Search - Chatham County Line :: Chatham County Line

Refreshing youthified bluegrass with attitude and exuberance

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 06/13/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Chatham County Line is a Raleigh, N.C. bluegrass quartet that brings a refreshing sound to the genre, largely as a result of guitarist Dave Wilson's lead vocals and prolific songwriting. A strong and energetic contemporary folk-inspired influence permeates this project. Besides Wilson, the group includes John Teer (fiddle, mandolin, vocals), Chandler Holt (banjo, vocals), and Ned DuRant (bass, vocals). Besides picking bluegrass, Wilson also plays electric lead guitar for Tift Merritt and the Carbines. Multi-instrumentalist John Teer, who's been playing fiddle since age three, has also played electric guitar (with Thad Cockrell and the Starlite Country Band). With his custom Nechville banjo, Chandler Holt provides some solid 5-string work on this album. Ned DuRant bought his first electric bass at the age of fourteen and has performed in a variety of bands.Their diverse musical backgrounds are clearly reflected in this young band's modernistic approach to bluegrass, and their desire to break down some of the barriers between folk, country and bluegrass genres. Guests include Greg Readling (accordion, piano), Tift Merritt (vocals on two cuts), and Lynn Blakey (vocals on one cut).Wilson's songs tell of hobos, pretty women, trains, the delights of home, and he even sings a self-penned tribute to JohnHartford. Lyrics are included in the album's jacket. "Sightseeing" and "Bacon in the Skillet" are personal favorites with their uptempo bluegrass feel. With "Brings My Tears," Wilson also writes a murder ballad with a contemporary perspective and sound. For their debut, Chatham County Line chose to record their music together, live in the studio, with minimal overdubbing of the fiddle on some cuts. Wilson penned ten of the cuts, and Teer and DuRant contribute one apiece (the instrumental "Butterwheel" and train song "Legend of Old 99," respectively). The band also covers Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released." Chatham County Line presents their music with a lot of attitude and exuberance, and this "minimalist, live-in-the-studio" debut should win them a multitude of fans. Bands like C.C.L. are youthifying bluegrass, livening the music up a bit. With a few more years of experience, and a quality studio project also under their belts, Chatham County Line will really go places. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)"