Bluegrass Smash Hits, Vol. 1

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Barnes & Noble - David McGee
The title may seem comical, or at least ironic, but in the bluegrass world certain songs do indeed qualify as "smash hits." Those would be far more in number than the 16 tracks included here, but this set does encompass a sweep of history, from the mid-19th century up to the present day, and includes de rigeur warhorses such as the furious fiddle workout "Sally Goodin'" and the Stanley Brothers' keening rouser "Little Maggie," a showcase for spitfire banjo and breakneck fiddle soloing. The Mashville Brigade quintet makes its album debut in exemplary fashion here, showing an ease and fluidity befitting its members' pedigrees. No Johnny-come-latelies, these five fellows ...
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More About This Product

Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble - David McGee
The title may seem comical, or at least ironic, but in the bluegrass world certain songs do indeed qualify as "smash hits." Those would be far more in number than the 16 tracks included here, but this set does encompass a sweep of history, from the mid-19th century up to the present day, and includes de rigeur warhorses such as the furious fiddle workout "Sally Goodin'" and the Stanley Brothers' keening rouser "Little Maggie," a showcase for spitfire banjo and breakneck fiddle soloing. The Mashville Brigade quintet makes its album debut in exemplary fashion here, showing an ease and fluidity befitting its members' pedigrees. No Johnny-come-latelies, these five fellows all have sterling resumes: Aaron McDarris (banjo, harmony vocals) is a Grascal; Darrell Webb (guitar, vocals) has been subject to Rage in Rhonda Vincent's band; Jim Van Cleve (fiddle) is a Mountain Heart mover and shaker; Randy Barnes (bass) maintains the pulse for NewFound Road; and Ashby Frank (mandolin, vocals) labors mightily in Special Consensus. The ensemble gets together at Nashville's bluegrass heaven, the Station Inn, and although they cut this album live in the studio, they use no overdubs or sweetening, sounding exactly as they might be heard by the enthusiastic patrons at the Inn. The emphasis is on upbeat tunes, which results in a wealth of spectacular instrumental sorties (on Bill Monroe's "Lonesome Road Blues" the speed-picked and -bowed dialogues between Frank's mandolin and Van Cleve's fiddle threaten to go careering off into the ether). But there are also moments of reflective, soulful introspection, notably in the tenderly harmonized rendition of a Carter Family classic, "Bury Me Beneath the Willow," to which Frank adds tasty, succinct mandolin shadings. The title would seem to promise more Mashville Brigade communiqués ahead. Write soon, so to speak.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 4/22/2008
  • Label: Rural Rhythm
  • UPC: 732351032521
  • Catalog Number: 325
  • Sales rank: 132,347

Album Credits

Performance Credits
Mashville Brigade Primary Artist
Jim VanCleve Fiddle
Ashby Frank Mandolin, Vocals
Randy Barnes Bass Guitar, Acoustic Bass
Aaron McDaris Banjo, Vocals
Darrell Webb Guitar, Vocals
Technical Credits
Benny Quinn Mastering
Sam Passamano Jr. Executive Producer
Jon Weisberger Author
Jim VanCleve Producer
David Beano Hall Engineer
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