BOBBY ATKINS – I’ll Go On Alone
I’ll Go On Alone – Mama Don’t Allow – Blueside of Lonesome – A Dream Of You – Frankie and Johnny – Uncloudy Day – Ole Slewfoot – Blueberry Hill – I Might Take You Back Again – No One To Call My Own – Sugarfoot Rag – Old Homeplace
Bobby Atkins is my favorite banjo player and singer of great mountain style bluegrass music. He played banjo for Bill Monroe, and I can’t think of a better way to not only remember Bill’s 100th birthday with this CD, but to also honor Bobby Atkin’s own son, Jason, who passed away in 2009 at age 35. Jason wrote a terrific original song included in this CD called “A Dream Of You.” This entire project is a super-good CD with not only some ‘classic’ bluegrass songs, but a little ‘rag’ music as well. And when you hear “Blueberry Hill” done bluegrass style, you begin to immediately wonder, was this song written for bluegrass? Yes, I believe even Fats would say yes to that. When you hear “Slewfoot” you know you are hearing the ‘real deal.’ Bobby calls North Carolina home, and that’s where he has his recording studio, where he produces so much of this great music. His whole family is involved with the creation of good ‘traditional’ bluegrass music. Like Bill Monroe, Bobby Atkins surrounds himself with the very best musicians, and this case it’s his own family. He plays banjo of course and sings all the leads. Jason Atkins is on bass here, one of the last recordings he was on. Mark Atkins is on mandolin (he plays this instrument incredibly well) and also lends some vocals to lead lines as well as harmony. Danny Casstevens does rhythm and lead guitar, and joins in the vocals too. All together it becomes a terrific ‘look-see’ at what real bluegrass music is all about. I believe that is why North Carolina is such a hot-bed of great music and music makers. Bobby was with us when we were doing our festival in Missouri Valley, Iowa (now moved to LeMars, Iowa, Aug 27-Sept 2, 2012 www.ntcma.net) to be inducted into America’s Old Time Country & Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. The night he made his appearance, it was one of the most remarkable stage presences our upper Midwest audience had ever experienced up to that time. Bobby is also one of those musician musicians that joined right in, playing with our Midwest instrumentalists, making it a life-time remembrance they still talk about today. This CD is going to be forwarded to the Rural Roots Music Commission to see what they think of traditional bluegrass. Bobby Atkins leaves his very own imprint on every song he tackles, and that brings even more listening pleasure to this project.
You can purchase this recording direct from Thunderbolt Records, 1109 Cleburne St., Greensboro, NC 27408
Bob Everhart