The Del McCoury Band - Old Memories: The Songs of Bill Monroe

[NewsFetcher]

The Mandolin Cafe has posted the following news release:
The Del McCoury Band - Old Memories: The Songs of Bill Monroe

The Del McCoury Band has joined a host of other Bill Monroe tribute recordings with their latest project, "Old Memories: The Songs of Bill Monroe."



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[Scott Tichenor]

I've been listening to this recording at the McCoury Band site late this afternoon. You can stream the entire recording from there. This is as good as it gets for traditional bluegrass to my ear. Really a spectacular recording and everyone is in top form.

[Ron McMillan]

You inspired me to resurrect a dormant iTunes account and download the album. I am not a devotee of bluegrass, but this album is a joy.

[grassrootphilosopher]

Having just listened to the stream I am utterly pleased with the recording.

You have some obscure blues numbers (Lonesome Truck Drivers Blues, Brakeman Blues) from the early fifties.

You have the very first track that Earl Scruggs played banjo on (Heavy Traffic Ahead... a milestone to my mind).

Listen to the dark and beautiful true songs Close By and In Despair.

Most of those are not on your run of the mill run tribute album. Yet they are very pleasing to listen to.

The other numbers pay tribute to other aspects of Bill Monroe´s music and his career.

The whole CD shows a pretty craggy handsome musical approach to the master´s music. Everybody is very much into the Bill Monroe music. Del McCoury of course is a Blue Grass Boy and plays and sings as such. Rob McCoury on the banjo lets his playing reflect on some of the old recordings (think Rudy Lyle et al). Jason Carter and his fiddle playing is truely outstanding while Ronnie McCoury plays as close to Monroe style as it gets.

I like it a lot.

[Don Grieser]

I'm really glad Del and the boys did this album. Nobody else around today can play these songs this good. And let's not forget that the first time Ronnie won the IBMA mandolin player of the year award, he walked over to where Bill Monroe was sitting and gave it to him. Now that's a young man with some class, might have learned it from his father.

[RB250]

When does this come out on CD?

[Mandolin Cafe]

Today is the anniversary of this album's release. In the crush of Monroe 100th birthday tribute albums from 2011 this one stood out far above the others in our opinion, and still does.

Old Memories: The Songs of Bill Monroe

[Bob Visentin]

Just saw Del in Chattanooga at the 3 Sisters Fest. They sounded great.