Get In Line Brother: Real Mountain Bluegrass Gospel CD

Rural Rhythm Records was founded in 1955 by Jim O'Neal (or Uncle Jim O'Neal, as he is more commonly known) and went on to release an astounding number of LPs by various country, bluegrass, gospel and folk musicians through the '60s (bluegrass veteran J.E. Mainer, for instance, one of the artists represented here, recorded some 20 albums for O'Neal, beginning in 1967) and the digital era has given O'Neal the opportunity to reissue and reconfigure that extensive back catalog. This set finds him bringing together 30 gospel-themed tracks recorded by his large stable of bluegrass artists in the '60s, including J.E. Mainer's loping "I'm Going Home," Jim Greer's "Lamp Lighting Time in the Valley," Earle Wheeler & the Marksmen's version of the pathos-laden "Wreck on the Highway" (with a lead vocal by Mark Wheeler), and best of all, an ominous and haunting telling of the cautionary tale "The Devil's Slate" by mandolin master Earl Taylor. Truthfully, much of what is here starts to sound a bit generic after awhile, as artist after artist chooses to take more or less the same-sounding path to the river, but part of bluegrass' appeal for many fans of the genre is its strong adherence to tradition. That vaulted tradition is certainly represented here. One wishes a little bit for a maverick to step forward, though, and only Taylor, with his bluesy, deep hollow approach and vocal on "The Devil's Slate," drifts very far away from the well-traveled path. Get in line, indeed. ~ Steve Leggett

Photographer: Marty Rosamond.