Lost Souls & Free Spirits: The Rebel Collection Old & New

by Chris Jones & The Night Drivers

Overview

He's not a household name in bluegrass circles like Bill Monroe or Flatt & Scruggs, and he's not a break-out darling of the roots-appreciation crowd like Ralph Stanley. But among the bluegrass cognoscenti, Chris Jones' name is spoken with something like reverence; not only is he a very fine rhythm and lead guitarist and a gifted songwriter, he is also one of the few bluegrass singers who has managed to forge a sound all his own while remaining firmly in the stylistic mainstream. Part of what makes his sound personal and unique is the fact that he sings in a low and mellow register -- more Jim Reeves than Del McCoury. But it's also in the emotional depth of his songs and the the way he takes straight-ahead instrumentation and arrangements and presses them into the service of chord progressions that are much more complex than you'll generally hear in bluegrass. This collection pulls together tracks from three albums he recorded for the venerable Rebel label between 1997 and 2000 (No One But You, Follow Your Heart, and Just a Drifter), plus three tracks from the self-released Cloud of Dust and three new recordings. The program consists mostly of Jones originals but also includes a few bluegrass and honky tonk classics, like the Delmore Brothers' "Nashville Blues" and the Louvin Brothers' lovely gospel song "Whispering Now" (not to mention the occasional slight oddity, such as the Gordon Lightfoot number "Ribbon of Darkness"). While longstanding fans will already own much of this material, Lost Souls & Free Spirits offers newcomers an excellent introduction to one of bluegrass music's richest talents. ~ Rick Anderson

Product Details

Release Date:	02/28/2012
Label:	Rebel / Rebel Records
UPC:	0032511751829
Rank:	94072

Tracks

1. Uphill Climb
2. What You Do
3. Final Farewell
4. Waltz of Regret
5. Nashville Blues
6. The Man on the Side of the Road
7. Ribbon of Darkness
8. A Hero in Harlan
9. I'm Ready If You're Willin'
10. Bridge to Portsmouth
11. I'd Rather Love You
12. Cloud of Dust
13. Train That Never Slows Down
14. Whispering Now

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Chris Jones & The Night Drivers   Primary Artist
Aaron Till   Tenor (Vocal),Fiddle
Megan Lynch   Fiddle
Kevin Crampton   Percussion
Lisa Forbes   Vocal Harmony
Doug Knecht   Tenor (Vocal),Banjo
Markie Sanders   Bass
Darrin Vincent   Bass,Tenor (Vocal)
Harley Allen   Tenor (Vocal)
Wayne Benson   Mandolin
Ron Stewart   Fiddle
Luke Bulla   Fiddle
Jeremy Garrett   Fiddle,Tenor (Vocal)
Jesse Brock   Mandolin
Mike Compton   Mandolin
Kent Blanton   Bass
Ned Luberecki   Banjo,Muted Banjo
Dan Tyminski   Mandolin
Pam Gadd   Baritone (Vocal)
Paul Brewster   Tenor (Vocal)
Andrea Zonn   Fiddle
Aubrey Haynie   Mandolin
Ron Block   Banjo,Tenor (Vocal)
Rob Ickes   Dobro
Sally Jones   Baritone (Vocal)
Missy Werner   Baritone (Vocal)
Tom T. Hall   Vocals,Featured Artist
Mark Stoffel   Mandolin,Tenor (Vocal)
Mike Witcher   Dobro
Jay Forbes   Vocal Harmony
Homer Forbes   Vocal Harmony
Jon Weisberger   Bass
Lori Forbes   Vocal Harmony
Irl Hees   Bass,Tenor (Vocal)

Technical Credits

Ronny Light   Mixing,Engineer
Lou Everhart   Package Design
Rich Adler   Mixing,Engineer
Darrin Vincent   Producer
Sunny Russ   Composer
Tim Stafford   Producer
Brent Truitt   Mixing,Engineer
Harley Allen   Composer
Gordon Lightfoot   Composer
Ben Surratt   Mixing,Engineer
Charlie Louvin   Composer
Michael Witcher   Photography
Ira Louvin   Composer
Eddie Hill   Composer
Dixie Hall   Composer
Alton Delmore   Composer
Mark Freeman   Production Coordination
Rabon Delmore   Composer
Vernon Claud   Composer
Jerry Organ   Composer
Tom T. Hall   Composer,Engineer
Johnny Duncan   Composer
Senor McGuire   Photography
Alex McCollough   Mastering
Jon Weisberger   Composer,Liner Notes