Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain - Pickin' On... Live In Concert

(Rooster Records No #) 2006.

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This 49:57 CD-R was recorded from a show at Horst Auction Barn, Ephrata, Pa. on 10 Dec 2005. As you might expect, it's a fine slab of 100% bonafide trad-bluegrass, with Melvin sharing the spotlight with his band.

Melvin sings lead on Flatt & Scruggs' I'm Head Over Heels In Love, plus a few tracks from the Goins Bros' back catalogue, including Jimmy Martin & the Osborne Brothers' Across The Sea Blues (recorded by Melvin on Bluegrass Hits Old And New (1969), the Rebel debut The Goins Brothers (1975) and unreleased Jessup LP Bluegrass Blues (1973)); Pistol Packing Mama (featured on Bluegrass Country (1971) & We'll Carry On (1995)); Stay A Little Longer (Bluegrass My Home In The Mountains & Still Goin' Strong (1993)); and You All Come by Arlie Duff & often performed by Bill Monroe on his shows. Melvin also leads the ensemble harmony on In The Pines.

John Rigsby had left the CMB's and rejoined Melvin on memorial day weekend, at the end of May 2005, and doubles up on fiddle/mandolin. He's also featured singing lead on You're Not Easy To Forget, which he later recorded with Summertowne Road, and Bill Monroe's The Old Old House. He also gets the instrumental spotlight on the showcase fiddle tune Listen To The Mockingbird; Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Stomp, which also features some fine lead guitar by John McNeely; and the encore Lee Highway Blues.

John McNeely shows off his guitar chops on the instrumental Under The Double Eagle, and sings lead on Hank Williams' There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight & Freight Train Boogie.

Wes Vanderpool does a fine job on Earl's Breakdown, which also has a neat break by John Rigsby on fiddle. Wes was the nephew of Roger 'Dale' Vanderpool, who filled in for Ray Goins and played with Melvin after Ray had to retire.

The CD-R comes with an inkjet printed cover/tray inlay... and if you look closely at the cover, you can see the 'clone-stamp' edits on the front cover silhouette of Melvin.

The gig listing in Dec. 2005 edition of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' lists the support act on this show as the Timmons Family.

• Melvin Goins: guitar, vocals
• Danny Cripple: bass
• John McNeely: lead guitar, vocal
• John Rigsby: mandolin, fiddle, tenor vocal
• Wes Vanderpool: banjo

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