Bands Music

With over 50 years in business, Rural Rhythm Records has built a catalog that connects many dots from past to present. Since its 1955 creation, Rural Rhythm has released hundreds of classic performances by many legendary bluegrass and old-time musicians such as J.E. Mainer, Don Reno, Red Smiley, Mac Wiseman, Vassar Clements, Hylo Brown, Bill Harrell, Jim Eanes, and many others. This album is part of that archival catalog. The label owes its Arcadia, California start to Uncle Jim O'Neal whose vision was to release the music of many top bluegrass and old-time musicians in the 1950-70s, seeking success where Starday had failed by producing records of limited appeal by lesser known, albeit talented, musicians.

Producer Lee Sutton was the visionary who captured the music of the legendary J.E. Mainer, an "unabashed, unreconstructed, unapologetic old-time musician," according to one of Richard Spottswood's reviews in an early issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. Although he had recorded earlier, Mainer's output had dropped off in the 50s and early-60s. Beginning in 1967, twenty volumes of his music were released over the course of just a few years. In Rural Rhythm's extensive J.E. Mainer archive, one of the later projects (actually volume 18 of the whole 20-LP set) was "18 Gospel Favorites." Mainer plays more of a subordinate role to Morris Herbert on this project, although we appreciate the legacy he's left us. Uncle Jim had the vision to record an important old-time musician whose years were limited and whose musicianship was intact.

Mainer's earlier releases were unquestionably his best. He sang and played fiddle. He worked with many of the same personnel who had recorded on King and Arhoolie. Sound quality was good. Later, quantity seemed to become the main goal although all of the sessions produced some good music. Others who worked with J.E. included Earl Cheek (bass), Jerry Cheek (washboard), Bill Deaton (guitar), Danny Milhon (Dobro), and Morris Herbert (banjo, vocals) who eventually came to be featured more than J.E. on the later albums (such as this one). J.E. Mainer died in June, 1971 before a scheduled appearance at a festival in Culpepper, Va.

Songcarriers and musicologists would be particularly interested in this type of archival material. It's an immeasurably wealthy body of familiar and not so familiar tunes. Some should be revived by today's bands. Don't expect to hear vocal harmonies, elaborate arrangements or the same level of clarion studio recording quality we hear today. Rather, just enjoy and relive a classic country sound of yesteryear. Most of the cuts span about 2 minutes apiece. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

I'm a big fan of "old-time" music and "early bluegrass."
This is a tremendous album. I was at a small family blugrass
festival in Nine Mile, Tennessee (Edmond's Family Festival), and
I asked a vendor if he had any fiddlers' CDs, He had all of the usual ones (Vassar Clements, Chubby Wise, Kenny Baker, but he told me that I had to listen to Mainer. I'd never heard of him.
This is authentic music. The vocals are great, I especially like Heavenly Airplane, Lonely Tombs. Job's Coffin, Where You Gonna Hide. The group had apparently played together for years.
I am very curious to see if the lead vocalist, Morris Herbert, had any other work recorded; he's great!!
Mr. Mainer's fiddle work is great; check ou the intro on
Those Lonely Tombs. great stuff!!!!

With over 50 years in business, Rural Rhythm Records has built a catalog that connects many dots from past to present. Since its 1955 creation, Rural Rhythm has released hundreds of classic performances by many legendary bluegrass and old-time musicians such as J.E. Mainer, Don Reno, Red Smiley, Mac Wiseman, Vassar Clements, Hylo Brown, Bill Harrell, Jim Eanes, and many others. This album is part of that archival catalog. The label owes its Arcadia, California start to Uncle Jim O'Neal whose vision was to release the music of many top bluegrass and old-time musicians in the 1950-70s, seeking success where Starday had failed by producing records of limited appeal by lesser known, albeit talented, musicians.

Producer Lee Sutton was the visionary who captured the music of the legendary J.E. Mainer, an "unabashed, unreconstructed, unapologetic old-time musician," according to one of Richard Spottswood's reviews in an early issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. Although he had recorded earlier, Mainer's output had dropped off in the 50s and early-60s. Beginning in 1967, twenty volumes of his music were released over the course of just a few years. In Rural Rhythm's extensive J.E. Mainer archive, one of the later projects (actually volume 18 of the whole 20-LP set) was "18 Gospel Favorites." Mainer plays more of a subordinate role to Morris Herbert on this project, although we appreciate the legacy he's left us. Uncle Jim had the vision to record an important old-time musician whose years were limited and whose musicianship was intact.

Mainer's earlier releases were unquestionably his best. He sang and played fiddle. He worked with many of the same personnel who had recorded on King and Arhoolie. Sound quality was good. Later, quantity seemed to become the main goal although all of the sessions produced some good music. Others who worked with J.E. included Earl Cheek (bass), Jerry Cheek (washboard), Bill Deaton (guitar), Danny Milhon (Dobro), and Morris Herbert (banjo, vocals) who eventually came to be featured more than J.E. on the later albums (such as this one). J.E. Mainer died in June, 1971 before a scheduled appearance at a festival in Culpepper, Va.

Songcarriers and musicologists would be particularly interested in this type of archival material. It's an immeasurably wealthy body of familiar and not so familiar tunes. Some should be revived by today's bands. Don't expect to hear vocal harmonies, elaborate arrangements or the same level of clarion studio recording quality we hear today. Rather, just enjoy and relive a classic country sound of yesteryear. Most of the cuts span about 2 minutes apiece. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

I'm a big fan of "old-time" music and "early bluegrass."
This is a tremendous album. I was at a small family blugrass
festival in Nine Mile, Tennessee (Edmond's Family Festival), and
I asked a vendor if he had any fiddlers' CDs, He had all of the usual ones (Vassar Clements, Chubby Wise, Kenny Baker, but he told me that I had to listen to Mainer. I'd never heard of him.
This is authentic music. The vocals are great, I especially like Heavenly Airplane, Lonely Tombs. Job's Coffin, Where You Gonna Hide. The group had apparently played together for years.
I am very curious to see if the lead vocalist, Morris Herbert, had any other work recorded; he's great!!
Mr. Mainer's fiddle work is great; check ou the intro on
Those Lonely Tombs. great stuff!!!!

The set includes 3 CDs - "Relaxing", "Vocals", and "Epic". The recordings are wonderful versions performed by excellent orchestras/singers. I listen to it on my Paradigm speakers and close my eyes and can feel encompassed by the music. The recordings do not have the flaws (hiss, pops, scratches) in the sound that many 'cheap' classical CDs have. For 3 CDs and the quality of the recordings, I found this album a good choice!

The second edition in TELARC's SAMPLER series does a magnificent job of tempting us with aural tidbits. When each excerpt necessarily fades in or out prematurely the listener is left with a craving for MORE!

Most of the works presented on SAMPLER VOLUME 2 should be familiar to all lovers of this genre. One musical highlight after another seems to parade by, until over an hour passes in a trice. This may be one of the finest classical music sampler CDs ever produced. Highlights include.......... EVERYTHING!

TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 65:46