found devotion to music as a midlife crisis. I sang by myself in my car for 30 years and ventured out to sing in public at age 45. All I can…