Customer Reviews

Angels Are Singing: Women's Bluegrass Gospel

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This collection begins with an old standard by the Cox Family setting a familar tone which is quickly broken. "Wayfaring Stranger" is the only other standard Gospel number but its execution with a bluesy clarinet is anything but standard; bluegrass clarinet works splendidly. Hazel Dickens provides a mother/memory piece in "Faded Pressed Rose" - she delivers an intensely emotional piece without ever sounding sacchrine. The Stevens Sisters' bluesy rendition of "In My Time of Dying" balances death and faith in well balanced close harmony. And OlaBelle Reed cuts us all down to size in a riveting performance of "Six Feet of Earth Makes Us All of One Size".

This anthology provides the high quality variety that allows one's favorite to change with each change in your mood, providing a good introduction to several of Rounder's bluegrass women.

This is different from most other gospel collections and not just in style. With the exception of Wayfaring stranger, it avoids all the obvious gospel songs like Amazing grace and Precious memories. Brilliant as they are (and I'm sure that the ladies featured here could do wonderful versions of the gospel standards), it is refreshing to hear a gospel album without them.

Some of the songs were written by or for the featured singers, but where traditional songs have been covered, they are obscure to say the least, except Wayfaring stranger, on which the group that named themselves after the song adds a clarinet to traditional bluegrass instruments - but don't panic - it's lovely.

The finest modern bluegrass ladies - Claire, Rhonda, Alison, Lynn, Laurie and the Stevens sisters -are represented, but you also get to hear Hazel Dickens, Wilma Lee Cooper and other pioneering bluegrass ladies. Many of these ladies are also featured on the same label's secular music compilations, O sister and O sister 2, so if you enjoy those you will also enjoy this.

It's really about time the women got their due. For many years men seemed to dominate bluegrass music, but with the resurgence caused by "O-Brother.." and "Down From The Mountain", the ladies are making their way to front and center.
Several years before, I saw Claire Lynch and her Front Porch Sting Band at a Georgia bluegrass Festival at Hillside bluegrass park in Cochran, GA. I met her afterword, and my first comment to her was "you sing like an angel". So do the rest of the ladies, and you will really enjoy this CD, as well as the "O Sister" CDs.

I'm not a diehard gospel fan, but something about it calls me. This collection is mostly strong, with a few I don't like, but that's what you get with any collection. I enjoy this collection nonetheless.

These women are good singers and the instruments are well done. Enjoyable to listen to.

These are the best ladies in bluegrass by far. If you like this kind of music you will keep this on top of your CD list.

If you love Blue Grass Gospel - this one is for you. Mountain Gospel at its best.

Bought this CD to listen for pleasure and inspiration. The songs are well done and enjoyable. If you like Southern Gospel you'll like this.

Bluegrass Gospel was probably founded by the Lewis Family who were virtually female led.They still exist into another generation or two but the classic stuff was on Starday.Making less of an impact were the Little Sisters,a duo of banjo picking girls who cut an album for MGM which is still not on CD and which I have 2 vinyl copies of.In the late 70s came the Lost Kentuckians who were Charlie Meadows plus his wife,daughter and daughter in law.It also struck me how much better bluegrass sounded by girl singers-the mainly male dominated stuff just tends to sound like the same thing playing all the time.You hear one Flatt & Scruggs you heard them all
Today things have changed.The new generation says Alison Krauss is the big gun and the bluegrass girls of the 70s and 80s now get a higher profile-Hazel Dickens,Alice Gerard,Ginny Hawker,Claire Lynch,Rhonda Vincent,the Cox family,the White Sisters.
They changed because of the movie O Brother and there was plenty of stuff on the Rounder label including 2 sequels to this CD
What bluegrass girls do is make Forever Music

the title of this album says it all... "angels singing". there are well known artist all over this album. great grassy collection :)