Traditional bluegrass recorded at the IBMM

Valerie Smith established herself as a bluegrass traditionalist more than a decade ago, and doubles-down on her roots with this six-song EP. As the first album recorded within the walls of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, Smith pays tribute to her musical forbearers with hot picking and tight harmonies. She works with producer and multi-instrumentalist Becky Buller, guitar/mandolin/banjo player Ernie Evans and bassist Rebekah Long, playing and singing in a make shift studio set up in the museum’s backroom “cave.” The sessions stay true to the music’s traditions, adds some blues to the vocal of “Where the Sun Never Shines,” and closes on a country note with Merle Travis’ “No Vacancy.” This is a heartfelt project that twines together Smith’s roles as bluegrass musician, evangelist and educator. [©2011 hyperbolium dot com]

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