About a week ago, I stumbled upon this little beauty.
It’s a superb in depth look at Kentucky dance and song traditions before Bill Monroe. The standard is remarkably consistent and the whole set makes for compelling listening.
Before I acquired my copy, I hadn’t noticed how few of the acknowledged early greats of country music, both singers and bands, were from Kentucky. Even Bradley Kincaid, who was big but rather watered-down, came to prominence while living elsewhere. Only a few of the performers here were known to me before I bought this but, if most are obscure, they certainly don’t deserve to be. This set is beautifully programmed and wonderfully entertaining throughout.
An’ there’s still some great pickin’ in these ol Kaintuckee heels ‘n’ hollers nowadays.
There’s an interesting collection of Kentucky River-style fiddle and string band music up thru the 70s, gathered by a fellow named John Harrod, that’s floating around too if you’re into that. (my old-timey fiddler fella actually backed a couple of string band tracks on it (when he was just a young’un, of course))
You’re right. I tend to overcompensate because a couple of times people asked if he was my dad.
Although let’s see … he’s 13 years older than me, and in Kentucky (home of the family tree that more closely resembles a telephone pole ), that ain’t outta the realm!
