Deep Roots Albums of the Year, 2024 Edition

Steeldrivers: Regrouped, Renewed, Revitalized

Regrouped, renewed and revitalized, THE STEELDRIVERS are back with with Hammer Down, a new album comparable in every way to the group's two previous Grammy nominated long players.

by David McGee

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In Praise of the Torch Holder

In his second solo outing, JUNIOR SISK honors Polonius's advice: "To thine own self be true." In doing so, he creates a traditional bluegrass gem in LOAD THE WAGON.

by David McGee

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Retrospectives of the Year (2016)

Something akin to Lifetime Achievement Awards: Paul McCartney's Pure McCartney and Rhonda Vincent & The Rage's All the Rage: Rhonda Vincent & The Rage Live in Concert, Volume One

by David McGee

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The Fisk Jubilee Singers: Working On a Building

In 1871 the JUBILEE SINGERS of Nashville toured the northern states in hopes of raising funds to build a college. Bucking daunting odds against them, they succeeded and made Fisk University possible.

by David McGee

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We redress a great wrong in finally reviewing RAUL MALO's 2007 Christmas masterpiece, Marshmallow World + Other Holiday Favorites. This Yuletide essential is so suave it even offers 'Silver Bells' as a tango. Believe it.

by David McGee

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Angels We Have Heard on High

DANCING DAY: MUSIC FOR CHRISTMAS, the last recording JOHN SCOTT made with the SAINT THOMAS CHOIR OF MEN & BOYS before his tragic death this past August, is a reverent seasonal classic.

by David McGee

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The Adkins Doctrine

Populist bluegrasser DAVE ADKINS is back with his second solo album, a self-titled effort. The social conscience remains intact, but the heart is what it's all about here. All else is marginalia.

by David McGee

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No Words Necessary

If you were to select only all-instrumental albums of holiday music, you could hardly do better than to latch onto disparate Yuletide forays by LEROY ANDERSON and JOHN FAHEY

by David McGee

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