BlueRidge Record Review

BlueRidge
Getting Ready
Pinecastle Records
BY BRENDA HOUGH

Put five gifted instrumentalists, four superb vocalists and songs with message, faith and conviction and you have an exceptional album that raises the standard for bluegrass gospel music. BlueRidge has been nurtured in the traditional southern gospel sound and has added an instrumental mix that lets the guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle and bass weave a gorgeous tapestry to highlight the vocals. Junior Sisk's talent overflows with heartfelt singing, songwriting and a strong, persuasive guitar rhythm laced with decisive intervention and discover. His song Don't You Want To Go There features Joey Cox's high-powered banjo playing in the forefront. Alan Bibey adds crisp and tasteful passages throughout the album. He wrote the album closer, This Journey I'm On, a hard-driving vocal with strong banjo and fiddle. Fiddle player Alan Johnson has the baritone and bass tones on Rock Foundation, Get Down On Your Knees and Pray and Do You Call That Religion that anchor the classic quartet sound. Alan's fiddle playing adds exclamation marks throughout the songs. Ed Biggerstaff's bass playing anchors the rhythm and his soaring tenors jump out and touch the sky on Working On A Building. Adding frosting to this gospel delicacy is the outstanding voice of Sonya Isaacs on the contemporary song Won't They Be Surprised. If you've ever despaired that they don't sing them the way they used to, rejoice, this is the real thing!

Song List: Don't You Want To Go There, Lead Me Not, Won't They Be Surprised, He Will Set Your Fields On Fire, Rock Foundation, I'm Goin' Up When He Starts Down, Gospel Medley, The Bridge, I'm Getting Ready To Leave This World, Light In The Forest, Do You Call That Religion, This Journey I'm On.