Songs from the Longleaf Pines (CD - 2005)

Personnel: Charlie Daniels (vocals, guitar, fiddle); Charlie Daniels; Tim May, Tim May (guitar); Michael Bub (bass instrument); Scott Rouse (vocals, guitar, harmonica, background vocals); Mac Wiseman, The Whites (vocals, background vocals); Cyndi Wheeler, Ricky Skaggs (vocals); Andy Hall (dobro); Earl Scruggs, Rob McCoury (banjo); Chris Thile, Ronnie McCoury (mandolin); Jason Carter (fiddle).

Audio Mixers: Scott Rouse; Travis Wyrick.

Recording information: The GrooveGrass Factory; Vibe Studio, Skaggs Place.

Photographers: Chuck Bargeron; Angela Gresham Wheeler.

Arranger: Charlie Daniels.

Songs from the Longleaf Pines is Charlie Daniels' tribute to bluegrass-gospel -- a tribute album that covers two rarely touched-upon aspects of Daniels' music. He's recorded bluegrass numbers before, and his music certainly has been informed by it, but he's never done a full-fledged bluegrass record before and, apart from a low-budget collection in the early 2000s, he's never done an all-out gospel record. So, this is a first, which would be noteworthy in of itself, but the truly remarkable thing about Songs from the Longleaf Pines is that it's a lively, passionate, invigorating record that's his best album in quite some time. What makes the album such fun is that it captures a peerless musician playing with a peerless supporting group, including such stalwarts as Earl Scruggs, Ronnie McCoury, Rob McCoury, and Chris Thile. They have a natural, easy chemistry that's apparent on such sweet, slow numbers as "Softly and Tenderly," but truly comes to life on the breakneck jams that dominate this album. This is a band of veterans playing with a natural, offhand virtuosity that's all the more exciting for being easy and familiar. Perhaps this isn't the flashiest album Daniels has cut, or the rowdiest, but its low-key, modest charms make this a minor gem in his catalog. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine minimize