Various Artists - Bluegrass Class of 1990

This compilation album reads like a who's-who of the progressive bluegrass/new acoustic music movement: pros like mandolinist David Grisman, guitarist Tony Rice, dobro player Jerry Douglas and a pre-Flecktones Bela Fleck are all represented, as well as the (very) young Alison Krauss and many, many others.

Though most of the guns are big, some of the album's best moments come from artists who were relative unknowns at the time of its release: The Whitstein Brothers offer a classic guitar-mandolin duo number in the pre-war style of The Blue Sky Boys; Krauss delivers two modern bluegrass gems in a voice as bright and pure as an icicle melting in the sun. The album's highlight, though, is the rendition of "Old Home Place" by J.D. Crowe and the New South. It's a chestnut, all right, but the combination of Crowe's driving banjo and the ringing, bittersweet blend of Tony Rice and Ricky Skaggs' voices will make your hair stand on end every time you hear it. This album belongs on every bluegrass fan's desert island list. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alan O'Bryant Banjo, Tenor (Vocal), Vocals Alison Krauss Vocals, Performer, Fiddle, Harmony Vocals Allen Shelton Banjo Anthony Rice Arranger, Producer Béla Fleck Producer, Banjo, Performer Bil VornDick Producer Bill Keith Banjo Bill Wolf Producer Bob "Barbecue Bob" Hicks Fiddle Bobby Hicks Fiddle Bobby Slone Bass Brent Truitt Mandolin Charles Collins Guitar Charles Whitstein Guitar, Vocals, Mandolin Charlie Collins Guitar Dave Denman Harmony Vocals, Harmony Dave Edmundson Tenor (Vocal), Fiddle David Grisman Producer, Arranger, Performer, Mandolin David McLaughlin Mandolin, Fiddle, Vocals Dick Erwin Bass Doc Watson Guitar, Vocals, Arranger Doyle Lawson Vocals, Mandolin, Tenor (Vocal) Dry Branch Fire Squad ?, Performer Dudley Connell Vocals, Guitar Eddie Stubbs Fiddle, Vocals Glen Duncan Fiddle J.D. Crowe Baritone (Vocal), Guitar, Producer, Performer, Banjo, Bass (Vocal) Jeff White Guitar, Harmony Vocals, Vocals Jerry Douglas Vocals, Bass (Vocal), Dobro Jesse McReynolds Vocals, Mandolin, Producer Jim & Jesse Performer, ? Jim & Jesse McReynolds Performer Jim McReynolds Guitar, Producer, Vocals Jim Nunally Guitar Jimmy Gaudreau Mandolin Joe Allen Bass (Acoustic) Joe Craven Mandolin John Hisey Banjo John Pennell Bass Jon Carrol Piano, Vocals Joseph Allen Bass, Bass (Acoustic) Kate Wolf Harmony Vocals Ken Irwin Producer Larry Rice Mandolin, Guitar, Vocals Lonnie Meeker Guitar Lynn Morris Guitar, Performer, Vocals Lynn Morris Band Producer Marc Pruett Banjo Mark Compton Baritone (Vocal), Mandolin Mark Hembree Bass Mark Schatz Vocals, Bass, Bass (Acoustic) Marshall Wilborn Bass, Harmony Vocals, Vocals Mary Jo Leet Harmony Vocals Mike Compton Mandolin Mike Harman Banjo, Harmony Vocals Mike Hembree Bass, Bass (Vocal) Mike Marshall Producer, Fiddle Norman Blake Performer, Guitar, Producer, Mandolin Pat Enright Guitar, Tenor (Vocal), Vocals Peter Rowan Vocals, Guitar Ray Legere Fiddle Rice Brothers Producer, Performer Richard Underwood Vocals, Banjo Ricky Simkins Fiddle, Viola Ricky Skaggs Vocals, Tenor (Vocal), Mandolin, Producer, Performer, Fiddle Rob Ickes Dobro Robert Whitstein Vocals, Guitar Ron Rice Bass, Bass (Acoustic) Ron Thomason Guitar, Producer, Vocals Ronnie McCoury Mandolin Roy Huskey Jr. Bass Roy M. "Junior" Husky Bass, Bass (Acoustic) Sam Bush Mandolin, Producer, Arranger, Performer Stuart Duncan Fiddle The Bluegrass Album Band ?, Performer The Johnson Mountain Boys Producer, Performer The Nashville Bluegrass Band Performer, Producer The Whitstein Brothers Performer, Producer Todd Phillips Bass Tom Adams Banjo Tony Furtado Performer, Banjo Tony Lawson Vocals, Guitar Tony Rice Vocals, Performer, Guitar, Producer Tony Trischka Banjo Vassar Clements Fiddle Whistein Brothers Performer Wyatt Rice Guitar