howdy neighbors;
Well, I finally lost my patience and called up County Sales and ordered
a buncha videos and records I'd been meaning to get for the longest time, and
the above was one of 'em I got. I'm not the biggest student of bluegrass, but
as far as I could tell this is one helluva well put-together film. Does a
pretty good job of detailing how bluegrass slowly (or quickly, depending on
how you look at it) evolved out of various celtic and black musics. Loads of
excellent archival footage, as well as great interview segments with Mr. Bill,
Mac Wiseman, Jimmy Martin, Jim and Jesse, Alison Krauss, too many others.
Also, about 10 minutes in, there's a bit of an interview with Ralph
Stanley, who proceeds to sing a short sacred accapella song, the likes of
which is-even to someone who's heard a lot of Ralph Stanley-enough to cause
your jaw to hit the floor. You literally can't believe anyone could be
blessed with that...wrenching of a voice, or something. Anyway, I read the
closing credits close and couldn't be for sure what song it exactly, something
about "mother resting back in the home churchyard, inside the deep cold
ground". I swear that man's voice can plug straight into your nervous system
at will with 10,000 volts whenever he wants it to. Any help from Jon or
Buddy or Mark (or anyone <g>) on this song's name would be greatly
appreciated.
This is well worth it folks, even if you only have a passing interest in
bluegrass, and it's only $20 through Countysales.com
Bluegrass on a Sunday morning, man, nothing better.
Dan Bentele
n.p. some excellent bluegrass band named Union Springs, with excellent
playin' and writin' from some guy named Jon Weisberger.....
