Customer Reviews

Pickin Time

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Josh McMurray, a young man of only twenty-two, hails from Church Hill, Tennessee. On Pickin' Time, his debut recording featuring twelve instrumentals, McMurray demonstrates that he is an incredible banjo-player. For over three years, he has played with Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers, and McMurray has also been the subject of a recent cover feature story in Banjo Newsletter. Sparks calls McMurray "one of the best young banjo players in today's bluegrass music."

Showing the influences of Earl Scruggs, J.D. Crowe, Don Reno and Sonny Osborne, Josh McMurray clearly has one foot in hard-driving traditional music and another in the future of bluegrass. His original, "Timber Tree," also indicates that he has a knack for tunewriting. This album also shows McMurray using other banjo techniques, such as D tuners on "Cora is Gone" and the open C tuning for "Black Mountain Blues." His lead guitar picking on "Joy Bells" is also exemplary.

On this album, Scott Napier plays mandolin, and Randall Hubbard plays bass on all twelve tracks. Others assisting include G.C. Matlock (guitar), Hunter Berry (fiddle), James Alan Shelton (guitar), and James Price (fiddle). Josh McMurray is a name that we'll be hearing much more in the future. He's a young, accomplished, professional musician that is helping to carry on the bluegrass banjo tradition. At just over 29 minutes, this album comes to a mighty quick ending. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

There are only a couple of truly great bluegrass banjo CD's out there and this is one of them. Josh put together a collection of songs you probably already know but his fresh style puts new fire into all of them. Great timing, taste, tradition, combined with excellent recording quality & superb performances by his fellow musicians make this CD worth buying. He borrowed a pair of prewar gibsons for this recording session and really put them through their paces. There are no lyrics on this CD and all songs are performed 3 finger style. Check it out.