Search - Boys From Indiana :: Good Time Blues

Sampling of 5 albums from 1974-77 -- Entertaining & original

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 05/22/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Playin Time - 36:23

SONGS - Good Time Blues, Headin' South, Atlanta Is Burning, How Will I Explain About You, These Memories Of Mine, My Night To Howl, Lady Of The Lake, Feeling Blue, The Sad Wind Sighs, The Girl In The Blue Velvet Band, Play Hank's Song Once Again, My Red River Home, You Can Mark It Down, Little Community Church



With ten out of 14 numbers penned by Aubrey Holt, how can someone not like the bluegrass sounds of The Boys From Indiana on this sampling of five albums originally released from 1974-77? And, for good measure, we even get to hear them pick a couple Bill Monroe classics (Little Community Church, How Will I Explain About You). Brothers Aubrey and Jerry Holt, and their uncle Harley Gabbard, used to sit around as a family listening to The Grand Ole Opry on their battery-powered radio. Harley once made a fiddle bow from an elm branch, and he obtained hair for it from a cousin's horse. By the 50s, Aubrey and Harley were working as "The Logan Valley Boys." After some stints playing country music, they decided that bluegrass music was their music of choice because "you can play bluegrass to people who listen to the music."



Shortly after The Boys From Indiana formed in 1973, they were at the top of the bluegrass game. Called "The Top Show Band in Bluegrass Music," their entertaining style and many original songs covered much ground from the annals of bluegrass and country music history. Kentuckian Noah Crase plays exceptional banjo, and his advice was always that timing is the most important thing with music. Noah had worked with Jimmy Martin and Bill Monroe. Paul Mullins was a well-known DJ and fiddler in Ohio who had worked with the Stanley Bros., Charlie Moore/Bill Napier, and The Goins Bros. On his WPFB radio show, Mullins used to refer to the group as "that wild bunch of boys from Indiana." By the mid-70s when this material was released, the band was known as "The Boys from Indiana with Paul Mullins and Noah Crase" to recognize the individual experiences and accomplishments of band members. The collection of this legendary band's early recordings on the King Bluegrass label also feature Frank Godbey on mandolin and Don Edwards on bass.



Besides entertaining and original material, The Boys from Indiana had that great bluegrass drive. They also concentrated on presenting strong trio harmonies. They also had a lot of fun. That, in turn, caused their audiences to have fun also. They frequented the Grand Ole Opry, and their tragic ballad about a young newlywed Civil War soldie facing death ("Atlanta is Burning") was always a crowd-pleaser there. In 1988, they performed at the White House for President Ronald Reagan. In 1989, they were proclaimed official Ambassadors of Bluegrass by Governor of Indiana. In 2003, Harley Gabbard sadly died on December 29. The rumor is that Rebel may also put out another album of Boys from Indiana material later released on Old Heritage Records. There's also talk of a book, written by Aubrey, that will be full of hilarious Harley Gabbard stories.



In the meantime, enjoy this album. Being that it's reissued material, I'd sure like to see more than 36 minutes worth. I wish that Rebel would've included the title cut from their 1976 "One More Bluegrass Show" album. That song, written as a tribute to Bill Monore, also became a trademark theme for them to convey their strong work ethic,life on the road, and unfaltering dedication to bluegrass. Partly promotional but also because it was what they were about, the words "One More Bluegrass Show" were painted on the side of their bus. When this music was first released, these boys had deep roots. Thirty years hence, the roots just seem that much deeper. Let's just imagine this set of music as "one more bluegrass show" of the highest quality from this consummate group. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

"

Great bluegrass with a traditional flavor

Richard M Estel | Fresno, CA USA | 09/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was a group I was not familiar with, but I heard some great stuff by them on XM Radio, looked up the CD and bought it. I was very happy with it. I would say it's halfway between the raw traditional sound of Monroe & Reno and the smooth modern sounds that are prevalent with most newer groups."