2011-01-07
You know you've been at it a long time when your own website is www.folkmusic.com -- yes, that's the web home of John McCutcheon, folk troubadour since the early '70s and the country's master of the hammered dulcimer. He sings and constructs songs as Woody and Pete and Bob did back in the day, heavy on the storyline and light on the frills. This is his 34th recording and it could have been put together in the '70s, except that he's very much on top of today's headlines. "One More Day" is about the tragic Massey coal mine disaster in West Virgina in April, 2010 and "End of the World" is a touching tale of a Vietnamese shrimper battling the oil spills off the Louisiana coast. The novelty number is the spoken-word "Ode to a Kripsy Kreme," read by a true doughnut addict. There's a fine cast of musicians here, including Kathy Mattea, Tim O'Brien, Stuart Duncan and Suzy Boggus. 1/11 MJVD F-TraditionalDan Vaillancourt
Lovely Distractions
Ken Atkins & The Honky Tonk Kind
This Train
AMONG THE OAK & ASH
Among the Oak & Ash
MARTIN ZELLAR & THE HARDWAYS
Roosters Crow
ELEANOR MC EVOY
Love Must Be Tough
Scott Nolan
Silverhill
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