****** NEW CD RELEASES ******

 

Dan Tyminski - Wheels
Dan Tyminski is best known as the voice behind "The Man of Constant Sorrow" and a member of Alison Krauss' Union Station. He is back with his first solo disc since 2000. Other members of his band are Barry Bales on bass Adam Steffey on mandolin, Ron Stewart on banjo and fiddle, Justin Moses on fiddle and Dobro. Bales is in Union Station, while Bales previously was a member.

 

Dan Paisley - The Room Over Mine
The new album from Danny Paisley and The Southern Grass comes from a group raised on classic bluegrass, learning as the sons and later band mates of performers such as Bob Paisley, Ted Lundy and Donnie Eldreth. Danny Paisley played with his father, Bob for 32 years, until he died in 2004. The disc includes classic country songs such as Marty Robbins' " At the End of a Long Lonely Day," Porter Wagoner's "I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name" and Little Jimmy Dickens' "Another Bridge to Burn." The CD contains 13 songs.

 

Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice - Blue Side of the Blue Ridge
Junior Sisk returns with Ramblers Choice, which includes bassist Tim Massey. Ramblers Choice released a disc on Rounder about 10 years ago with Sisk in the band. Ronnie Bowman produced the release. Sisk played briefly with Lost & Found and played with Blue Ridge more recently. The new release is Sisk's debut as a band leader.

 

The Infamous Stringdusters - The Infamous Stringdusters
This is the follow-up to 2007's "Fork in the Road," which was named Album of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association. The title track was named Song of the Year, and the band earned the honor of best emerging artist. The new disc is their first record with guitarist Andy Falco and his blues-infused licks. Tim O'Brien produced the set of nine band originals plus songs of other writers.

 

James King - Gardens in the Sky: The Bluegrass Gospel of James King
Bluegrass singer James King is a busy guy. First, his supergroup Longview releases a disc and a few months later, he's out with his latest solo effort. This is the first for King since "The Bluegrass Storyteller" from 2005.

 

Larry Sparks - The Best Of Larry Sparks: Bound To Ride
Bluegrass ace Larry Sparks receives the best of treatment here. The label released a best of CD in the 1980s, including Sparks. Most of the songs on the new release are from the 1980's recording, although three cuts are also included from the King Bluegrass label. "John Deere Tractor" and "Tennessee 1949" are among the songs included.

 

Dave Evans - The Best of the Vetco Years
Bluegrasser Dave Evans plays with backing band River Bend on this collection of old recordings from two releases. Vetco was a label in Cincinnati in the 1960s and 1980s, which was bought by another small label, Crosscut Records, in Kentucky. The "Best of" release is comprised of songs from the two CDs, "Dave Evans and River Bend" (1979) and "Call Me Long Gone" (1980). All of the songs from "Dave Evans and River Bend" are included along with four from "Call Me Long Gone." Many consider the former album to be his one of best recordings.

 

Mashville Brigade - Bluegrass Smash Hits Volume 1
A group of five pickers formed the National Brigade, which plays regularly at the Station Inn in Nashville. The group consists of Aaron McDaris of The Grascals, Jim Van Cleve of Mountain Heart, Darrell Webb of Rhonda Vincent's band, Ashby Frank of Special Consensus and Randy Barnes of NewFound Road comprise the group. The Brigade play 16 traditional bluegrass songs on the disc.

Andy Hall - Sounds of the Slide Guitar
Andy Hall, Dobro player for The Infamous Stringdusters, releases a solo project with 11 songs, including 8 originals. The Stringdusters serve as the main backing band for the recording. Helping out are David Grier and Tim Stafford on guitar, Jesse Cobb on mandolin, and Rob Ickes on Dobro.

Larry Stephenson - Thankful
Bluegrasser Larry Stephenson goes the gospel route.

The Gibson Brothers - Iron and Diamonds
The Gibson Brothers, a New York-based bluegrass band, released their fourth disc for the label. The CD, produced by the Gibsons, contains seven new Gibson originals and covers of songs by Roger Miller, Steve Earle, Tom Petty, Julie Miller, and Bill Carlisle. Produced by Eric and Leigh Gibson and long-time bassist Mike Barber, the album was recorded at The Sound Emporium in Nashville, in September and at Chas Eller Studios in Charlotte, Vt., in October. Joining Eric (vocals, banjo, guitar), Leigh (vocals, guitar), and Mike (upright bass) are bandmates Clayton Campbell (fiddle) and Rick Hayes (mandolin) and guests Junior Barber (Dobro and Weissenborn guitar) and sister Erin LaClair (vocals).

Ricky Skaggs - Honoring the Fathers of Bluegrass: Tribute to 1946 and 1947 Ricky Skaggs goes the tribute route by honoring the likes of Flatt & Scruggs, Chubby Wise and Howard Watts. The four were all part of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys. Earl Scruggs plays on the disc along with Del McCoury.

Longview - Deep in the Mountains
Six years have passed since the last recording from bluegrass supergroup Longview, and this marks their much-anticipated return with a different line-up. Original members James King, Don Rigsby, and Marshall Wilborn are now joined by J.D. Crowe, Ron Stewart and Lou Reid.

Sierra Hull - Secrets
Teen mandolin ace Sierra Hull offers 13 songs - 3 she had a hand in writing - of hard-driving bluegrass and ballads. Recorded in Nashville in 2007, "Secrets" was co-produced by Hull and Ron Block (Union Station) and features Block, Dan Tyminski, Barry Bales, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Tony Rice, Jim VanCleve, Rob Ickes, Chris Jones, Jason Moore, and 17-year-old banjo whiz Cory Walker (who is in Sierra's band, Highway 111). At the age of eight, Hull became a respected young picker in bluegrass. At 11, Hull made her Grand Ole Opry debut, when she was invited to play with her heroine, Alison Krauss. Since then, Hull has competed in and won numerous mandolin and guitar championships, showcased at The International Bluegrass Music Association's World of Bluegrass and was a featured performer on the Great High Mountain Tour, which included an all-star bluegrass lineup (with Krauss and Ralph Stanley), that performed songs from the soundtracks of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and "Cold Mountain."

IIIrd Tyme Out - Footprints: A IIIrd Tyme Out Collection
IIIrd Tyme Out offers a best-of from their Rounder years and highlights the band's classic lineup of Russell Moore (guitar, lead vocal), Ray Deaton (bass, bass vocal), Wayne Benson (mandolin, vocal), Steve Dilling (banjo, vocal), and Mike Hartgrove (fiddle). Winner of an unprecedented seven consecutive Vocal Group of the Year awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association. Two new songs are on the collection.

Rhonda Vincent - Good Thing Going
Bluegrass mainstay Rhonda Vincent, who has won seven consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, returns with a dozen songs. Guests include Keith Urban, Jesse McReynolds, Russell Moore of iiird Tyme Out, Bryan Sutton, Becky Isaacs-Bowman, Stuart Duncan and Kathy Chiavola.

The SteelDrivers - The Steeldrivers
Highly regarded behind the scenes as songwriters and session players, The SteelDrivers formed to create a soulful bluegrass sound. The SteelDrivers are Richard Bailey, Mike Fleming, Mike Henderson, Tammy Rogers and Chris Stapleton. Henderson and Rogers were associated with Kieran Kane on the dead reckoning label. The debut contains 11 songs. "Really soulful bluegrass, with great songs. An incredible combination." -Vince Gill

Dailey & Vincent - Dailey & Vincent
Jamie Dailey, former lead singer and guitarist for Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and Darrin Vincent, who most recently was guitar and mandolin player and harmony vocalist with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, team together to release their first disc. The music incorporates traditional bluegrass, country and gospel. Three songs on the self-produced disc have connections with the Statler Brothers. Vincent is the brother of Rhonda with whom he also has played.

Blue Highway - Through the Window of a Train
Bluegrass quintet Blue Highway releases their fifth CD.