While no mere 12-track compilation could claim to cover more than a fraction of the "Best of Bluegrass," as relatively brief anthologies of the genre go, this has several things to recommend it. Most importantly, the quality's very good. But also, particularly since it's the kind of sampler apt to be picked up by people who really aren't too familiar with the genre, it serves as a good introductory portal to the music. For one thing, it has a bunch of big names --
Ricky Skaggs
,
Emmylou Harris
Dolly Parton
Hot Tuna
, and
the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
-- who might not be primarily associated with
bluegrass
music by the general popular-music audience. For another, it mixes in some of the leading exponents of the purer side of the
or
old-timey
music genre, including
Bill Monroe
the Carter Family
Lester Flatt
Ralph Stanley
. And it mixes tracks from various eras, giving listeners at least some idea of the depth of
history. A good number of classic songs are here, such as
's
"Wabash Cannonball,"
Flatt
"Foggy Mountain Breakdown,"
Stanley
"Oh Death,"
Monroe
"Orange Blossom Special,"
and
"Will the Circle Be Unbroken."
So's
"Mule Skinner Blues,"
done here by
Parton
, many of whose fans would never suspect she could let loose on a traditionally based tune such as this with such natural ease. If you want to nitpick, it might be a little debatable as to how purely
some of the songs are -- many would classify
"Know You Rider"
(done here by
), for instance, more readily as a
folk
blues
tune. The performances are all strong and traditionally based, however, which is ultimately what matters most. ~ Richie Unterberger