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Not Fade Away - Reissue Review from Issue #59 Sept-Oct 2005

John Lilly & Ralph Blizard

Self-Titled (Blue Highway)

By

John Lilly’s Broken Moon album from 2000 quickly turned the West Virginia singer into the discovery of the year for some traditional and classic country music fans. A subsequent album confirmed his status in the upper echelons of old-time country performers. As it turned out, Lilly had 25 years of experience behind him. After recording two albums as part of Ralph Blizard’s New Southern Ramblers, which he joined in 1986, Lilly released an obscure cassette with Blizard in 1991. This remixed and remastered reissue, subtitled Old-Time Songs & Longbow Fiddle and recorded when Blizard was exactly double Lilly’s age (72/36), features traditional material (“Leather Britches”, “Richmond Blues”, “Trouble In Mind”), classic country songs (Hank Williams’ “Ramblin’ Man”, A.P. Carter’s “My Dixie Darling”), and a few Lilly originals (the title song and “A Little Yodel Goes A Long Way”). Four live tracks from 1996 have been added, three featuring Blizard on vocals. Blizard plays his fiddle in a semi-improvisational style, and a few songs could have benefited from him holding back a bit, but the performances exude a sense of fun that’s refreshing.

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Originally Featured in Issue #59 Sept-Oct 2005

Cover of Issue #59 Sept-Oct 2005

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