Bluegrass Guitar Duets

Sandy Rothman, Rothman/Pottier | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 27, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Hollywood Records
• ASIN: B000000OM0
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #969,572 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Brown's Ferry Guitar

2. Little Annie

3. Denver Belle

4. In the Pines

5. Flop-Eared Mule

6. What a Friend We Have in Jesus

7. Blue Guitar Yodel

8. Lonesome Road Blues

9. Billy in the Low Ground

10. Forsaken Love

11. Buffalo Gals

12. When You and I Were Young, Maggie

13. Black Mountain Rag

14. The Storms Are on the Ocean

15. Weeping Willow

16. Precious Memories

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Acoustic guitar duets shine, May 31, 2009

By 

A. Them - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bluegrass Guitar Duets (Audio CD)

Sandy Rothman and Steve Pottier share lead in this meticulously thoughtful set of bluegrass guitar duets. Backup work is as tasteful as the inventive leads are, and the two clearly respect the music and each other's contributions to this inventive collection. The playing is as fresh today as it was on the 1991 recording date. Because this is the duo's only recorded material, it is clear the recording session is as rare as it is excellent.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent CD for Picker or Non-Picker!, February 9, 2004

By 

"bobbergrass" (Vancouver, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bluegrass Guitar Duets (Audio CD)

This album is simply great! It offers an opportunity to hear two very talented gentlemen in a setting that allows focus on them and their instruments. Whether you use it for instructional purposes or entertainment or both, you can't go wrong. This is a must-have CD for the acoustic, bluegrass or folk/gospel fan. Everyone needs to hear this one.

5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable for background, critical listening, learning, August 14, 2003

By 

J. Ross "a-music_fan" (Roseburg, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bluegrass Guitar Duets (Audio CD)

Although this recording was put to tape eleven years ago, it remains one of the most fun recordings in my meager collection. The tunes are all familiar standards but what makes this CD unique is that it is primarily two guitars taking turns on these songs, trading licks and styles on every cut. The first song, for example, is a great jamming tune called "Little Annie". The
original tune is a Stephen Foster composition titled "Gentle Annie" and was adapted by A.P. Carter. In the liner notes, Steve Pottier mentions a vocal version of the song done by Vern Williams which inspired him to do the tune. (Interestingly, Vern Williams version can be found on the on the album "Hand-Picked: 25 years of Rounder Bluegrass" under the tiltle "When Springtime Comes Again".)

Although this is not a learning or practice tape, I highly recommend this album as fun way to learn new tunes and licks. There are no vocals- this recording is strictly instrumental. The styles range from fiddle tunes to gospel, Jimmy Rodgers to the aforementioned Stephen Foster, bluesy to folksy- but all picked with taste and variety. Their sources of inspiration mentioned in the liner notes, among others, are Clarence White, Doc Watson, and Larry Sparks. In the notes for Flop-Eared Mule Pottier mentions getting "in a few Django-by-way-Clarence licks". Can't beat that for versatility.

Pottier and Rothman are Bay Area musicians who have been active in bluegrass since the 1960s but this is their first collaboration. Sandy Rothman played with Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys in the 60s and around that same time got to know Clarence White and became familiar with the intricacies of White's revolutionary bluegrass stylings. Both Pottier and Rothman have separately played in several Bay Area bands. Steve Pottier contributes a regular column to Flatpicking Guitar Magazine.

My interest in this recording is primarily as a guitarist- it's fun to play along and try to learn new licks, but more times than not I'll put the CD in the player simply to listen to it. It is highly enjoyable for background and/or critical listening. (Alan Troupe, reviewer, Nwbluegrass Yahoogroup)