Butch Robins: Grounded, Centered, Focused

[Amanda Gregg]

Hey folks,

I posted a question on the Monroe Mandolin Appreciation Society Facebook page about the tune "My Father's Footsteps" and was directed to the Butch Robins album "Grounded, Centered, Focused." It's pretty easy to find, and it's FANTASTIC.

Maybe I'm the only mandolin player left on the planet that has never heard of it, but in case you've also never listened to it, I recommend grabbing it, especially if you are interested in Monroe-style mandolin. It has some of the best bluegrass groove I've ever heard (see, for example, "The Golden West" and "Tanyards"). Great mandolin work by Monroe and Compton.

Convinced yet?

[sgarrity]

Definitely required listening for any Monroe-head. The Old Lonesome Waltz is pretty cool too. Still working on Tanyards. That one is a bear!

[johnhgayjr]

I've had that one for a while - its a good 'un. There are a couple of tracks with Randy Howard on fiddle -- he does some mind blowing fiddle breaks. Also a really weird science fiction tune... Very strange for bluegrass...

http://www.amazon.com/Grounded-Cente...ntered+focused

[Mike Bunting]

The Fifth Child is not bad either.

[JimRichter]

Compton And Monroe are not the only mandolin that's on there. Dewey Farmer plays several on there. Excellent album. it's definitely one of Butchs best, along with his Rounder albums. However my favorite is The Bluegrass Band with young Alan O'Bryant and Blaine Sprouse, which when Butch left (and Alan went to banjo and Compton came in on mandolin) became the Nashville Bluegrass Band. Butch is the greatest and one of the most knowledgable Monroe Historians you could meet. He personally taught me a lot about bluegrass. All around great guy.

[jaymichael]

Saw the Bluegrass band in Cambridge, Ma at the In Square Men's Bar ? back in the early 80's Butch, Alan, Blaine and Ed Dye on Dobro was it Mark Schatz on bass? Great show, no mandolin that night. I had mine with me, I was taking lessons from Orrin Starr then, but I thought it best to keep it under my seat.

[almeriastrings]

It is indeed an excellent CD.

Also, Butch's book is equally good. Contains a lot of really interesting, reflective insights into the mind-set of top flight bluegrass musicianship. Highly recommended.

Not your usual ghost-written, vapid stuff at all, but well-written and very honest.

[GTison]

I read the book. It had some good insights into being a professional musician in the 70s and 80s.

As far as Grounded Centered Focused. It was good enough to buy twice. (I lost the first copy). If you are a Monroe head, like me, it is a must have. Compton overdubbing and doubling Monroe on one cut kinda melds them together. Try to figure out which is Monroe and which is Compton. Weird but very cool. The Tanyards version has become the standard version ( there are others out there that are some different). The space thing is weird at first but after reading the book, I can see where Robins would do that. I need to get some of those "The bluegrass band " recordings. Butch Robins is one of the best banjo pickers ever.

[JimRichter]

Here are a couple of Butch recorded at my house almost 10 years ago. The real deal

[Amanda Gregg]

Compton overdubbing and doubling Monroe on one cut kinda melds them together. Try to figure out which is Monroe and which is Compton.

That is way freakin cool!!

[Sasquatch]

I am so glad I came upon this thread!! This is the album I have been searching for that I didn't even know existed!
I'm a mandolin player of the 'Monrovian' variety that gets excited hearing these type of tunes. Gets my blood a movin'!
On a similar note, I read the recent Compton interview & I seen he is going to cut a recording of lesser known Monroe tunes. I nearly jumped out of my seat when I read this!! Can't wait!!

[72rcgrad]

Pretty sure it was Jimmy D Brock playing the bass at the show in Boston ~

[BradKlein]

Here's a nice video with a couple of Monroe story gems.

[banjoboy]

I remember seeing Butch when he played with Bill Monroe. My friends and I wanted to hear Butch play Monkey In The Garden, which was one of Butch's originals, but Monroe had him play Cripple Creek instead.