BlueGrassRoots: The Best of Bluegrass and More Live from etown

About the Artist
Founded in 1991, etown is a nationally-syndicated radio show heard 52 weeks a year on over 160 commercial and non-commercial radio stations across North America. etown is produced by a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization with a mission to produce high quality programs of diverse music and conversation in order to entertain, educate and engage a wide audience in appreciating and protecting our cultural and natural resources. Like old-time radio variety shows, every etown show is taped in front of a live audience, and features performances from many of today's top musical artists as well as conversation and information about our communities and environment. Founders Nick Forster, of legendary bluegrass band Hot Rize, and his wife, singer/actress Helen Forster host the show.

Product Description
etown's BlueGrassRoots is the first genre-specific CD in a series of compilations highlighting the best live performances culled from etown's extensive library. A limited release sure to become a collector's item, BlueGrassRoots combines such popular bluegrass and acoustic artists as Nickel Creek, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, David Grisman & Tony Rice, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Hot Rize, Old & In The Gray and more, as well as rare performances from legends like Ralph Stanley and the late John Hartford.

BlueGrassRoots: The Best of Bluegrass and More Live from etown,Various Artists,etown

Average customer rating: Excellent value with plenty of eclectic tracks

BlueGrassRoots: The Best of Bluegrass and More Live from etown Various Artists Manufacturer: etown ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Country | Styles | Music Country Folk | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B0002UUF6M Release Date: 2004-01-01

Tracks:

1. Blue Train (Nashville Bluegrass Band)
2. Meadow Green (Old & In the Gray)
3. Land's End (Nickel Creek)
4. Hey Joe (Tim O'Brien & Jerry Douglas)
5. In My Time Of Dying (The Be Good Tanyas)
6. The Angels Are Singing In Heaven Tonight (Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys)
7. (Just a 'tetch' of)Little Maggie (Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys)
8. Amanda Jewell ( Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder)
9. Maggie's Farm (Mike Seeger)
10. Train 45 (Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, with David Grisman, Tony Rice & Nick Forster)
11. Love Is A Long Road (The Del McCoury Band)
12. I Am A Pilgrim (David Grisman & Tony Rice)
13. Majestic (Sam Bush & John Cowan)
14. Blue Night (Hot Rize)
15. Woodchopper's Reel (Chris Thile & Nick Forster)
16. Cannonball Blues (Peter Rowan & Jerry Douglas)
17. Gentle On My Mind (Retrograss)

Album Description

etown's BlueGrassRoots is the first genre-specific CD in a series of compilations highlighting the best live performances culled from etown's extensive library. A limited release sure to become a collector's item, BlueGrassRoots combines such popular bluegrass and acoustic artists as Nickel Creek, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, David Grisman & Tony Rice, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Hot Rize, Old & In The Gray and more, as well as rare performances from legends like Ralph Stanley and the late John Hartford.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent value with plenty of eclectic tracks .......2005-05-25

Total Playing Time - 56:35 -- Bluegrass Roots is a compilation album of contemporary bluegrass and acoustic music sampled from the etown stage between 1991-2003. On this project produced by Nick Forster, performances were recorded at such venues as the Boulder Theater, Austin Music Hall, Chautauqua Auditorium, and Walker Center at Wilkes Community College. The music's span ranges from Sam Bush and John Cowan's "Majestic," recorded during etown's inaugural year on Halloween night 1991. The most recent track, is the Be Good Tanyas with "In My Time of Dying," recorded February, 2003. Liner notes provide a short paragraph about each of the 17 tracks, along with the recording date and place, and musicians featured.

For those not familiar with them, etown is a non-profit organization formed to build a strong community aware of social and environmental issues through music and conversation. The entertaining etown show is hosted by Nick and Helen Forster who combine information with music and humor. Every show includes two musical guests, interviews, and the presentation of e-chievement awards to deserving community volunteers. Every show ends with all musical guests collaborating on an exciting finale.

Forster was originally inspired by eastern Europe's audience diversity and the need to remind people that we have things in our world that we need to pay attention to. He says the underlying objective of etown is to create a weekly festival feeling that inspires people to volunteer, play music, or do things slightly differently that will help them connect again. The weekly hour-long etown radio broadcast is heard throughout the nation on non-commerical, public radio, and some commercial stations.

Despite its billing as a bluegrass album, I was surprised at how many tracks are without banjo and/or fiddle. The album would've been more aptly named "Acoustic Roots" or "Americana." That aside, the recording seems more mandocentric and has some particularly shining moments in the vocal and guitar departments also. Some highlights include Blue Train, Land's End, Blue Night, and Hey Joe. Mike Seeger offers an old-timey touch with "Maggie's Farm." Nick Forster even grabs a mandola for a duet with Chris Thile on "Woodchopper's Reel." In memory of John Hartford, the project closes with "Gentle on My Mind," recorded by Seeger, Grisman, Forster and Hartford just three months before Hartford passed away. About a third of the album are duets (for example, David Grisman and Tony Rice; Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas; Tim O'Brien and Jerry Douglas; Sam Bush and John Cowan).

Bluegrass Roots is an excellent value. This well-produced disc's eclectic music is sure to have plenty of tracks that please. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

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3. Breathe [CD-single] [Import]
4. Cactus Hunters
5. Chalee Tennison
6. Clinton Gregory
7. Country and Folk Roots [Import]
8. Country Favorites [Box set]
9. Country Gold - 50 Years of Country Hits: 1995-99
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