The Osborne Brothers – From Rocky Top To Muddy Bottom: The Songs of Boudleaux & Felice Bryant
This album was originally released in 1977 & out of print for 45 years. For those new to the showcase the brothers focus on Hall of Fame husband & wife songwriters Boudleaux & Felice Bryant who were closely associated with many of the charted hits for The Everly Brothers (24 of them). Little Jimmy Dickens, Red Foley, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, Tony Bennett, Frankie Laine, Eddy Arnold, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris with rockers Leo Sayer, Jerry Lee Lewis & the Grateful Dead.
This bluegrass classic album documents the work of this award-winning songwriting team by a classic bluegrass performing family (1953-2005). Some tunes will be instantly familiar & others may not be. If not, then maybe they’ll be rediscovered.
Produced by Arthur Smith & Sonny Osborne From Rocky Top To Muddy Bottom: The Songs of Boudleaux & Felice Bryant (Drops March 22/CMH Remastered Classics Records) the 20 chestnuts recorded in Nashville are pristine & available also on vinyl (for the first time in 45 years).
The Osborne Brothers had a knack for innovation according to their PR & they had a tendency at times to alienate bluegrass purists by adding amplification to their showcase (sounds like another Bob Dylan episode). It may have turned some aficionados away, but this innovative approach played a role in modernizing bluegrass & getting it to younger ears & having artists reconsider the genre that could’ve faded away.
One such innovator was Elvis Presley who loved originator Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” (1957) & recorded it. Monroe wasn’t impressed. But a young me in New York City at the time sought out bluegrass from then on. It was country music with high test fuel & was Country music that could compete with rock n’ roll if allowed to do so & as performed by Elvis.
This is what The Osbornes did – they moved it forward, didn’t disrespect the tradition & just tried to keep it fresh & contemporary. It was a gamble. Their tenor voices had squeaky clean sound, but the tradition was what came through with their voices – their clarity. Did all the songs translate to bluegrass —no. But the Osbornes did prove that any well-written song had a chance to be transformed. This CD is a fine example of that instinct at work.
Highlights – “Rocky Top,” “Georgia Mules & Country Boys,” “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” “Tennessee Hound Dog” & “Where Did the Sunshine Go?”
Musicians – Sonny Osborne (banjo/vocals), Robby (drums/bass), Bobby (mandolin/vocals), Bob More (bass), Willie Ackerman (drums), Ray Edenton (guitar), Dale Sledd (guitar/vocals), Buddy Emmons (steel guitar) & Horgus ‘Pig’ Robbins (piano).
Cover photo by Woody Woodward. CD @ Amazon, Spotify & https://www.cmhrecords.com/products/the-osborne-brothers-from-rocky-top-to-muddy-bottom
