In the 1940s, fiddler and guitarist Glen Neaves formed the Virginia Mountain Boys, and the band performed in varying lineups through the next three decades. In many cases, the members of the band were the first in their families to play bluegrass rather than the older Appalachian string band styles they grew up with. However, the older music strongly influenced their choice of instrumentation and songs; for example, they eschewed the Dobro favored by other bands of the time and relied heavily on simple banjo picking, guitar picking, and hard-driving rhythm. Glen Neaves leads with lonesome, bittersweet singing and fiddle playing inspired by G. B. Grayson, a traditional mountain fiddler from North Carolina. Liner notes include full song lyrics and brief performer profiles with photos.

Tracklist:

Lonesome Road Blues
Knoxville Girl
Nobody's Darling
Lost Train Blues
Love Me Darlin' Just Tonight
I'm Glad My Wife's In Europe
Red Rocking Chair
Train 45
In The Pines
White House Blues
Clinch Mountain Breakdown
Red And Green Signal Lights
Poor Rambler
Sunny Side Of The Mountain
John Hardy
Little Frankie Baker
Little Birdie

UPC: 093070383326
Label: Folkways Records
Release Date: 5.30.12
Format: CD

The Virginia Mountain Boys - Virginia Mountain Boys 2: Bluegrass String Band (CD)