Pickin' the Blues
Artist: Doc & Merle Watson

Son Merle Watson gets top billing along with his dad on this superior release of acoustic mountain music, but it is really a group effort in which the smooth mastery of Doc Watson serves as a kind of a picture frame for each of the musical canvases included. The album title might indicate some limitation in the material, but the concept of... Read More

Cowboys in Love
Artist: Riders in the Sky
Community Score: 10.00

Putting the skits aside for the time being, The Riders focus largely on their underrated musical ability. Ranger Doug shows off his sublime baritone on several Western-style love songs, including an exquisite duet with Emmylou Harris on "One Has My Name, the Other Has My Heart." The instrumentals, especially Woody Paul's expert fiddling, are... Read More

American Recordings
Artist: Johnny Cash
Community Score: 9.45

There are few artists who possess the seemingly unlimited crossover appeal of Johnny Cash. With American Recordings, the country legend somehow introduced himself to a modern rock audience by releasing a folk record. Of course, the Man in Black isn't your typical country musician, and American Recordings encompasses several different genres, but... Read More

Goin' Back to Texas
Artist: Don Edwards
Community Score: 8.00
Festival Favorites Revisited
Artist: Alan Munde

Alan Munde is one of those phenomenally talented banjo players who very quietly go around making other, more flamboyant characters look like mere showoffs. He can do that because he's possessed of both incredible chops and transcendent taste (a rare combination in banjoists). As he shows here, he can take bluegrass chestnuts like "Cripple Creek"... Read More

Remembering Merle
Artist: Doc & Merle Watson

Remembering Merle is an affectionate tribute to Doc Watson's deceased son, featuring several songs -- which were all recorded live between 1970 and 1976 -- that showcased his work. Doc and Merle touch on a number of different genres, from folk and blue to rockabilly, all the while demonstrating the younger Watson's considerable talent. ~ Thom... Read More

Memories
Artist: Doc Watson

Twenty-two songs originally recorded by Doc Watson (with Merle Watson producing in association with Chuck Cochran) for Capitol/EMI in the mid-'70s, a life-retrospective including traditional numbers like "Shady Grove" and A.P. Carter's "Wabash Cannonball," Jimmie Rodgers' "In the Jailhouse," and the old jug band standard "Mama Don't Allow No... Read More

Doc Watson on Stage (Featuring Merle Watson)
Artist: Doc & Merle Watson

One of Doc Watson's finest later records, On Stage is a virtual travelogue of his entire career in one record, almost a greatest hits record, live. Assisted by Merle Watson, the program flows from lightning fast hoedowns such as "Brown's Ferry Blues," where Watson picks lightning fast with a dexterity that is almost unbelievable. His feel and... Read More

Super Hits
Artist: The Charlie Daniels Band

Super Hits is a budget-priced collection that features a handful of Charlie Daniels Band's biggest hits, but it doesn't provide a definitive retrospective, nor does it have every hit that a casual fan could want. It's entertaining, but it leaves you wanting more. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Read More