Search - Larry Stephenson :: Webco Classics Volume 5: Larry Stephenson

Pinecastle Records makes a particularly wise choice by unearthing this 1981 gem from the Webco vaults, originally released under the title Sweet Sunny South. Larry Stephenson's high and smooth lead vocals (à la Bobby Osborne) and sturdy mandolin picking lead the way through a well-chosen set of material, which includes everything from bluegrass standards like the traditional "Sweet Sunny South" and the Osborne Brothers' "Big Spike Hammer" to midcentury country songs like Buddy Starcher's "Sweet Thing," Don Gibson's hit "Sea of Heartbreak," and the Louvin-penned, Osborne-covered "Give This Message to Your Heart." Add a passionate reading of the Platters' "Only You" and a romp through John Prine's "Paradise," and you have an eclectic repertoire delivered with precise picking and impeccable harmonies, the latter courtesy of Don Parmley and son David. --Marc Greilsamer