Bryan Sutton - Not Too Far From The Tree

A Collection of Guitar Duets with Heroes & Friends

(Sugar Hill SUG-CD-4001) 2006.

---

This is an album of guitar duets by 'the great and the good' of the bluegrass world... including CMB's George Shuffler and Ricky Skaggs, as well as Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Tony Rice etc. etc.

On Nine Pound Hammer, Bryan Sutton's embellishments fit well with George Shuffler's cross-picking. You can almost smell the cake George's wife was baking when he visited to record the song. In the liner notes Bryan says:- "...I always loved the rhythmic groove created within George's crosspicking style. It's very infectious, much like George's humor and good nature. I originally had another tune in mind, but during our visit I asked George what awas one of his favorite songs to play. He said he always liked the Nine Pound Hammer. I'm glad I asked! We cut up a lot and I told him I was going to call this record, 'All my guitar heroes, and George'!"

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder was Bryan's first established band gig, after his initial couple of years of Nashville session work. Here Ricky makes a rare appearance playing guitar on their track, Carroll County Blues, which has an infectious country-blues groove, with it's syncopated shuffle and bluesy licks.

With such a stellar line-up, it's not surprising that one cut, the Doc Watson collaboration Whiskey Before Breakfast, won a Grammy Award of 2007 for 'Best Country Instrumental Performance'.

If you like bluegrass guitar, you'll probably love this album. If like me you're not particularly partial too it, the music mostly lives up to the 'Not Too Far From The Tree' title & there's enough variation to maintain interest.

Other artwork / related images: