Search - Pine Mountain Railroad :: Old Radio

Energetic up-&-coming pickers with a Great Smoky Mtn. sound

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 08/15/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Playing Time - 41:45 -- Pine Mountain Railroad formed in later 1998, at the request of their local tourism agency, when they assembled for their first practice in the shadow of Pine Mountain near Pigeon Forge, TN. The band is Jimbo Whaley (guitar, lead vocals), Danny Barnes (mandolin, tenor vocals), Clint Damewood (fiddle, baritone vocals), Bill McBee (bass, bass vocals), and Kipper Stitt (banjo, resonator guitar, baritone vocals). Guest Roscoe Morgan provides mandolin, guitar and tenor vocals on various tracks."The Old Radio" features a large share of original songs written by Whaley, Morgan and Stitt. The opener "All the Hay's in the Barn" was inspired by a football coach's lesson to prepare physically and mentally, and then go as hard as you possibly can. The title cut makes reference to many songs and artists in the bluegrass community. "Break Your Heart With A Bluegrass Song" has a nice hook and builds off analogies between bluegrass instruments and memories of love gone wrong. Life on the road can be hard, and "Tennessee Eyes" is a ballad that reinforces the musician's longing for home. Stitt frails the banjo and adds some washboard to the mix for the story of "M.R.'s Rolling Store" through the Smoky Mountains in the late-1930s. Stitt also demonstrates his abilities on resonator guitar, while Barnes ably handles banjo on "The Legend of Jack Huff." Stitt, the songwriter, contributes a contemporary-sounding "You Don't Need Me Anymore" and ripping "Pine Mountain Railroad." Roscoe Morgan's "Aunt Birdie's Wingback Chevrolet" is a nostalgic journey back to younger, carefree days gone by. The band also covers material from Journey ("Don't Stop Believing"), the Bailes Brothers ("Traveling the Highway Home"), the traditional "Talk About Suffering," and the theme song for Odom's Tennessee Pride Real Country Sausage. Since 2001, the band has been the official bluegrass band for that product. The band's rendition of that theme song is played on radio commercials airing during the Grand Ole Opry. The first new bluegrass act to sign with CMH Records in 15 years, Pine Mountain Railroad has also showcased at the 2002 IBMA World of Bluegrass Tradeshow, and Jimbo Whaley has performed at the IBMA Songwriter Showcase for two consecutive years. The group recorded scenes and music for the upcoming motion picture, "Bell Witch, the Movie." Pine Mountain Railroad has an appealing neo-traditional sound that will help them build a legion of fans. With the support of the CMH label, and appearances at big name festivals like Merlefest, Bean Blossom, and Grey Fox, these energetic up-and-comers are well on their way to "taking a part of the Great Smoky Mountains to folks who may never get to experience them." (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)"