Way Back in the Hills of O

I have to admit at the outset...I purchased this entire cd for one song, that being song number 11, Rye Whiskey. I was very thankfull for the fact that it was the same Rye Whiskey recording that plays on YouTube, (No video to it but there is a great photo of Stringbean sitting in front of a fireplace with ever present pipe in hand.) But what about the rest of the tunes? Do they measure up to the song that I liked so much? Well, yes they do. I still like Rye Whiskey the best, but quite a few of these songs are real winners. According to the back of the cd these were songs that Stringbean grew up with, and cut his teeth on, way back in the hills of old Kentucky, thus the cd's title. They are somewhat typical mountain balladeer songs and actually I didn't appreciate them on my first hearing because I was busy with something else, but the second time around was another story. I can honestly say that this cd is best heard sitting in front of your player and giving it your full, undivided attention. The first two songs Little Pink and Big Ball In Nashville are typical of the majority of songs on the cd. Most of them are quick (no song over the three minute mark) and all of them are infused with the unique, one of a kind voice of Stringbean, his talented banjo picking and as a bonus, the superb fiddle accompaniment by Tommy Vaden. There is also an unknown bass player present on the recordings and an ever so slight, drum tippy tap going on in the background. Poor Ellen Smith is the song that wins the "most balladeer award" of these mountain songs. Stringbean sings it in a quick, yet still mournful style and it's kind of sad to hear him sing "Poor Ellen Smith and how she was found...shot through the heart, lying cold on the ground." That’s kind of how Stringbean himself was found on that horrible day back in 1973. The only difference was that Stringbean was found on his cabin floor and not the ground. Old Cumberland Gap is different in that it has a square dance feel to it. You almost expect to hear an allemande left and some do-see-do's thrown in along the way. The Roving Gambler, song number 6, was the biggest surprise for me. This song is fantastic and it should have been a real hit back in the day. If I'd have been the record producer, I would have put this song as a B side to Rye Whiskey and put it out on a 45. Black Eyed Susy sounded familiar to me though I had never heard the song before. I think because it was the kind of roll along - tell a story type of song that Stringbean used to do so well on Hee Haw. Short Life and Trouble is a beautiful, broken hearted song for the ages. After listening to song number 10, Banjo Pickin' Girl, I have resolved to commit the lyrics to memory...on the off chance that I wind up in a prison chain gang down South. Will sing it aloud as the prison wagon takes us all to lock up after a day spent picking cotton or doing road work. (Bet the other prisoners would love that, huh?) And then there's Rye Whiskey. Have never had a drop of the stuff but Stringbean sings it with such power and conviction. The opening banjo picks spit right out and grab you and, drinker or not, Stringbean's rendition will make you understand the sad (or happy) craving for Rye Whiskey. It should be noted at the end here that these songs are in mono - not stereo but that shouldn't matter in the least. The songs sound crisp, clean and the fidelity is super. If you are a Stringbean fan and don't happen to have this cd, then by all means get it. You won't be disappointed.

Bought as a gift. It was well received.

the tv stringbean was better

Now this is Stringbean ! I've had several LP's from the Starday label, quite a few years ago, so its great to see them available on CD's (a bit like Grandpa Jones, who I also like very much !) This is out on the Gusto label, with no less than twelve songs, such as "Little Pink", "The Rovin' Gambler", "Black Eyed Susie" and "Rye Whiskey" along with the others, and with Stringbean on the banjo and vocals, with Tommy Vaden on the fiddle, which I play time and time again. Otherwise, go for the 2-CD set on GT2-0956-2 where Stringbean has thirty-one songs.