Search - Eddie Adcock & Martha :: Twograss

Solid sounds/vocal blends accentuated by tasty banjo breaks

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 06/15/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Eddie and Martha Adcock produce a lot of sound together, but one can wish that they would have also included some guests for additional vocal harmony, as well as a few hot mandolin, fiddle and resonator guitar breaks on this project, their first in five years. Obviously, "TwoGrass" is meant to support and showcase just the dynamic duo, also known as "the biggest little band in bluegrass." They've also been called "The Sonny and Cher of Bluegrass." This lean approach is successful largely because of their choice of eclectic material that spans folk to Gospel, jazz to blues, and country to bluegrass. Half of the album is comprised of original material. "Let's" kicks off the album on an uptempo note. "Something to Be Finding" is a contemporary song of optimism and hope. Martha sings a beautiful "Have Thine own Way." Eddie's original "Uncle Joe," is a ballad of a song-carrying relative who lived in the mountains. Material from Don Reno, Jimmie Davis, Joe Grieshop, Carter Stanley, Helen Carter and A.P. Carter round out the offerings. Eddie Adcock hails from Virginia, but he currently resides in Nashville. His first professional banjo-playing job dates back to 1957 when he played (at age 14) for Mac Wiseman. He then worked with Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys that same year. In 1958, Adcock joined The Country Gentlemen (replacing Pete Kuykendall). In 1970, Adcock left the Country Gentlemen, moved to California, and played rock music under the pseudonym "Clinton Kodack." In 1971, he formed band with Jimmy Gaudreau called the Iind (Second) Generation. In 1976, he formed "Eddie Adcock and Talk of the Town", with wife-to-be Martha (Hearon) and Missy Raines (bass). Also toured with David Allan Coe. This group eventually became "The Eddie Adcock Band." In 1990-91, performed with "The Masters" featuring Eddie on banjo and guitar, Jesse McReynolds on mandolin, Josh Graves on Dobro, and Kenny Baker on fiddle. Although Eddie is considered one of the pioneers of new acoustic music, Twograss exhibits a distinctly traditional sound. In 1996, Adcock was inducted into the IBMA's Hall of Honor as a member of the "Classic" Country Gentlemen. Raised in a musical family from South Carolina cotton country, Martha has classical music training but started teaching herself stringed instruments since age eight. After a long folk and fingerpicking phase, she fell in love with bluegrass in her late teens. Bluegrass festivals in North Carolina and Virginia introduced her to guitar players like Charlie Waller, Jimmy Martin, Bill Harrell and Dan Crary. After moving to Nashville in 1973, Martha met Eddie. She started running the sound for Eddie's group, II Generation, then joined the band shortly thereafter. Since then, they've worked with up to a seven-piece newgrass band, with David Allan Coe doing country rock, and now as a duo called "TwoGrass."Martha calls this her favorite configuration yet. "We always try to put out 120 percent," she once said. "If the music and the show work, you can congratulate us ; and if it doesn't, you can blame us, just us. There's nobody else to hide behind. We love working together and know we're very fortunate to be able to spend our time together. And since there's just two of us, we can stop for supper wherever we want on the road without having to consult other opinions. Minimum people, minimum problems. It's so easy and satisfying like this. We're enjoying the heck out of it." Husband and wife duos are rarely as solid as the Adcocks, with their vocal blends accentuated by tasty banjo breaks. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)"