Various Artists - True Life Blues: The Songs of Bill Monroe

The 17 newly-recorded songs on this album comprise a loving tribute to the man generally considered to have invented bluegrass music, and the album was timed well, coming out just shortly before Monroe's death in 1996 at the age of 85. The songs are mostly pretty predictable. The program leads off with the Nashville Bluegrass Band's rendition of "Molly and Tenbrooks" (on which Alan O'Bryant does a pretty fair Monroe impression), and proceeds through a hair-raising rendition of "I'm on My Way Back to the Old Home" by the Del McCoury Band. Other classics by various lineups follow: Vassar Clements and Richard Greene team up for a bracing run-through of the instrumental "Scotland"; Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick do great job on the title track; and Tim and Mollie O'Brien give "Sitting Alone in the Moonlight" a suitably haunting performance. Peter Rowan may be overrated as a singer, but as a former Blue Grass Boy and a tireless champion of Monroe's work, he has certainly earned the right to sing "Travelin' This Lonesome Road" and "Letter From My Darlin'." Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alan O'Bryant Vocals Barry Poss Executive Producer Bill Monroe Performer Bobby Hicks Fiddle Bradley Hartman Engineer Chris Thile Mandolin Craig Smith Banjo David Grier Guitar David Grisman Mandolin Del McCoury Guitar, Vocals Donivan Cowart Engineer Elizabeth Tormes Photography Gary Denton Engineer Greg Garing Vocals, Mandolin Herb Pedersen Banjo, Vocals Jerry Douglas Dobro Jim Nunally Guitar, Engineer John Hartford Banjo, Vocals, Fiddle John Reischman Mandolin Joseph Bartoldus Engineer Kathy Kallick Guitar, Vocals Laurie Lewis Fiddle, Vocals Mark Slagle Engineer Mike Compton Mandolin Mike Marshall Engineer, Mandolin Mollie O'Brien Vocals Pat Enright Vocals, Guitar Peter Rowan Guitar, Vocals Rainer Gembalczk Mastering Richard Greene Fiddle Roland White Mandolin, Vocals Ronnie McCoury Vocals, Mandolin Sam Bush Mandolin Scott Nygaard Guitar Steve Horowitz Engineer Stuart Duncan Fiddle Sue Meyer Design Tim O'Brien Vocals, Guitar, Mandolin Todd Phillips Bass, Engineer, Producer, Mixing Tom Size Engineer Tony Trischka Banjo Vassar Clements Fiddle