Customer Reviews

Sipsey

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I have been a fan of Ginger Boatwright since the days of RED,WHITE&BLUE(grass). It's been a long time since her last release, but the wait was worth it. SIPSEY is by far her best work, and FERTILE GROUND and the RED,WHITE&BLUE(grass) albums weren't exactly shabby. She combines original material and the songs of others in an album which flows seamlessly from beginning to end. And where did she get that band? An amazing bunch! Their playing is so good that this would be a great CD even without the vocals, but the vocals are as good as the pickin'. The first two cuts, "Sipsey", a plaintive love ballad, and "So Long, Farewell, Goodbye," a rollicking song of love gone bad, set the tone for the album. Tales of loving, leaving and losing are told with a powerful, emotion-filled voice. I especially enjoyed "February Snow," by the late Playboy cartoonist Shel Silverstein, and "Angelina Baker," a joyful song written in the 1840's by Stephen Foster. I really dig this CD, and recommend it to everyone who likes well told tales and great music.

In Sipsey, Ginger Boatwright has done a wonderful job of juxtaposing old style country, bluegrass, and blues. Because she uses mostly traditional acoustic instruments , Ginger maintains a soothing style which reminds me somewhat of soundtrack selections from the film "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou." My favorite tune is "Sipsey," a beautifully performed song that should become a classic. Ginger's unique, bluesy vocals add real soul to the effort. "Angelina Baker" also infuses some great bluegrass into this wonderful CD. My most pleasant surprise,however, was hearing my seven year old son ask to hear it again and again. Own this one!

Ginger is a friend of mine, and it was quite an honor to back her up on stage during this CD's release party. Her sense of humor caught me off guard when she approached me about performing with her. She said "Hey, you got all them Jerry Douglas licks down yet? You gotta play 'em with me real soon" Anyway, this album is fantastic, and it's highly recommended! Ginger is a wonderful person, and a great friend and mentor.

This CD stays in the changer all the time. 'Sipsey' is becoming my favorite song, with a lovely melody, wonderful vocals and timeless subject matter. Definitely recommended.