CD Review: THE LINDSEY FAMILY – My Town

THE LINDSEY FAMILY

My Town
Tall Buildings – Today I Started Loving You
Again – Take Me Home Country Roads – They’re Gone – Movie House – My
Town – DeFunak Springs – Bubble Gum Days – Thank God I’m A Country Boy –
The Only Thing That Matters – Temperamental – Dooley
 
I’m always amazed at the incredibly beautiful ‘music’ emanating from
large families devoted to Jesus Christ.  It must be the dedication and
strong belief that the promises of Christ will obviously come true. 
This CD is one of the most remarkable CD’s I’ve ever heard from a large
family.  The first thing I ‘hear’ and hear it well is how amazingly
proficient this family is on their choice of musical instruments. 
Secondly is their incredible ability to transform and bring back some
older popular songs like “Take Me Home Country Roads” and “Today I
Started Loving You Again” and give the songs such a brilliant ‘new’
interpretation and fulfillment. This happens again and again on this
wonderfully beautiful CD.  I need to introduce new listeners to this
family.  Alan Lindsey
(dad) does vocals and rhythm
guitar (I like his sure and strong rhythm pattern, much like Jimmy
Martin used to portray); Caleb Lindsey does vocals and mandolin “also
general fill-in on a bunch of other instruments” (I really like the
mandolin of bluegrass, so well executed by Bill Monroe. Caleb has the
Monroe touch, but add a little Jesse McReynolds and you can begin to
understand how very versatile this family is on their instruments.);
Rebekah Lindsey does vocals and  guitar (I believe she is excellent in
embellishing vocal harmony); Naomi Lindsey does bass and penny whistle
(the use of the penny whistle on “Take Me Home Country Roads” was
brilliant, as it is on “My Town” a lovely self-composed song by Jared
Lindsey, about stories his Grandpa told of his Grandpa’s farm in
Southeast Ohio ); Susanna Lindsey does vocals (this means she also does
harmony. All of the harmony on this CD is incredibly tight and audibly
beautiful); Timothy Lindsey does vocals, banjo, Dobro, and percussion. 
(The banjo is perhaps the most prominent instrument in bluegrass music
and bluegrass gospel music.  Timothy’s mastery of this instrument is
paramount to bluegrass music, sometimes perhaps too embellished. 
Timothy knows exactly where the banjo excels and where it is a
background instrument. He never overpowers his fellow musicians, a trait
often overlooked in bluegrass music); Stephen Burwell and Madison
Denton sit in on this session, both excellent fiddle players, triumphant
in keeping the original ‘old-time’ style of fiddle playing alive and
well.  It is so remarkable that this musical family can keep the
ingredients of delightful Kentucky
‘rural’ music alive
and well in a ‘country-bluegrass’ style of playing, while at the same
time ‘country’ music of today is so sorrowfully lacking in all of the
most successful ingredients that make this music so ‘American’ in
creation and style.  My hat’s off to the Lindsey Family who have no
trouble at all keeping the distinctive American style in their music,
and doing it so exceptionally well.  I’m impressed, not only with the
popular songs the family has selected for this session, but also their
very well written and executed self-composed songs. Tammy Lindsey
(Mama), Michael age 10, and Olivia age 7, are the remaining members of
the family and generally contribute during shows.  The younger entertain
through some very impressive yodeling and other fun songs and dance. 
This CD is still within the ‘time range’ of acceptable CD’s being
reviewed by the Rural Roots Music Commission for their “CD of the Year”
awards.  I will immediately send it to them with my own high hopes that
this recording will set well with them.
RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART, Pres., National Traditional Country Music Association , www.music-savers.com for Country Music News International

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