Iron Horse – Pickin’ On Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bluegrass Rising
Growing up, I found ‘60s Country music a little silly (unless it was the late Jim Reeves or Johnny Cash). But when Country music started sounding more upbeat, fun & melodic, I was told I was listening to Bill Monroe’s bluegrass. I started to listen when I heard Elvis do “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” a Bill Monroe song. Elvis listened to bluegrass?
OK, I admit that the old song done by Elvis isn’t pure bluegrass, but it was an introduction. By taking rock n’ roll classics by Creedence Clearwater Revival & adapting them into a bluegrass tradition has to be an interesting experiment.
Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. But the two lead-off tracks on this pickin’ series, “Bad Moon Rising” & “Up Around the Bend” on Iron Horse’s Pickin’ On Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bluegrass Rising (Drops June 20/CMH Records/41:32) are sequenced exceptionally well.
What it may lack for some is that gritty John Fogerty voice & that double-fisted arrangement of CCR. But then, this reinvention wouldn’t be Bluegrass. This allows the playing & the melodies to seep in a little lighter without losing flavor. Iron Horse’s vocalists interpret these lyrics & music with skill. There are 12 tunes picked with enthusiasm that never lose their spirit. It’s amazing when a song establishes itself strongly & you believe it can’t be done any other way…and then it is. That’s talent.
Maybe doing a bluegrass version of “Ravel’s Bolero” isn’t a good idea, but then there’s the Ernest Tubb/Johnny Bond country classic “Tomorrow Never Comes” that Elvis covered, in bolero style. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if Iron Horse tried to capture some doo-wop songs in bluegrass style. But these interpretations are like tossing a little extra whiskey into that hot milk at night.
Even the songs that I’m not thrilled with have excellent harmonies & arrangements, so it’s not like the band did anything wrong. Some songs adapt better. “Hey Tonight” is better than “Looking Out My Back Door.” It just glides along more musically, the banjo, guitar & word pronunciation more authentically in the bluegrass taste. “Travelin’ Band” is the fieriest of all instrumental trade-offs — smokin’ tight & convincing.
I think the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia & the late John Hartford would’ve enjoyed playing with these guys. The album was recorded at 101 Crossroads Studio in Alabama by executive producers Jeremy Stephenson & Jeremy Harbin.
Highlights – “Bad Moon Rising,” “Up Around the Bend,” “Have You Ever Seen the Rain,” “Hey Tonight,” “Travelin’ Band,” “Down On the Corner,” “Someday Never Comes,” & “Long As I Can See the Light.”
Musicians – Ricky Rogers (bass/baritone vocals), Tony Robertson (mandolin/tenor vocals), Vance Henry (guitar/tenor vocals) & Anthony Richardson (banjo/bass vocals).
Color image courtesy of the Iron Horse website gallery. CD @ Amazon & Apple + https://www.ironhorsebluegrass.com/
Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Pickin’ On The Doors featuring Iron Horse