Search - Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt :: His Family & Friends / Nashville Airplane

Get It While You Can

12/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow, here are two classic LPs I never thought would see the laser-light of day on CD. EARL SCRUGGS: HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS (a solo shot, not a Flatt and Scruggs album as suggested by the Collectibles label, which did the reissue) is taken from a 1970 PBS (then NET) documentary on Scruggs. The soundtrack is excellent, combining live tracks, back-porch guitar (and banjo) pulls and commentary by Scruggs. Highlights: An early melding of bluegrass and an incredible new musical gizmo called a synthesizer; guest shots by the Byrds, Joan Baez, Doc Watson and the Morris Brothers (Dylan's here too but his instrumental track is unremarkable); and a snippet from a performance during the Vietnam War Moratorium protest in Washington. This forgotten gems ranks as one of the best folk/bluegrass albums ever made. Flatt & Scruggs' NASHVILLE AIRLINE is a bona-fide bizarro disc, born of Scruggs' growing interest in folk and pop music (culminating in the formation of the Earl Scruggs Revue in the early 1970s). F&S perform a variety of ill-suited pop and protest songs. Flatt's deadpan vocals on Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women" (everybody must get stoned) or Donavan's hippie anthem "Catch the Wind" makes you wonder if he realized what the words meant. I picture him putting up with this left-of-center material just to keep ol' Earl happy. "But, Earl, I don't get why everyone must have stones thrown at them." Not F&S's finest moment, but the combination of '60s kitsch and hot picking is worth the price of admission. My hunch: These weren't big-sellers when they were released, and they won't stay in print long. Get 'em while you can."

Earl and Friends, and A Later Classic Flatt & Scruggs Album

William D. Ferrell | Poca, WV United States | 03/31/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First I really don't understand why they packaged this CD the way they did. I personally think they should've reversed the order, since the first 14 songs are Earl and friends (without Lester), and tracks 15-25 are one of Flatt & Scruggs last albums.



Earl had many guests on this, his first solo effort. The line up is impressive: Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Doc Watson, The Byrds... all these people/groups show up here to lend their talents, showing how much each one respected Scruggs. That stands as testimonial to the influence this great musician/pioneer had and continues to have to this day. (Need further proof? Check out last year's Earl Scruggs and Friends).

Now for the F&S album: This is the "Hippy years" when Earl was into Dylan, Donovan and others of that "folk rock" era.

Now, while I'm sure the died-in-the-wool Bluegrassers of the time were probably cursing Flatt & Scruggs and calling them "turncoats", one still has to admit this is just plain good music, no matter what walls stand between styles. Good music is good music, right?

I love their version of Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone", and I remember as a child listening to my grandmother's old 45 RPM of "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" (written by Dylan). At the time, I honestly thought it was a Flatt & Scruggs original and to this day, no matter who I hear sing that song, I always compare it to this version. It's just great singing/picking.

"Folsom Prison Blues" just doesn't work here, because that song works only for Cash, and on "Rainy Day Women #12&35", it's just hard to listen to Lester Flatt sing about getting stoned. It just doesn't work.

"If I Were A Carpenter" is done very tastefully here as well as "Gentle On My Mind", "Catch The Wind" and (my personal favorite on the CD)"Universal Soldier".

If you buy this CD expecting Bluegrass, you'll be in for a shock, but if you buy this CD expecting just plain good music, you'll be in for a treat."

Flatt & Scruggs; His Family and Friends; Nashville Airplaine

Richard E. Sherrick | Edmond, OK United States | 09/09/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a very good CD and I would have rated it higher but it's just that I prefer the more traiditional Flat & Scruggs. Although - This is well worth a listen."