Larry Sparks - The Coldest Part Of Winter

(Rebel REB-CD-1786) 2003.

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This CD from 2003 is another decent effort, with quite a contemporary bluegrass sound, and which features Michael Cleveland on fiddle as a special guest. It was, I think, the last of Larry's albums to feature Scott Napier on mandolin, and was recorded at Jordan Recording Studio in Covington, Kentucky.

Five tracks on the album were written by Marshal Warwick, who previously contributed two songs to I Want To Be Like Jesus. His songs here include the undoubted highlight of the CD, You Ain't Lived which garnered much airplay, but the others (Leavin' Me, Winter In Miami, Let's Turn Back The Clock, and Kentucky Moon) are fairly run-of-the-mill.

The three tracks by David Norris (This Old Road, Our Old Home and He Walked All The Way Home) similarly mine nostalgic views of the past, but sound rather generic.

Marvin Harlow's Shenandoah Moon is quite slow paced, but again to my ears doesn't quite gel right.

Two instrumentals are included on the CD: Scott Napier's monroesque Parkway Blues, and Soldier's Joy where Michael Cleveland takes a leading role.

Larry sole composition, Lord, Show Me The Way was later re-recorded on Ministry In Song (2021).

The 8-page CD booklet includes liner notes by Marty Godbey, with some choice quotes from Larry. For instance: "We've all got some of Monroe's music, the Stanley music imbedded in us... I've always wanted to just reach out and get a little bit of that and use it. I don't copy anyone; I've refused to be a clone of other people's music. Playing bluegrass is what I'm branded with, but my style of playing and singing is different. I think that's why I've done as well as I have... There's more than one kind of car in the world."

And talking about the nostalgic flavour of some of his most popular songs: "It wasn't really my idea to go with this type of song... It just worked out that way. People are so rushed, their minds want to slow down a little bit."

• Larry Sparks: guitar, lead vocals
• Michael Cleveland: fiddle
• Matt Madden: bass
• Josh McMurray: banjo, harmony vocals
• Scott Napier: mandolin, harmony vocals

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