Mountain Soul (CD - 2001)

Personnel includes: Patty Loveless (vocals); Travis Tritt, Jon Randall (vocals, guitar); Emory Gordy, Jr., Biff Watson (guitar); Earl Scruggs, Alan O'Bryant, Butch Lee (banjo); Gene Wooten, Rob Ickes (dobro); Tim Hensley (mandolin); Stuart Duncan (mandolin, fiddle); Ricky Skaggs (mandolin, background vocals); Deanie Richardson (fiddle); Clarence "Tater" Tate (bass); Tim Hensley, Carmella Ramsey, Jeff White, Rebecca Lynn Howard (background vocals).

Recorded at Hounds Ear, Franklin, Tennessee; The Cave and Woodland Studios, Nashville, Tennessee.

MOUNTAIN SOUL was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album.

Personnel: Jon Randall, Travis Tritt (guitar, background vocals); Biff Watson (guitar); Tom Britt (slide guitar); Darrell Scott, Gene Wooten, Rob Ickes (dobro); Butch Lee (banjo, mandolin); Earl Scruggs, Alan O'Bryant (banjo); Steve Gibson (mandola); Stuart Duncan (mandolin, fiddle, background vocals); Ricky Skaggs, Tim Hensley (mandolin, background vocals); Carmella Ramsey (fiddle, background vocals); Deanie Richardson (fiddle); Jeff White, Rebecca Lynn Howard (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Justin Niebank.

Recording information: Cave, Nashville, TN; Hounds Ear, Franklin, TN; Hounds Ears, Franklin, TN; The Cave, Nashville, TN; Woodland Studios, Nashville, TN.

Photographer: Dave Gorton.

Arranger: Patty Loveless.

A 180-degree departure from contemporary commercial country music, album number six from the always dynamic Loveless is like a breath of fresh air on a steamy summer afternoon. Mountain Soul is a rare and brilliant acoustic 14-track album of bluegrass mountain music. Amidst the mandolins, fiddles, and banjos is Loveless' harking alto voice, singing from her soul to the music she grew up with. Just when you thought the days of Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe, and the Stanley Brothers were gone, Loveless brings them back with new life and staggering grace. Rounding out this ubiquitous collection are soft-singing collaborators Travis Tritt, Ricky Skaggs, and Rebecca Lynn Howard. ~ Maria Konicki Dinoia minimize