So this weekend I went back in time to revisit some of the earlier work of Tim O’Brien. O’Brien recently received a nomination by International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) as Male Vocalist of the Year for his latest album Chicken and Egg. Unfortunately he did not win the award. The winner was Russell Moore of IIrd Tyme Out. Anyway the album that I listened to this weekend was Tim’s 1995 album produced by Jerry Douglas Rock in My Shoe. I listened to the first several tracks so that I could hear my favorite track on the album “One Girl Cried”. A great track about what music is all about, making music that moves someone. Here’s the great chorus:
And one girl cried to a melody that turned around her soul
One girl cried amazed at how the lyric took it’s toll
There beside a little table she thought she was safe alone
But the music hit it’s mark when one girl cried
After Rock in My Shoe I listened to the band Tim co-founded in 1978 the bluegrass band Hot Rize, with guitarist Charles Sawtelle, bassist Nick Forster, and banjo player Peter Wernick. I listened to a live album that was originally recorded in 1996 and released in 2002, So Long of a Journey . There’s a lot of great picking on this album from a great group of musicians, obviously including the multi-instrumentalist O’Brien! Hot Rize also started touring again in 2002 with Bryan Sutton taking the place of Charles Sawtelle who unfortunately passed away in 1999 at the age of 52 from complications related to a bone marrow transplant in his fight against leukemia.
Anyway if you’ve never heard Tim OBrien’s music there’s about 16 solo albums that you can check out along with a bunch of Hot Rize albums! Oh, and if you only listen to one song listen to “One Girl Cried”
The second band that listened to this weekend was one that doesn’t come up much on the iPod so their music gets a little lost.
The Hackensaw Boys I listened to their 2007 album Look Out
At first, The Hackensaw Boy’s CD Look Out sounds like standard issue bluegrass but it doesn’t take long to realize that these guys aren’t pining for the good ol’ days of yesteryear, but are instead diving head-first into the hear and now and crowd-surfing into the future. – Taprootradio.com
These guys play it fast and furious and good and I don’t know why I don’t listen to them more!! You check check out some of their music at their Myspace Page
Here’s some great mandolin pickin’ by Mr O’Brien and that guy on dobro ain’t to shabby either!
and the Hackensaw Boys!