JESSE McREYNOLDS & FRIENDS, "The Bull Mountain Moonshiners' Way," Pinecastle. 16 tracks
Jesse McReynolds celebrated his 90th birthday July 9.
And he's been a bluegrass musician for 72 of those years.
Now, with "The Bull Mountain Moonshiners' Way," McReynolds looks back to his family's roots as professional musicians.
On Aug. 1, 1927, his grandfather, Charles McReynolds, a member of the Bull Mountain Moonshiners, recorded two songs with the band _ "Johnny Goodwin" and "Sweet Marie" _ at what became known as "the Bristol Sessions."
Those were the sessions that are considered the dawn of commercial country music with Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family also recording.
Jesse McReynolds used his grandfather's fiddle, bought for $7 in the late 1800s, to re-create the music played by his grandfather and other members of the band.
McReynolds is primarily known as a mandolin player, but he played both instruments on the album.
He's joined by a host of musicians including Steve Thomas, Jim Buchanan, Raymond McLain, Michael Cleveland, Mike Snider, Eddie Stubbs and Glen Duncan.
Fourteen of the tracks on the album are old fiddle tunes that the Moonshiners might have played.
The list includes "Billy In The Lowground," "Sally Goodwin," "The Girl I Left Behind Me (Johnny Goodwin)," "Bonaparte's Retreat" and "Turkey In The Straw."
There are two new tunes _ Duncan's "Duncan's Country Store" and McReynolds' "The Bull Mountain Moonshiners."
The latter is the only song with lyrics as McReynolds sings about listening to his grandfather play the fiddle decades ago.
Look for the album on most music sites.
