Any late-'60s band that included banjoist
J.D. Crowe
, singer
Red Allen
, and mandolinist
Doyle Lawson
would have to be looked at as a crossroads of sort, a meeting of
bluegrass
past and
future, a foray into tradition and a portent of things to come.
was an old-school vocalist who infused his singing with mountain
soul
that drew on tradition as laid down by innovators like
Ralph Stanley
and
Bill Monroe
. Both
Lawson
(in
the Country Gentlemen
) and
Crowe
, on the other hand, would come to the forefront in the '70s, both delving into a more
progressive
style while retaining a
traditional
base. The group's selections and style stick close to tradition on
Bluegrass Holiday
, with
Allen
singing lead and both
adding to the vocal blend. An upbeat, instrumental cut of
"Train 45"
is simply fabulous, with banjos and mandolins blazing.
Bobby Slone
's bass work keeps the band grounded, and he adds his fiddle skills to
"Orange Blossom Special."
Fans will be pleased that four bonus tracks,
"Black Jack,"
"You're Not Easy to Forget,"
"Pike County Breakdown,"
"We'll Meet Again Sweetheart,"
have been added. The recording quality is somewhat rough, and the vocals often sound distant, as though too much echo has been added. Fans, however, will be happy that
is available again. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.