* GUSTO RECORDS of Nashville, Tennessee *
Re-Releases
* SUNNY MOUNTAIN BANJO *
Now Available Online at:
County Sales and Ernest Tubb Record Shop
SUNNY MOUNTAIN BANJO
It was quite some time ago, the early to mid 1980's I'd guess, when I first met
Larry Wallace and heard his banjo playing. To say that I was impressed with
his playing would be an understatement. More recently I've heard his work
much more often in his present capacity as a member of Jimmy Martin's
"Sunny Mountain Boys". The more I hear Larry play, the more I appreciate
his
solid timing, clarity of tone and his versatility. The personnel on this
recording session are like a who's who of instrumentalists. This is a group of
pros at
work and it makes for enjoyable listening. Put it on your stereo and
slip your
shoes off because it's foot-pattin' music at its best.
IBMA Hall of Honor Member
Hendersonville, Tennessee
- Sweet Little Maggie
- Sunny Side Of The Mountain
- Cumberland Gap
- Fire On The Mountain
- Pike County Breakdown
- Foggy Mountain Breakdown
|
- Theme Time
- Sally Goodin'
- Train 45
- Goin Up Cripple Creek
- Lost Wild Indian
- I Saw The Light
|
Personnel:
Jimmy
Martin - guitar
Charlie Cline - fiddle and twin fiddles on "I Saw The Light"
Vernon Derrick - mandolin and fiddle on "Fire On The Mountain"
and "Theme Time"
Stan Wilemon - bass
Hugh Curry - snare drum
Larry Wallace - banjo
Recording
Sunny Mountain Banjo - Larry and Vernon Derrick
The
greatest highlight of my banjo career has to be my first appearance
on The Grand Ole Opry with Jimmy Martin. I knew my dream had
come true when, during my break on "Freeborn Man",
Jimmy looked over at me and shouted, "That's it!"
On this recording we tried to capture the "Sunny Mountain
Sound". It wasn't very difficult to do since "the
best of the best" Sunny Mountain Boys are here - Charlie
Cline, Vernon Derrick, and of course, Jimmy Martin. I included
a few "must do" songs and some of my favorites which
were adapted to Jimmy's sound. I have always loved the "Sunny
Mountain Sound," so I hope you enjoy my "Sunny Mountain
Banjo" playing.
-Larry Wallace
I
first heard Larry Wallace pick the banjo in the lobby of the Opryland
Hotel during the SPBGMA Convention in Nashville a few years ago.
My friend and fellow songwriter, Pete Goble, came to me and said,
"You've got to hear Larry Wallace play - Jimmy, he's got
your timing!" Shortly thereafter, I told Larry that "whenever
he wanted a job as a Sunny Mountain Boy, just let me know. When
he got ready, I was ready." So now I'm very proud to say,
he's a Sunny Mountain Boy. He had all of my songs down the first
day he went to work with me. Larry is a wonderful person to be
around. I always enjoy riding the bus talking to Larry. He's good
to talk with. I hope that everybody who buys this album will someday
get to meet Larry in person and let him autograph it for you,
and then you'll see what a wonderful person he is. I'm very proud
to say that Larry is my friend and I will help him in any way
I can. Larry ranks with three of the best banjo players that have
worked and traveled the road with me who know all of my songs,
"Larry Wallace, J.D. Crowe, and Bill Emerson."
-Jimmy Martin
The King of Bluegrass
Nashville, Tennessee
1995
His
banjo work is impeccable, clean and bold. It's the kind of flat
out unstoppable picking that could best an entire brass band,
the kind that can drill a ten-penny nail into an oak tree at 30
paces yet draws you closer to hear more and more. Friends, this
is Bluegrass with a capital B for banjo.
-Bluegrass Unlimited
This recording features Wallace's banjo playing, but as the title
suggests, it is also an instrumental recording of Jimmy Martin's
style of Bluegrass.....The result is a well-played set of driving,
up-tempo tunes that are not for the faint-hearted or timid.....The
consistently good tone that Wallace gets from his banjo on the
fast-paced renditions is remarkable......If you're looking for
an album of solid, straight-ahead Bluegrass instrumentals, get
this album and hold on!
-Bluegrass Now
This is a group of pros at work and it makes for enjoyable listening.
Put it on your stereo and slip your shoes off because it's foot-pattin'
music at its best!
-Lance LeRoy
IBMA Hall of Honor Member
The Lancer Agency
Hendersonville, Tennessee
Wallace is a strong and dynamic musician......Solid renditions!
-County Sales
Newsletter
Floyd, Virginia
This whole album is a drive-fest! There's a version of "Train
45" on here that will curl your hair! If you want to hear
some good, solid banjerpickin', backed up by one of the finest
bunch of sidemen you'll ever hear, you need to ride around listening
to this one in the car for about a week!
-Lee Taylor
Southeastern Bluegrass Assn.
Newsletter
Atlanta, Georgia
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