Search - Carl Jackson :: Songs of the South

Outside of the most diehard bluegrass circles, Carl Jackson's career has been little more than a footnote to Jim & Jesse (as a boy, he backed the bluegrass greats on the Grand Ole Opry) and Glen Campbell (he toured with Campbell for 12 years and wrote the singer's hit "(Love Always) Letter Home"). But few banjo players of his generation are as consistently brilliant, and fewer still sing or write as well as Jackson. This set culls some of the sweetest moments from two '80s albums, Banjo Man and Song of the South, showcasing his careening banjo playing--he handles the demanding Scruggs instrumental "Earl's Breakdown" with stunning ease--and pure, if occasionally precious, voice. The only real flaw here is brevity: Clocking in under 40 minutes, the disc could have easily accommodated a few more Jackson originals (the omission of the superb "Song of the South" is perplexing) and presented a fuller portrait of this underappreciated, multitalented artist. --Roy Kasten