George Shuffler & Laura Boosinger - Mountain Treasures

(Copper Creek CCCD-0217) 2003

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This delightful CD came about as a result of Western North Carolina's heritage programs, where artists play old traditional music for the school children. When asked to perform for some of these events, old-time musician Laura Boosinger teamed up with her friend and Valdese NC's finest - George Shuffler...

On the 13-song collection, Laura's singing and mountain-clawhammer banjo style match perfectly with George's vocal / guitar work. Performances include a couple of solo numbers, and the variation of styles works well. George certainly wasn't wrong when he titled the release 'Mountain Treasures'.

The album kicks off with a rollicking Lonesome Road Blues with George on lead vocal. He also provides lead on Down In The Valley & duets with Laura on Rabbit In A Log and Will The Circle Be Unbroken.

Instrumentals include versions of Little Annie and Little Georgia Rose with Laura & George taking turns to pick the melody. The hymn Pass Me Not, which George first cut with the Stanley Brothers in Sept 1959 (King 5313), is also a performed as a solo cross picked guitar number.

Grave In The Pines is an interesting adaptation of In The Pines with new lyrics, which Clayton McMichen originally cut in 1930 under the pseudonym Bob Nichols.^[1] George adds harmony vocal on the chorus.

Two of the albums highlights are the Cluck Old Hen with lovely hypnotic banjo runs and Laura singing solo, and similarly Red Rocking Chair where Laura's vocal shines & the banjo rings clear.

Sail Away Ladies and Hop High Ladies are also banjo-led with solo vocal by Laura and George on rhythm back-up. Finally, Down In The Willow Garden has vocal by Laura and cross-picked guitar intro/second break.

Copies of this album and Laura's other recordings can be found on her website: https://lauraboosinger.com/. The site also includes a nice video about George Shuffler's induction into the 'Blue Ridge Music Hall Of Fame'.

George Shuffler - "the man who travelled all around the world, but never went up-town..."

• Laura Boosinger: banjo, vocals
• George Shuffler: guitar, bass, vocals

Other artwork / related images:

[1] https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000039765/W150219-Grave_in_the_pines
https://www.discogs.com/release/11422449-Bob-Nichols-The-Killing-Of-Tom-Slaughter-The-Grave-In-The-Pines