Customer Reviews

Live at the Ryman

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4 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Marty's music has always been rock and roll, country, bluegrass, honky-tonk, rockabilly and blues all rolled up in one package. These songs are no different. He is a Master musician, artist and singer. The next best thing to being at the Ryman and seeing him live is this record. This is Marty at his best. He gives it his all and you can hear it in his music. Surrounded by other greats such as Stuart Duncan, Charlie Cushman, Josh Graves, Eddie Stubbs and the Superlatives it doesn't get any better than this record. If you want to hear what country music should sound like, buy this record.

My understanding was that this was going to be THE bluegrass album from Marty that so many of us have been waiting for ever since "Busy Bee Cafe." This isn't that album. However, it is a disc with a whole lot of exceptional picking. In addition to the Fabulous Superlatives, Marty is joined by Uncle Josh Graves, Charlie Cushman and Stuart Duncan.

There are no tunes on this CD that are commonly recognized as bluegrass. There are good songs presented acoustically. Blues tunes such as "Sure Wanna Keep My Wine," "No Hard Time Blues," and great instrumentals like "Shuckin' The Corn," and "Mr. John Henry, The Steel Drivin' Man," and even great version of "Orange Blossom Special" keep "Live at the Ryman" ripping and roaring.

So, thanks for the nod toward bluegrass, Marty. Many of us still believe that you are one of the consummate mandolin players around and that one of these days, you give us a superb studio bluegrass album. And thanks once again for keeping the true feel and spirit of country music alive.

Playing Time - 42:42 -- It's been a number of years since I caught Marty Stuart live at a bluegrass festival at the Frontier Ranch near Columbus, Ohio. At the time, I thought his show was a little too country with its electric guitars and drums, but he was still very well received by the large crowd in attendance. This live bluegrass album is a very welcome acoustic treat that takes the consummate entertainer back to his professional bluegrass roots that first began after he heard Bill Monroe & The Sullivan Family at the Natl. Guard Armory in Jackson, Alabama in 1970. By 1972 (at age 13), the Mississippi native was playing mandolin and lead guitar with Lester Flatt & the Nashville Grass. Lester affectionately called him "Little Marty Stuart." After seven years with Lester, he spent six with Johnny Cash. Marty's also worked with Bob Dylan, Crystal Gayle, Anne Murray, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Jackson, The Sullivan Family, Travis Tritt and many others.

Since joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1992, you might catch Marty with his own band, with "The Opry Bluegrass Band" (with Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill & Earl Scruggs), or with the old-time "Tennessee Mafia Jug Band." The versatile Stuart has found his niche on Hillbilly Rock Road that traverses both bluegrass and country territory. On this album, his signature "Hillbilly Rock" closes the set that took place on July 24, 2003 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Marty had just finished touring the nation with his "Electric Barnyard Tour," and he'd somewhat forgotten that he'd agreed to doing a bluegrass show at the Ryman. No matter because fiddler Stuart Duncan, banjo-player Charlie Cushman, dobro-player Josh Graves, and emcee Eddie Stubbs were only a few phone calls away and more than willing to join Marty's Fabulous Superlatives with Kenny Vaughan (guitar), Harry Stinson (snare drum), and Brian Glenn (bass). Marty admits to not having the time to rehearse much or get serious about anything so the group agreed to pick and sing "marquee level songs with a built in fun factor." It wasn't planned for the sold-out concert to be recorded, but after the fact Marty felt that it was magical from the first note to the last. Thus, it was decided to share it with us on CD. Maybe that's why "Live at the Ryman" follows so closely after his "Soul's Chapel" and "Badlands" album releases since the summer of 2005.

"Live..." conveys a great deal of bluegrass spirit and drive. Often, the very best `grass is played in jam sessions, and these Nashville cats knew exactly how to light the fire. That's where chutzpah kicks in. Marty was clearly in charge, directing the arrangements, and encouraging his sidekicks. The real treat is in hearing the individual instrumentalists tear up standards and impart their own personalities to the likes of Orange Blossom Special, John Henry, Shuckin' the Corn, Train 45, and The Great Speckled Bird. Some of Stuart's hits such as "The Whiskey Ain't Workin' Anymore" and "Hillbilly Rock" are given hard-drivin' bluegrass treatment. Great pickers also know how to impart drive to slower-tempo'ed tune, and mandolin players should really enjoy Marty's licks on "No Hard Times Blues." I was surprised that the liner notes don't credit Marty with any vocals. The notes are remiss in not acknowledging songwriters. A few little things aside, "Live at the Ryman" is a sturdy, confident project with raw energy and brash attitude. Marty and his buds keep the bluegrass coming at full throttle. Kudos to Les Banks for a fine job recording this show. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

Marty puts out another solid CD, he's always been one of my favorites. But the CD only has 11 songs, 40-42 minutes. Being a live CD, they could have put another half dozen songs on it.

Marty is a wonderful musician and artist. To hear such great music produced live without the help of the studio and electronics is fabulous. This is what music should be, especially country music. Let's get back to being real.

What can you say about this lineup that other critics who get paid for their opinions haven't already said. I highly recommend this CD as well as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" by the NGDB. The current generation virtuosos playing alongside the remaining "old school" bluegrass pickers like Flatt, Suggs, Cash, etc.

Marty Stuart will always be a first class act. 'Live at the Ryman' is absolutely one of his best works. Put this CD on, sit back, relax and enjoy a great show.

I'd love to know why there's no mandolin featured on the samples of the instrumentals. Hey marketing people - Marty plays great mandolin. The instrumental samples I heard certainly don't establish anything distinctive about this effort. For example, I don't need to hear a fiddle playing "Orange Blossom Special" - I've heard that a million times. Now, a mandolin break on OBS is a different story - I've only heard that when I played it on stage.

Looking for real bluegrass, then you won't like live at the ryman.Marty is taking bluegrass in the same direction that he has taken his country recordings. It should be titled grass that rocks