Josh McMurray - Pickin' Time

(Copper Creek CCCD-0207) 2002

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This banjo instrumental CD was recorded at Maggard Sound Studio in Big Stone Gap, Virginia and features CMB's James Alan Shelton on four cuts and James Price on two.

James Shelton can be heard playing lead guitar on: Lady Of Spain, Shortenin' Bread, Cora Is Gone and Goodbye Eliza Jane.

James Price's fiddlin' is also featured on: Lady Of Spain and Shortenin' Bread.

Josh McMurray had previously worked with CMB Kenneth Davis prior to getting a job with Larry Sparks in 1998. He stayed with Larry until 2007 before becoming a Nashville sideman^[1] and in 2011 played on Charlie Sizemore's final album Heartache Looking For A Home.

Josh is evidently an accomplished and tasteful Scrugg's style picker, and the majority of the tunes on the disc are associated in some way or other with Earl Scruggs / Flatt & Scruggs. Allen Shelton also appears to have been a strong influence on Josh's picking, with the liner notes for Lady Of Spain and Stoney Creek both referencing his work with Jim Eanes and Jim & Jessie.

Timber Tree is the only original compostion on the disc, and is quite a catchy number.

Overall, the album features fine pickin' thoughout, but it will probably mainly appeal to aficionados of Earl Scruggs style banjo.

Other artwork / related images:

[1] https://bluegrassbios.com/mcmurray-josh/