Review – J.D. Crowe and New South – Lefty’s Old Guitar

J.D. CROWE & THE NEW SOUTH – Lefty’s Old Guitar
Rounder Records

SONGS – Mississippi River Raft, Lefty’s Old Guitar, Just Loving You, Rovin’ Gambler, In My Next Life, You Can Be A Millionaire With Me, I Only wish You  Knew, Loneliness, I’m A Hobo, Too Often Left Alone, Blue Bonnet Lane, She  Know When You’re On My Mind Again (Playing Time – 34:10)

From Kentucky, J.D. Crowe began his career as a member of Mac Wiseman’s band in 1955. Thus, “Lefty’s Old Guitar” is also somewhat of a half century celebratory milestone for J.D. After an early stint with Jimmy Martin, he formed his own group in 1968, The Kentucky Mountain Boys (with Doyle Lawson and Red Allen). The New South first took the stage in 1974 with Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs and Jerry Douglas. About 2002, Rounder Records re-released “My Home Ain’t in the Hall of Fame” (the band’s seminal 1978 album). Over the years, band alumni have included Keith Whitley, Jimmy Gaudreau, Paul Adkins, Wendy Miller, Gene Johnson (Diamond Rio), Tony King (Brooks and Dunn), and many others. In 1999, J.D. and The New South put out the album “Come on Down to My World,” that introduced us to Dwight McCall’s singing and mandolin playing. A year later, however, some of their bandmates left to form another stellar group, Wildfire. That 1999 album was the band’s last studio album until “Lefty’s Old Guitar” hit the mark.

Today, the award-winning banjo player’s band is comprised of some masterful pickers and singers – Dwight McCall (mandolin, vocals), Rickey Wasson (guitar, vocals), Ron Stewart (fiddle), and Harold Nixon (bass).  Crowe, of course, also typically sings a baritone harmony in choruses. Their vocal blends are resonant, full of joy or sung with pathos, when needed. For their highest, lonesomest sound, check out “She Knows When You’re On My Mind Again,” that lays in Cia Cherryholmes’ high baritone harmony on the very top. While Wasson does most of the lead vocalizing on “Lefty’s Old Guitar,” McCall’s sumptuous high voice belts out the verses’ lyrics on his own self-penned “I Only Wish You Knew,” Larry Sparks’ “Just Loving You,” and Cindy Walker’s “Blue Bonnet Lane.”

Their contemporary repertoire is arranged with shared breaks and crafty instrumental fills. “Lefty’s Old Guitar” has been a long time, about seven years, in coming. I guess that the band and record label felt that the current personnel had now solidified into a very cohesive unit of impeccability. Crowe has always been astute about incorporating some country feeling into his music. Doug Jernigan’s pedal steel on two cuts doesn’t bother me, and I appreciate their not feeling a need to put drums or percussion into the mix. Other producers (usually Nashville-based) feel that ‘power’ bluegrass music needs drums to present commercial, radio-friendly fare. J.D. Crowe proves that it just ain’t so! One thing I did find missing from their successful formula, however, would be a hard-driving barnburner that really challenges the instrumental picking and bowing prowess of highly regarded award winners like Ronnie Stewart. However, the set still provides some eclectic ups and downs in tempos for songs that are as sure to become as classic and influential as some of J.D. Crowe’s seminal works. (Joe Ross)