Folk
and
bluegrass
legends meet live on-stage on
Rounder
's bright and entertaining
Three Pickers
. The titular "pickers" are
banjo innovator
Earl Scruggs
, guitarist and
folk
purist
Doc Watson
, and relative newcomer (with only 45 years of musical experience under his belt)
Ricky Skaggs
on mandolin and guitar; they work most often as a trio but also perform with a wide variety of combos that were lucky enough to be invited on-stage. Recorded in Winston Salem, NC, in December 2002, the album reflects an honest interplay between the three main performers and the audience that seems lost in most concert experiences, and despite their age,
Watson
can still sing and
Scruggs
can still pick nearly as well as they did in their prime. Guest vocals and fiddle from the ubiquitous
Alison Krauss
liven up
"The Storms Are on the Ocean"
and the "one-sided prenuptial agreement" murder
ballad
"On the Banks of the Ohio,"
while
Skaggs
and his
Kentucky Thunder
inject some youthful exuberance into the evening during their set. The songs performed by "
With Family and Friends" get a little loose around the edges, but the sweet and lowdown duo of
and his grandson
Richard
more than make up for it with their warm intimacy. All in all, it seems as though this was a spectacular exhibition of authentic
music live on-stage, and the album lets that genuine honesty and warmth shine through perfectly. ~ Zac Johnson