Customer Reviews

Dobro: Blues & Bluegrass

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Recorded in 1972, just as the acoustic music revival was really beginning to emerge from under the shadow of hippie-era rock scene, Mike Auldridge's groundbreaking "Dobro" album helped set the tone for the genre-bending musical explorations of the newgrass and spacegrass scenes that would follow. Many of the tunes were straightforward pick-athons, featuring able assistance by folks such as David Bromberg, Doyle Lawson and Auldridge's pals from the Seldom Scene. The album was a celebration of pure musicianship, a sort of insiders-club party, saying, "hey! look what we can do now!" The album also helped bring the so-called resophonic guitar, or dobro, into the bluegrass mainstream, opening the door for whippersnappers such as Jerry Douglas to explore the sound even further. Auldridge's playing is smooth and serene, a pleasure in and of itself; his choice of material and the sympathetic accompaniment are just icing on the cake. This new CD reissue pairs the original album up with it's likeminded follow-up, "Bluegrass And Blues", which is also quite lovely, but shows early hints of the formulae that would creep into the new acoustic scene, such as covers of pop tunes and jazz standards -- tricks that seem commonplace now, but were radically new back then. All in all, a sweet collection of tunes, quite pleasant to listen to.

This is some of the best of Mike Auldridge's early music. The musicians are all top notch and there is a nice mix of songs. Any fan of dobro or bluegrass/acoustic music will like this collection.

This collection is worth hearing and having if only for the extraordinarily hot rendition of the ancient ballad "Greensleeves". This one track demonstrates convincingly that bluegrass playing is an approach, not a repertoire. Bravo Mike!

Does not matter what Mike Auldridge is playing, he does it with his own uniquely enjoyable, honest and recognizable style. That shouts, no, brags, I've mastered this resonator steel guitar and I can do what you can't do. That warm smile in personal appearences, after applauses for his solos, is not friendly. He is laughing. Laughing at all of us "JEALOUS" steelers, who can only listen and wish that we were even a fraction as good as he is. Mike Auldridge needs to be inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.

I first heard this in the early seventies when it came out on Takoma records. It had me at the opening Hillbilly Hula. I wish that recording was longer. I have listened to that LP regularly through the years. It just occured to me recently - hey get this on CD so I can listen in the car and at work too. So I was happy to see that the CD includes a whole other LP on it! I would recommend this to anyone who likes bluegrass and accoustic blues. Mike knows dobro! And until I got the CD I didn't realize that Bromberg played with him. That's another kicker.