New Grass Revival [Original recording remastered]

1. What You Do to Me

2. Love Someone Like Me

3. Lonely Rider

4. Sweet Release

5. How Many Hearts

6. In the Middle of the Night

7. Saw You Runnin'

8. Ain't That Peculiar

9. Seven by Seven

10. Revival

New Grass Revival,New Grass Revival,Southern Music Dist.,Bluegrass,Country,Pop,Progressive Bluegrass

Average customer rating: Newgrass at the top Career-Spanning Retrospective Best of New Grass Revival Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival (Capitol) New material from a classic band

Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival New Grass Revival Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Best of New Grass Revival Laps in Seven Telluride Bluegrass Festival: Thirty Years Now Hear This When The Storm Is Over/Fly Through The Country ASIN: B0009ML1RK Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

1. Great Balls Of Fire
2. Prince Of Peace
3. Casey Jones
4. The Dancer
5. Doin' My Time
6. All Night Train
7. Vamp In The Middle
8. Spring Peepers
9. Lee Highway Blues
10. Souvenir Bottles
11. Sapporo
12. Steam Powered Aero Plane
13. When The Storm Is Over
14. You Don't Knock
15. White Freight Liner Blues
16. Good Woman's Love
17. Reach

Tracks:

1. One More Love Song
2. On The Boulevard
3. One Love / People Get Ready
4. Seven By Seven
5. In The Middle Of The Night
6. Sweet Release
7. Metric Lips
8. Unconditional Love
9. Looking Past You
10. Revival
11. Ain't That Peculiar
12. Callin' Baton Rouge
13. I'm Down
14. Angel Eyes
15. Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan
16. Do What You Gotta Do
17. Singing The Blues
18. Can't Stop Now

Album Description

If Cream and Led Zeppelin were the supergroups of classic rock, New Grass Revival is the supergroup of bluegrass. Formed in 1972, NGR helped define "newgrass" by rearranging traditional bluegrass standards with electrified style. Fronted by lead singer John Cowan and featuring the virtuoso and improvisational playing of Sam Bush (mandolin) and Béla Fleck (banjo), NGR helped launch the jam-band scene long before the Bonaroo Festival. NGR disbanded in 1990, but their legacy laid the foundation for the Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Nickel Creek, and the String Cheese Incident. Includes 2 CDs, 35 tracks (7 previously unreleased)--all 24-bit digitally remastered.

Customer Reviews:

Newgrass at the top.......2006-03-08

I bought this because of the unrealesed live tracks.These guys are fine players with sam bush being my favorite.So I recomend this to people who want to get to know this great band who were together for 18 years.

Career-Spanning Retrospective.......2005-11-29

With tracks from their King Records debut, their stints with Flying Fish, Rounder and Capitol, as well as previously unissued live and studio tracks, this is THE definitive anthology from one of the most influential bands of the progressive bluegrass genre.

Over the course of nearly two and a half hours of music and 35 tracks, GRASS ROOTS covers New Grass Revival's history from their 1972 debut through their 1989 New Year's Eve farewell show.

"Great Balls of Fire," the first of two tracks from their debut, is a no-holds-barred romp with Sam Bush on Mandolin and lead vocal and the banjo pyrotechnics provided by Courtney Johnson. The second track is the Leon Russell-penned "Prince of Peace."

Not only did Russell take NGR as his opening act in 1973, he let them record at his Shelter studios at the end of the tour. These three tracks from 1974 are all previously unreleased. For these sessions, NGR added a drummer which further alienated them from the bluegrass community. "Casey Jones," an instrumental, and "The Dancer" are fairly typical bluegrass numbers (except for the drums); but "Doin' My Time" with its extended instrumental breaks goes on for more than six and a half minutes. [It's easy to see where bands like the String Cheese Incident and Yonder Mountain String Band were influenced by NGR.]

By 1975's FLY THROUGH THE COUNTRY, the band's lineup solidified to include Bush, Johnson and bassist/vocalist John Cowan and guitarist Curtis Burch. This version of the band would stay in tact through their 1981 LP COMMONWEALTH.

NGR Mach II would emerge in 1983 (and stay together until the band dissolved) with Pat Flynn replacing Burch and Bela Fleck replacing Johnson. Two previously unreleased tracks from an Austin City Limits appearance, "When the Storm Is Over" and "You Don't Knock," showcase the new lineup.

"Seven By Seven," from their self-titled Capitol debut, showed the bluegrass/jazz path Fleck would latter follow with the Flecktones. "In the Middle of the Night" (from the same album) illustrated that Flynn was not only a gifted singer and guitarist, but the band's best songwriter.

Two other previously unreleased tracks are from a 1987 Austin City Limits appearance. The first is a funky version of "Revival." The other is a terrific version of "Ain't That Peculiar."

The final three unreleased tracks are from their Oakland Coliseum New Year's Eve show. They include "Do What You Gotta Do," a stunning 11-minute rendition of "Singing the Blues," and "Can't Stop Now." As the applause erupts, someone in the band responds, "Thanks so much! It's been wonderful!" It certainly has been, and this two-disc set captures many of the highlights of this amazing band. [Running time - Disc 1, 74:53; Disc-2, 74:15] VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Best of New Grass Revival.......2005-08-22

This is a great album but then I've never been disappointed with any of their albums. Side one is the older songs which I love. I just wish they had included more of the songs from the "Flying Through the Country" and "When the Storm is Over" albums. But no New Grass Revival fan will be disappointed. The album cover has a lot of good history about them also.

Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival (Capitol).......2005-08-03

The New Grass Revival defined what an acoustic band could be. The band defined a style of music. The New Grass Revival continues to influence acoustic music three decades after their modest beginning. Mandolinist Sam Bush along with banjoist Courtney Johnson, guitarist Curtis Burch and bassist "Ebo Walker" (Harry Shelor) began playing the "New Grass Style" in 1972. While their music evolved, the band changed personnel slightly through their history, adding John Cowan on bass in 1973. Bush and Cowan had met guitarist Pat Flynn at a festival in Colorado and jammed with him. Bush had known banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck for years. They were selected as the band's two new members in 1981.
Grass Roots is a 2 Cd set that will take you on a trip through New Grass history beginning in 1972 with a version of "Great Balls of Fire" like no other. This is a prime example of how the band revolutionized bluegrass music; no song was immune to being converted to the New Grass sound.
This collection is not just a compilation of old recordings re-released; there are a number of never released tracks. New Grass Revival ended their phenomenal run on New Years Eve, 1989 with a concert in California at the Oakland Coliseum. Their final show concluded with "Do What You Gotta Do", "Singing the Blues", and appropriately "Can't Stop Now", so ends the Grass Roots collection. As a long time fan of New Grass Revival, I wonder what was going on in the minds of Sam Bush, Pat Flynn, John Cowan and Bela Fleck as they burned down the Oakland Coliseum and rode off into the sunset.
This is a collection New Grass Revival songs that everyone who enjoys progressive bluegrass and acoustic music should own. It is an audio history of where this music we love came from, and a clue to where it's headed. Besides that, these boys rocked back then, and their music in this collection still does, ask Garth Brooks!

Rex Flottman

New material from a classic band.......2005-08-03

I've been a New Grass Revival fan since 1989. I discovered them watching a rerun of Austin City Limits. It's a real thrill to see two of the cuts from that 1987 performance on this album. But that's just the beginning for fans. This album also sports two cuts from the band's 1983 Austin City Limits performance. Other highlights are three unreleased tracks recorded for Leon Russell's Shelter Records and three unreleased cuts from the band's last gig on New Year's Eve, 1989, when they opened for the Grateful Dead in Oakland. New Grass Revival was a powerful presence live, and this album makes that case with 10 of its 38 tracks being live recordings. If you know New Grass Revival, you must hear this album. If you've missed out on one of the most exciting bands of the 70s and 80s, this album is a wonderful introduction.

Average customer rating: Transitional NGR When The Storm Is Over/Fly Through the Country The best of the best Early & Essential New Grass Revival Essential early and defining work

When The Storm Is Over/Fly Through The Country New Grass Revival Manufacturer: Flying Fish Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Contemporary Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Barren County On the Boulevard Commonwealth Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival The Best of New Grass Revival ASIN: B000000MDQ Release Date: 1992-09-29

Tracks:

1. Skippin' In The Mississippi Dew
2. Good Woman's Love
3. Glory
4. All Night Train
5. Fly Through The Country
6. This Heart Of Mine
7. The Dancer
8. When She Made Laughter Easy
9. Doin' My Time
10. These Days
11. Four Days Of Rain
12. White Freightliner Blues
13. Sail To Australia
14. When The Storm Is Over
15. And He Says 'I Love You'
16. Vamp In The Middle
17. Like A Child In The Rain
18. Tennessee Wagoner
19. Colly Davis
20. Crooked Smile

Customer Reviews:

Transitional NGR.......2007-05-21

This CD is a combination of two NGR albums - Fly Through the Country and When the Storm is Over.

If you're looking for classic NGR, this is it. Just about every tune you remember from the original guys (Sam, John, Curtis, and Courtney) is included - just about every song on these albums was a "hit" for them. In addition, the best of these were carried over to the more modern NGR sound when Bela and Pat joined the group.

I call it "transitional" for two reasons. The first was mentioned in the previous paragraph. The second is that these albums are where NGR really "locks in" it's signature sound. The preferred harmony stack, extended jams, and song selection would continue until the much later days of the band where they went a bit more in the jazz direction.

The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that a number of the songs would be better featured in a "live" setting. "Fly Through the Country" (the tune, not the whole album) falls a bit flat in the studio as do a couple of others. Fortunately, there are a couple of live albums (one from this era and another from the later incarnation) where you can hear NGR playing as they were meant to be.

Go ahead. Buy this. You won't be disappointed, and you'll feel right "at home" with a bunch of guys who streached bluegrass to the breaking point, and became legend because of it.

When The Storm Is Over/Fly Through the Country.......2004-03-24

This compilation of two separately released records on vinyl is absolutely one of the best driving cd's available. If the sun is shining, and you're on the road, this is a must have for those who love finger pickin'!

The best of the best.......2001-06-19

Two albums on one CD. When the Storm is Over is very good. Fly Through The Country is excellent. Though Bela Fleck was not in the band when they recorded these two albums, Fly Through The Country represents the best songs the band ever recorded. This would be the one studio album of theirs that is a must have.

Early & Essential New Grass Revival.......2001-04-03

During the 1980's I immersed myself in bluegrass music. I first sought out Bill Monroe, of course, and then Flatt & Scruggs, Ralph & Carter Stanley and from there it was more progressive artists like J.D. Crowe & The New South, The Country Gentlemen, The Seldom Scene, and The New Grass Revival. For too many people, bluegrass music is still personified by the inbred hillbilly from Deliverance playing "Dueling Banjos." That's too bad. This is the music that comes closest to touching the heart and soul of our country's earliest history and for a time no one did it better than Sam Bush (fiddle, mandolin, vocal), Courtney Johnson (banjo), Curtis Burch (guitar, vocal) and John Cowan (bass).

This reissue packages their first two studio albums for Flying Fish from 1975 and 1977. [Their debut on Starday featured Ebo Walker on bass.] Fly Through the Country is the more traditional of the two, while When the Storm is Over added piano and drums on many of the tracks. But they would constantly balance the two. They'd do the Flatt & Scruggs standard ("Doin' My Time") one moment, then turn around and cover Jackson Browne ("These Days") the next. They'd also cover Jimmy Webb ("Fly Through the Country"), Rick Roberts ("Four Days of Rain" from The Flying Burrito Brothers) and Townes Van Zandt ("White Freightliner Blues"). Both albums feature John Hartford covers: "Skippin' in the Mississippi Dew" from the former and "Vamp in the Middle" from the latter. The only songwriter in the band was Sam Bush who wrote the instrumental "Crooked Smile," a nearly eight-minute instrumental heavily influenced by David Grisman's "dawg" music, which blended jazz and bluegrass. Bush also co-wrote another six of these tracks with Steven Brines.

Amazon.com only lists the tracks from When the Storm Is Over. Here's the tracks from Fly Through the Country: 1. Skippin' in the Mississippi Dew 2. Good Woman's Love 3. Glory 4. All Night Train 5. Fly Through the Country 6. This Heart of Mine 7. The Dancer 8. When She Made Laughter Easy 9. Doin' My Time 10. These Days

While the band would continue to have success into the 80's with a slighltly altered lineup, these early recordings have an excitement and urgency about them that still make them enjoyable twenty-five years later. And this two-fer is a real bargain. Grab it while you can. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Essential early and defining work.......1998-06-19

"When The Storm Is Over" continues to solidify the New Grass Revival as America's premier progressive bluegrass band. All of the elements that would become the band's trademarks throughout their existence are already evident; innovation, distinctive interpretation, superb presentation, excellent writing and song selection, not to mention their unsurpassed musical abilities. "When The Storm Is Over" is fittingly combined with an earlier album release, "Fly Through The Country", on one CD. Very similar, these two albums give us a good perspective of their early work following the departure of Ebo Walker on bass, who appeared on only one album. Replaced by John Cowan, his Rock/Blues influences further delineated the group from mainstream bluegrass and provided greater diversity.

This set has it all - There are soulful ballads - "Sail To Australia" and "He Says I Love You". "Four Days Of Rain", the title track "When The Storm Is Over", and "Like A Child In The Rain", are delightful upbeat melodies. "White Freightliner Blues" and the instrumental duet "Tennessee Rain" are proof that the group has dedicated roots in the heart of bluegrass, demonstrating the ability to play traditional renditions fluently....and during a time when "progressive" and "bluegrass" were still contradictory terms. "Crooked Smile" is the climactic high-powered instrumental jam, finishing off the record with Bush's wonderfully constructed mandolin lead throughout, reminiscent of "Red Man Blues" and its fiddle work from their previous live album.

The only reason this record gets 4 stars instead of 5 is because New Grass Revival only gets better from here.

Average customer rating: You've gotta hear it!!! BUY THIS CD AND SAVE MONEY ! You can't appreciate it until you have heard it. Anything But Ordinary What kind of music do you like? WHO CARES! Buy This!

The Best of New Grass Revival New Grass Revival Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival On the Boulevard The Telluride Sessions When The Storm Is Over/Fly Through The Country Ice Caps: Peaks of Telluride ASIN: B000002TNY Release Date: 1994-03-08

Tracks:

1. Love Someone Like Me
2. Sweet Release
3. In The Middle Of The Night
4. Saw You Runnin'
5. Revival
6. Hold To A Dream
7. Can't Stop Now
8. Metric Lips
9. Unconditional Love
10. Friday Night In America
11. You, Plant Your Fields
12. Let's Make A Baby King
13. Do What You Gotta Do
14. Let Me, Be Your Man
15. Callin' Baton Rouge
16. Big Foot
17. Angel Eyes
18. I'm Down

Amazon.com essential recording

Virtuoso instrumental insurgents, the NGR brought the counterculture into bluegrass festivals during the '70s, and altered the music forever with daring, extended, jazz-influenced jams. Over two decades the band went through various line-up changes, and this generous single-disc retrospective concentrates on the classic '80s unit, featuring founder Sam Bush on fiddle and mandolin, John Cowan on bass and vocals, Bela Fleck on banjo, and Pat Flynn on guitar and vocals. The song selection itself tells much about the band: Standards give way to originals from Flynn and producer Wendy Waldman, as well as John Hiatt and the Beatles ("I'm Down"). --Roy Francis Kasten

Customer Reviews:

You've gotta hear it!!!.......2003-12-05

This band is outstanding!!! You have about the best musical combination you could ever ask for with this line-up. The talents within these guys are amazing. You get a good taste of different musical styles with NGR. John Cowan's vocals are hard and driving and yet beautiful when needed. His bass-playing compliments the band as well. Pat Flynn has a cool, kind of unique style of guitar playing and has some nice, tasteful, yet flashy phrases as well. Sam Bush....well...what's to say?? He is always a grade 'A' mandolin player!!! Bela Fleck is on the banjo. His name speaks on its own!!! He's always a great player. I highly recommend checking out this band.

BUY THIS CD AND SAVE MONEY !.......2000-06-30

You like Jon Bon Jovi's voice? This guys better! You like smoking instrumental leads? You'll love this. You like bluegrass,r&b, reggae and jazz? Save money and just but this one cd. I can't tell you when the last time I sat down and listened to a cd...AND I AM A PROFESSIONAL DJ. It's fun, bouncy, cheerful, soulful, great harmony and wonderful American roots music.

You can't appreciate it until you have heard it........2000-05-26

I think that I have said it all with "You can't appreciate it until you have heard it". Between John Cowan's voice and the talents of Sam Bush on mandolin and violin, Pat Flynn on Rhythm and lead guitar and Bela Fleck wailing on the banjo, this is a can't miss for those lovers of contemporary Bluegrass or Dawg music! To see John Cowan in concert, well, you'll be blown away! The CD's don't do justice to John Cowan LIVE! You can visit John's web site.....

Anything But Ordinary.......2000-04-03

This is all that's left of the three albums the final incarnation of the New Grass Revival did for Liberty in the second half of the Eighties. Founding members Sam Bush (fiddle, mandolin) and John Cowan (bass) are joined by Bela Fleck (banjo) and Pat Flynn (guitar) for some of the most innovative and inventive bluegrass committed to disc. The dynamics of the new band made a profound impact on the band. Bela Fleck is the premier banjoist in the world. Instrumentals like his "Metric Lips" and "Big Foot" blended bluegrass and jazz into an amazingly original sound. Pat Flynn, in addition to being an expressive singer, was also a talented songwriter ("Sweet Release", "Do What You Gotta Do").

The band flirted with Top 40 succes with songs like "Can't Stop Now," "Unconditional Love," "Friday Night in America" and "Callin' Baton Rouge." But the band was not going to pigeon-holed into a restrictive format, which won them critical praise if not commercial success. [But how can you not love a band who covers an obscure Beatles' B-side ("Im Down")?]

This disc represents the New Grass Revival at their peak. By the end of the decade Sam Bush called it quits to pursue a solo career (as well as frequent session work and a stint in Emmylou Harris' Nashville Ramblers). Fleck would form the Flecktones and continue his bluegrass/be-bop/jazz hybrid. [This configuration of the band also recorded the equally exceptional On the Boulevard on the Sugar Hill label.] But this nearly 70-minute, 18-song collection does an excellent job of representing one of bluegrass music's best progressive bands. As it was stated in the liner notes, "New Grass Revival will never be accused of being ordinary." HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

What kind of music do you like? WHO CARES! Buy This!.......1998-09-13

NGR is incredible. Hear some of the great hits of the last 10 years before they went mainstream by being recorded by Jeff Healey (Angel Eyes) or Garth Brooks (Callin' Baton Rouge, Do What You Gotta Do) and others. The lead singer has an absolutely phenomenal voice -- completely unbelievable. And of course, anything with Bela Fleck on it is guaranteed to kick the butt out of your stereo.

Average customer rating: The first CD by New Grass Revival 4 Great Pickers A landmark album, classic New Grass The Foundation of a Genre A wonderful, irreplaceable band

The New Grass Revival New Grass Revival Manufacturer: Hollywood ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Bluegrass | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Bluegrass | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: When The Storm Is Over/Fly Through The Country Too Late to Turn Back Now Commonwealth Barren County On the Boulevard ASIN: B0000005H7 Release Date: 1994-08-15

Tracks:

1. Pennies in my Pocket
2. Cold Sailor
3. I Wish I Said
4. Prince of Peace
5. Ginseng Sulivan
6. Whisper My Name
7. Great Balls of Fire
8. Lonesome Fiddle Blues
9. Body and Soul
10. With Care from Someone

Customer Reviews:

The first CD by New Grass Revival.......2003-09-19

This band changed my life.
Sam and Courtney, what a great combination.
A must have, I miss them so much.

4 Great Pickers.......1999-12-01

This album displays some of the greatest stringed instrument virtuousity in recording history. However, the album does not reflect how much better this group sounded and played live.

A landmark album, classic New Grass.......1999-04-25

At one time I possessed every single New Grass album, and I have always felt this to be my favorite (with Barren County a close second). In freshness and originality the only thing that comes near it would be Aereoplane by John Hartford. I still listen to it all the time. There is a spirit in the songs on this record that I'm not sure they ever reached again on record (no problem with that - their musical and technical genius just got greater and greater over time). I wasn't around at the time, but I think it must capture the magic of the convergence of the traditional bluegrass and young hippy worlds that New Grass represented in the early days. Prince of Peace has always been my favorite song on the album, and Whisper My Name is one of those classic hard-driving why-in-the-hell won't you love me kind of songs. These songs will stir you to the deepest reaches of your heart, they have the rich rumbling drive that characterizes Tony Rice at his hottest, coupled with a youthful exuberance and idealism that just hasn't existed since the early seventies when this album was made. This record is a must for New Grass freaks as well as anyone interested in the history and evolution of bluegrass music.

The Foundation of a Genre.......1999-04-14

It is ironic that this latest release on CD from the great New Grass Revival was actually recorded with the band's first line-up....the New Grass's founding members from the New Grass Alliance....Sam Bush, Courtney Johnson, Ebo Walker, and Curtis Birch. This release causes some minor confusion in that the CD is simply entitled "New Grass Revival" ("Today's Bluegrass" by some references), which NGR fans will recognize as the name of a subsequent release introduced some 14 years later and recorded by a different NGR line-up with Sam Bush as the only musician to appear on both. Following this earlier "New Grass Revival" release, Ebo Walker left the band and was replaced by John Cowan. The line-up of Bush, Johnson, Birch, and now Cowan went on to release 5 more NGR albums before Birch and Johnson left the band. At that point, enter Bela Fleck and Pat Flynn, extraordinary players and writers who would help catapult the New Grass Revival to new horizons where the band would raise the bar to a new standard for bluegrass, or for a genre they created called "newgrass". The second of this band's four releases was also entitled "New Grass Revival". An Emmy nominated work originally released on Capitol in 1986 and rereleased on CD in 1994, it probably stands as their best ever and stills rivals anything coming out of Nashville today. Unfortunately, it, along with their last two albums, "Hold To A Dream" and "Friday Night In America", are now apparently out of print.

Now with history put in order, it should be mentioned that the first "New Grass Revival" release probably had even more impact on bluegrass than the latter. I would liken NGR's impact on the bluegrass scene in the 70's to the Beatles impact on rock'n roll in the 60's....the Fab 4 of Bluegrass! And, no one has ever equaled NGR either. Both groups somehow managed to split up while maintaining high popularity with the public demanding more. "New Grass Revival", initially released in 1972, must have knocked the country/bluegrass world on its ear....to see bluegrass musicians wearing long hair and incorporating rock, blues, jazz and other influences in their music was a concept that traditionalists were slow to tolerate. But the New Grass Revival was no ordinary band. They not only would put a twist on bluegrass, as they did with Jerry Lee's "Great Balls Of Fire", they were equally adept in their souped up delivery of traditional bluegrass numbers such as "Lonesome Fiddle Blues".

All the tunes on this album are very good. Preferring not to recognize any potential standouts, all of the tunes work together to create a musical statement....bluegrass on the cutting edge....the mark of the New Grass Revival. This is simply the first effort of its kind....to be cherished, a benchmark in the history of bluegrass and music. For us fans, the New Grass Revival has continued to fill, what would otherwise be, a musical void for almost thirty years now. Here's hoping that this great band will come together again to create and build upon their legacy.

A wonderful, irreplaceable band.......1998-07-22

NGR, as you can read almost everywhere, was a GREAT band, and this album is among their best -- they also have albums on Flying Fish and Sugar Hill that measure up to this one. The "Best of" is also excellent. This band gave Fleck the room to be the astonishing and thoughtful musician that he is, but also anchored him more strongly than his present band does (imho). Cowan is one of the premier voices in music regardless of genre. Sam Bush is remarkable, and Pat Flynn's guitar is excellent. If you can catch Bush and Cowan on tour -- DO IT. But buy this album.

Average customer rating: A Variety Of Musical Styles Brought Together Into A "Newgrass" Collection New lineup, great. Jaw-dropping!! No weak points to this New Grass Revival CD A pivitol work from the innovators of "New Grass"

On the Boulevard New Grass Revival Manufacturer: Sugarhill [Country] ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Contemporary Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: When The Storm Is Over/Fly Through The Country The Best of New Grass Revival Commonwealth Barren County Hold to a Dream ASIN: B000000EZL Release Date: 1992-12-15

Tracks:

1. On The Boulevard
2. Earth, Water, Wind & Fire
3. You're The Best Friend That I've Known
4. Just Is
5. County Clare
6. One More Love Song
7. You Don't Knock
8. One Of These Trains
9. Get In The Wind
10. Indian Hills
11. One Love/People Get Ready
12. Where Do I Go From Here
13. Walkin' In Jerusalem

Customer Reviews:

A Variety Of Musical Styles Brought Together Into A "Newgrass" Collection.......2006-02-18

Being new to NGR, I expected this album to have a more cohesive sound. But, in fact, it's a virtual gumbo stew of musical styles, ranging from Bela Fleck's Celtic inspired "County Clare" to the gospel sounding "You Don't Knock". Of course, there is also some straight ahead bluegrass as well as songs drawing from blues, folk and rock. Heck, there is even a Bob Marley tune.

Like many bluegrass records, this album has more cover songs than originals. But the band manages to add their own "newgrass" flavor to whatever is being recorded. Top notch tunes like "One Of These Trains" and "Earth, Water, Wind And Fire" manage to propel this CD to five star territory. Another great song is "On The Boulevard" where Pat Flynn rewrites the lyrics to the Jackson Browne original to reflect life in Nashville rather than Los Angeles. Good album for fans of traditional music who don't mind a little "newgrass" innovation.

New lineup, great........2003-09-19

After a few years together they record the first album with Bela and Pat.
Fresh, exciting, tasteful.
Remindes me of Nashville in the mid 80's.
Wonderful times.
The Beatles of Bluegrass.

Jaw-dropping!!.......2000-08-03

After discovering the NGR "Best of.." CD by looking for the songs that Garth Brooks covered (Callin' Baton Rouge and Do What You Got to Do) I fell in love with this ultra-talented group.

Since I bought that CD over a year ago, I was anxious for some fresh music. Looking at the lineup here, this seemed to be one of their strongest efforts. I just received the CD today and it is even better than I imagined. Every song is catchy, just like you would want music to be...without seeming hokey. The title song is simply awesome!

If you're having doubts...just buy it...you won't be sorry.

No weak points to this New Grass Revival CD.......1999-04-15

Some people have said that bluegrass is boring. When I've heard that, I usually force them to listen to this CD. Afterwards, they always admit that they were wrong. The appeal of this CD transcends the generations, and I can testify to that, mainly because I just recently discovered the disc. Not a lot of 15-year-olds are "into" bluegrass, but I know of at least one who is, and it's all due to these guys, and this CD.

A pivitol work from the innovators of "New Grass".......1998-06-17

The first of four album releases from the group's last lineup, "On The Boulevard" manages to tie the group's past to the group's future. Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Pat Flynn, and John Cowan maintain all of the essential elements which made NGR successful....most critically their penchant for expanding the envelope of progressive bluegrass beyond limits they themselves had set. The selections found here may showcase their astounding range and innovative interpretation more than any other album they produced; Soul, Blues, Reggae, Gospel, Celtic, Rock and other styles are incorporated, which are a testament. From their chemistry and artistic presentation to their musicianship, there are no weak points in this incarnation of The New Grass Revival.

Average customer rating: Classic new grass and New Grass The last CD from a great band

Friday Night in America New Grass Revival Manufacturer: Southern Music Dist. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Hold to a Dream Live Too Late to Turn Back Now On the Boulevard When The Storm Is Over/Fly Through The Country ASIN: B000059T8T Release Date: 2001-02-20

Tracks:

1. Friday Night in America
2. You Plant Your Fields
3. Let's Make a Baby King
4. Do What You Gotta Do
5. Let Me Be Your Man
6. Lila
7. Callin' Baton Rouge
8. Whatever Way the Wind Blows
9. Big Foot
10. Angel Eyes
11. I'm Down

Customer Reviews:

Classic new grass and New Grass .......2007-01-02

New Grass Revival defined a new sound for bluegrass, and it's one of the acts that got me interested in the genre back in the mid-90s. This album has it all, including the original version of "Callin' Baton Rouge" that blows the cowboy hat off Garth's version!

The last CD from a great band.......2003-09-20

This is a great album.
Unfortunately it was the last CD together from the New Grass Revival.
Good production, good songs, great playing, but everyone involved was ready for a change.
I saw this band live many times and I really miss the great shows.
Maybe someday there will be a reunion tour, anything is possible, you just never know.
In the meantime buy all their albums and enjoy one of the greatest bands in the history of bluegrass and good music.

Average customer rating: Amazing Music This album makes memories... My favorite A Favorite NEW GRASS REVIVAL in Concert, Canoe Races, PURE KENTUCKY!

Barren County New Grass Revival Manufacturer: Flying Fish Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Contemporary Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: When The Storm Is Over/Fly Through The Country Commonwealth On the Boulevard Too Late to Turn Back Now Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival ASIN: B000000MEL Release Date: 1992-09-29

Tracks:

1. Dancin' With The Angels
2. In The Plan
3. How About You
4. Crazy In The Night
5. Don't Look Back
6. Spring Peepers
7. Souvenir Bottles
8. Goin' To The Fair
9. Lee Highway Blues

Customer Reviews:

Amazing Music.......2005-07-08

This was to be the first album by New Grass that I had listened to, and it was to be my official introduction into the world outside of the rock music I was accustomed to listening to at that time in my life. Nay sayers may say that this is not "real" bluegrass, and who am I to judge?? Yet, this is the album that introduced me a whole new world and experience in music. Likewise, the talent of these musicians is unmatched- in my opinion at least. If you still aren't convinced, take it from the ears of a newborn- our son had severe colic. After spending god-knows-how-much in different formulas, mylecon drops, and Mozart C.D.'s (and any other idea other more experienced parents had), his tired mommy needed tunes of her own to hear (that would be me). Low and behold, they soothed our son's fretful cries- each and every time we played them. To this day, he loves these C.D.'s as much as we do! I have now collected all of the C.D.'s here, and am back to replace Barren County- ours is well- worn. Thanks New Grass Revival for your music- we miss you!

This album makes memories..........2004-07-13

Like some of the others here, putting on this album instantly transports me back to the time I discovered it -- for me a summer of discovery bumming around the mountains of Wyoming in a pickup truck full of climbing gear.

Over the years I've followed Sam Bush's career and while it gets better all of the time, this album holds up to anything since... the energy and no-holds barred performances are just amazing.

Buy this CD, shed your skin, and make it the soundtrack to your next adventure.

My favorite.......2003-09-19

This is it.
What I consider to be the best New Grass Revival album.
It has everything for everyone.
I love this guys so much.
I miss them.
This one is a must have.

A Favorite.......2001-06-02

I love this album. The music sounded better the more I listened to this piece when I first bought it 15 years ago. Today, it even sounds still better. The vocals are terrific. The playing is top-notch, and the blend of the styles of individual musicianship is fantastic. Two of my favorite songs are "Going to the Fair," and "How about You." I like the first one because it beautifully portrays the excitement and sense of romance at a county fair. It's also an incredibly funky tune. "How about You" has an amazing message that isn't preachy. The whole album is heart-felt, and the vocals have an vivid presence that is overwhelming -- especially on the tune "Crazy in the Night."

NEW GRASS REVIVAL in Concert, Canoe Races, PURE KENTUCKY!.......1999-06-06

Some of my best memories are of concerts at Beech Bend Park, and NEW GRASS REVIVAL playing outside Bowling Green, Ky. We would have the best of times lisening to there music roll across the fields, while waiting for the canoes to finish there annual race. They would truely make something out of nothing, music out air. Listen and you will hear yourself, PURE KENTUCKY!!!

Average customer rating: A great band's best album Best of the Old NGR, bring on the new! A music city native whos heard em all, and NGR is the best! The end of an era in bluegrass? Ah...it gets even better.

Commonwealth New Grass Revival Manufacturer: Flying Fish Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Contemporary Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Barren County When The Storm Is Over/Fly Through The Country On the Boulevard Live Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival ASIN: B000000MGE Release Date: 1992-09-29

Tracks:

1. Reach
2. Steam Powered Aereo Plane
3. One Day I'll Walk
4. Nothing Wasted, Nothing Gained
5. Pack Of Fools
6. Nothing Without You
7. Deeper And Deeper
8. Wicked Path Of Sin
9. Sapporo

Customer Reviews:

A great band's best album.......2005-07-16

"Commonwealth" is probably the best studio album released by the New Grass Revival (although Bela Fleck fans may argue for "Hold to a Dream"). This was the last recording with founding members Curtis Burch and Courtney Johnson; by this time the line-up had been playing together for 7 years (Burch, Johnson, and Sam Bush for more than a decade) and this familiarity comes through in the tight sound of this record. This album also has by far the best production qualities of the earlier recordings. This album veers back and forth between more traditional bluegrass songs like Monroe's "Wicked Path of Sin" and newgrass tunes like "Sapporo," one of the jammingest tunes NGR ever played.

Best of the Old NGR, bring on the new!.......2002-05-15

I bumped into this album (remember albums?) almost by chance in 1981, when I spent a summer in West Virginia & met a guy named Steve Brines, who co-wrote a # of tunes w Sam Bush, & who exposed me to this brilliant band. This is, in my opinion, by far the best of the Courtney/Curtis era. In particular "Reach" and "Nothing without you" shine like beacons. "Sapporo" stretches to the limits of the imagination of these incredible musicians - which is to say, quite a fer distance. Best production values of any album for this era of NGR. The band would go on to achieve still greater heights after a brief hiatus, after which Bela Fleck & Pat Flynn joined the band. If your only exposure to this band is through Bela, great, but pick this one up & see how brilliant they USED to be.

A music city native whos heard em all, and NGR is the best!.......1999-06-20

Growing up listening to my brother, Rick Hargis, one of the premier banjo players in the country, sparked my interest in bluegrass music. At age 4 I sat in a studio on Music Row in Nashville and listened to my brother cut his first album. Following him throughout his music career, I wound up at the Bluegrass Music Awards at the Opryland Hotel. There in a stack of a vendors records was NGR's "Commonwealth" album. My brother assured me that it was a great one, so I took it home. I played the record and was taken in by the tunes pouring from it. Contempory "new grass" tunes like "Deeper and Deeper", and "Sapporo" thrilled me with the uses of such instruaments as Sam Bush's electric fiddle, and traditional tunes like "Steam Powered Aereoplane", "Reach", and Bill Monroe's "Wicked Path of Sin" further deepened my love for the purest form of music on Earth.

NGR's departure from squeeky tinny banjos and nasal sounding vocals and their use of electric instruments shows what happens when you take the music past where you found it. NGR doesn't just mimic the genre, they re-invent it. It's not bluegrass, it's "New Grass"! Take for instance a song like "Nothing Without You". It isn't often you hear talents like Leon Russell playing piano on a "bluegrass" album. NGR decided to throw out the rule book and make just plain old good music.

The end of an era in bluegrass? Ah...it gets even better........1998-06-17

From the group's defining statement, "Reach", to the elaborate "Sapporo", "Commonwealth" is New Grass Revival through and through. Once again, the group succeeds through their innovation, choice of material, arrangement, and artistic interpretation. This is the perfect follow-up to "Barren County", demonstrating how effectively the band has progressed as they delve deeper into the various musical artforms where bluegrass traditionalists have not dared to go. The bad news is...this is the last recording of the Bush-Cowan-Johnson-Birch era; the good news...the band was firmly entrenched and would realize even greater success with the additions of the creative and instrumentally adept Bela Fleck and Pat Flynn.

Average customer rating:

New Grass Anthology New Grass Revival Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music ASIN: B000008IWC Release Date: 1990-08-20

Average customer rating:

Friday Night in New Grass Revival Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music ASIN: B000008IWD Release Date: 1990-10-25

Music Album:

1. Not All Who Wander Are Lost (Stereo) [Hybrid SACD]
2. On Arrival
3. Partner Dancing the Country Way
4. Place I Call Home
5. Pledge of Allegiance and Other Classic Narrations
6. Riddle of the Sphinx
7. Shawn Camp
8. Shenandoah
9. Silent Wings
10. Simplest Plans

Music Album