Always in Style: A Classic Collection

Amazon.com
When John Duffey, singer and mandolin player for the esteemed Washington, D.C., bluegrass band Seldom Scene, died suddenly of a heart attack in 1996, modern bluegrass lost one of its most coruscating and innovative giants. A thrilling tenor singer and dynamic frontman, this suburban Washington son of a professional opera singer is remembered for his delightfully eccentric showmanship and for his expansion of modern bluegrass's repertoire, making the music vital and accessible even to non-Southern urban audiences. This collection captures some vivid highlights from Duffey's four-decade legacy, first with the Country Gentlemen and then with the Scene, which he led from 1971 until his death. Duffey could easily out-traditionalize the traditionalists when he chose, as he does on the Scene's renditions of chestnuts such as the Stanley Brothers' "Let Me Be Your Friend" and Bill Monroe's "Rose of Old Kentucky." But he also had a knack for brilliantly transforming unlikely songs such as J.J. Cale's bluesy "After Midnight," Woody Guthrie's "Philadelphia Lawyer," and the old George Jones ballad "Walk Through This World with Me" into dazzling bluegrass showstoppers. --Bob Allen

Tracks:

Let Me Be Your Friend
Long Black Veil
The Old Hometown
Tennessee Blues
Rose Of Old Kentucky
Walk Through This World With Me
Philadelphia Lawyer
Were You There
Say Won't You Be Mine
Willie Roy
I Haven't Got The Right To Love You
After Midnight
The Boatman
They're At Rest Together
Pictures From Life's Other Side
Hickory Wind
She's More To Be Pitied
Here Today And Gone Tomorrow
Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way
Girl In The Night
Life Is Like A Mountain Railway

Amazon.com

When John Duffey, singer and mandolin player for the esteemed Washington, D.C., bluegrass band Seldom Scene, died suddenly of a heart attack in 1996, modern bluegrass lost one of its most coruscating and innovative giants. A thrilling tenor singer and dynamic frontman, this suburban Washington son of a professional opera singer is remembered for his delightfully eccentric showmanship and for his expansion of modern bluegrass's repertoire, making the music vital and accessible even to non-Southern urban audiences. This collection captures some vivid highlights from Duffey's four-decade legacy, first with the Country Gentlemen and then with the Scene, which he led from 1971 until his death. Duffey could easily out-traditionalize the traditionalists when he chose, as he does on the Scene's renditions of chestnuts such as the Stanley Brothers' "Let Me Be Your Friend" and Bill Monroe's "Rose of Old Kentucky." But he also had a knack for brilliantly transforming unlikely songs such as J.J. Cale's bluesy "After Midnight," Woody Guthrie's "Philadelphia Lawyer," and the old George Jones ballad "Walk Through This World with Me" into dazzling bluegrass showstoppers. --Bob Allen

Customer Reviews:

Keeping John Duffey's Genius Alive.......2006-08-15

This CD is a retrospective of John Duffey's musical genius; however, I don't agree with the track selections, which tend to focus on John's vocal ability... forgeting his brilliant, irreplaceable mandolin style. A style which is featured in the award winning documentry, "High Lonesome The Story of Bluegrass Music," and in the chapter titled "Four Bluegrass Greats" of Jack Tottle's critically acclaimed mandolin instruction book BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN.

With all this in mind, why would producer Fred Jasper exclude John's stellar mandolin breaks on, "Will The Circle Be Unbroken," from the Country Gentlemen's début and "I Know You Rider" from the Seldom Scene's LIVE AT THE CELLAR DOOR;" certainly, not only fine examples of John's creativity on the mandolin but also of his showmanship... I guess you'd have to ask Fred.

A+.......2006-07-02

I enjoy every track on this CD. It really showcases John's vocal range, and the music selection is splendid.

Duffey! (definitely with the !).......2001-05-16

"Taste" is a difficult term to define... was Duffey! completely tasteless, or did he turn tastelesness into its own taste? I guess if he was good enough for Ralph Stanley (who invited him to add the very high baritone to "Lonesome River" a few years ago), he's good enough for me. One thing is sure, Duffey! was a Presence in bluegrass music, with a one-in-a-million voice, a "what me worry?" mandolin style, and his own very unique view of what is good music. This compilation reminds us just how hard he was to ignore!

It's hard to believe this one-of-a-kind musician is dead. One of the most intense singers and stage personalities of all time; the term 'larger than life' certainly applied. It brings back happy memories of the Red Fox, the Birchmere and various festival stages, watching the big guy with the buzzcut and dentist's shirt -- and wondering what he would do next. These selections are from his work with the Scene as well as the Classic Country Gentlemen reunion. No one can do true country pathos ("Willie Roy", "Pictures from Life's Other Side") like Duffey!, and on classic bluegrass trios ("The Old Hometown") he's in his element. I had always discounted his mandolin work as 'just playing around', but the version of "Tennessee Blues" here was real ear-opener for me. Of course, his signature songs such as After Midnight" are here too. But the absolute high point is an unbelievably powerful duet with Dudley Connell (from the "Dream Scene" album) on "They're at Rest Together". It took Connell's power, both singing and with rhythm guitar, to finally match Duffey!. I guess if you live as intensely as Duffey! you're unlikely to die of old age.

Music Album:

Music Album