The Father of Wisconsin Bluegrass

Bill Jorgenson

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 26, 2001)
• Original Release Date: June 26, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: The Orchard
• ASIN: B00005LOQE
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,150,625 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Real down-home feeling of a jam session, March 30, 2003

By	J. Ross "a-music_fan" (Roseburg, OR USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Bill Jorgenson has been picking and singing bluegrass for about six decades since he first heard the WLS Barn Dance and took up the guitar. In 1998, he was inducted into America's Old-Time Country Music Hall of Fame. The "Father of Wisconsin Bluegrass," Jorgenson just wants people to hear his music and to keep the old songs alive. That's why he set a goal to release ten albums of traditional bluegrass songs and other old classic country standards, which he calls his Collectors Editions CDs. On "Nashville," the first album in the series, Bill assembled Kenny Baker (fiddle), Josh Graves (dobro), Larry Perkins (banjo), Doug Mounts (guitar) and Joe Pointer (bass) to assist. Three additional albums have also apparently been released (On Stage, Long Journey Home, and Old Favorites Done Bluegrass Style). "Nashville" has some great old songs on it, and Jorgenson sings them with gusto. The album has a real down-home feel of a jam session in your kitchen, and with friends like Baker and Graves, how can you go wrong? I understand that this entire album was recorded in 24 hours at the Gene Breden Studio in the United Artist Towers in Nashville with the help of Dallas Smith.

Bill Jorgenson is a song carrier, and he deserves a lot of credit for promoting and preserving traditional music. There are a few minor flaws in "Nashville." Some of the playing is a little loose or slightly off pitch. It would've also been nice if the album's track listing would have followed the actual order of the songs presented on the album. I'm told that there's been a new run of the album where the songs as listed and tracks are now the same. Despite its drawbacks, this album would make a nice addition to the library of serious traditional bluegrass music collectors. Bill offers a Bluegrass in the Schools Program, and there is more information about that at his website. He also organizes a bluegrass festival in Wisconsin on Labor Day weekend each year. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)