Bluegrass! with The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers

The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers were an early band known mostly for their contributions to the world of bluegrass music. Formed way back in 1938 by cousins Ray, Ezra, and Ned Cline, they went through a number of personnel changes (including one that was needed after Ned Cline died in World War II), and eventually disbanded around 1966.

Although founding member Ezra Cline passed away in 1984, the band reunited for a reunion album in 1988, with Ray Cline's son taking Ezra's place. In October of 2009, the group was inducted into the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame.

I haven't been able to get much info on this specific album, but it appears to be a compilation, and it's positively SIZZLING. These guys can really play, and since this is truly first-generation, "old school" stuff, it's about the purest bluegrass music I've ever heard. One stand-out track is their recording of "Blue Moon of Kentucky" (track 3). Written by "The Father of Bluegrass", Bill Monroe, originally as a slow waltz in 3/4 time, the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers crank up the tempo and play it in 4/4 time instead. This song was later recorded by a number of other artists, including Elvis Presley and Paul McCartney, among others.