Search - Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Ricky Skaggs :: The Three Pickers

Timeless Music!

H. F. Corbin | ATLANTA, GA USA | 08/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson and Ricky Skaggs team up on what has to be as good as bluegrass music gets. You will play this one again and again. This hauntingly beautiful CD reminded me once again that most of the so-called music coming out of Nashville today masquerading as "country" and/or "bluegrass" is pure (junk). No tight jeans and cowboy hats here. Just first class music.The pickers play a lot of older songs: "What Would You Give In Exchange For Your Soul," "Who Will Sing For Me," "Soldier's Joy," "The Storms Are On The Ocean," "Foggy Mountain Top," "Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms." These men are as good as pickers get. Having Alison Krauss join them on some of the cuts only makes this CD better. Difficult as it is to pick a favorite, I would probably vote for "Down In The Valley To Pray." Doc Watson begins this hymn, as simple and pure as your grandmother's pound cake, and is then joined by the voices of Skaggs and Scruggs, along with Krauss, in an a capella arrangement that will send chills down your spine. You are immediately carried back to a one-room church 50 or 60 years ago. The songleader began a hymn and then one by one, the congregation joined in while mothers fanned their babies with funeral home fans. Even though it never was, we thought life was much simpler then."

A master class in acoustic music!

Gregg Schaeffer | Lawrence, Kansas United States | 02/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I was learning how to play the guitar some 25 years ago, I was immediately drawn to bluegrass music. The earthy, humble appeal of so many of its performers, as well as the precision demanded to play it well, instantly captivated me and made me a lifelong bluegrass fan. This deceptively simple music, rendered by three giants in the field, is timelessly represented here on the Three Pickers CD.
By including the ambience of the crowd, and the fascinating stories told by the three pickers themselves, the producers of this CD have given us the experience of being in the audience watching the music being performed live. The audio quality is excellent. The selection of classic bluegrass tunes by Bill Monroe and the Carter Family add to the timeless appeal of the CD. I especially like the upbeat numbers like "Ridin' that midnight train" and "Roll in my sweet baby's arms". Only decades of virtuoso playing experience can enable someone to pull off licks like these guys do. By listening to the three pickers play, we are literally participating in history.
Like many people, I have long been familiar with the names of Flatt and Scruggs, Doc Watson and Ricky Skaggs, and with their music, but knew very little about them personally. This CD contains some great stories shared by the three pickers themselves about their lives. Hear Doc Watson tell about hearing the Monroe Brothers for the first time on an old wind-up "Graphophone" record player. Hear Earl Scruggs talk about how he invented the distinctive three-fingered banjo picking style known worldwide as "Scruggs picking". Hear Ricky Skaggs and Doc Watson reminisce about churning butter and enjoying it with homemade bread. Stories like these personalize these legends of acoustic music, reminding us that they enjoy the simple pleasures of life just like we all do. Somehow, realizing that mere mortals made music this extraordinary brings out even more feelings of awe and admiration.
I recommend you experience this CD as soon as you can. Someday soon, we won't have these legends with us anymore, and opportunities to enjoy music like this will be gone. Don't miss it!"

Traditional and Excellent Bluegrass

Lonnie E. Holder | Columbus, Indiana, United States | 07/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It has been years since I have listened to bluegrass. Recently I listened to Nickel Creek's excellent self-titled CD, and was very impressed. Then I switched to the more traditional American bluegrass of this album. The "three pickers" are Earl Scruggs, 79 years old and playing banjo, Doc Watson, 80 years old and playing guitar, and Ricky Scaggs, at 49 years old the youngest member of trio and playing mandolin. While these three men are not just pretty faces (they really are not), they are incredible artists, both instrumentally and vocally. They are also joined by various guests, most especially Alison Krause, who sings and plays violin.



I almost felt as though I was listening to early Grand Old Opry, because the Opry frequently featured bluegrass, and this bluegrass is some of the best available. Excluding the four spoken introductions, there are 19 superb instrumentals and songs that are sure to delight anyone who enjoys this uniquely American style of music.



"Feast Here Tonight" starts the album off right with a very traditional bluegrass song. The instruments generally stay in the background until an Earl Scruggs banjo solo. Later in this song Ricky Scaggs's mandolin takes front honors, and for a brief time Doc Watson's guitar takes a turn, all to introduce the quality to come. The more melancholy "What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul?" follows; also a traditional bluegrass song. After a spoken introduction is yet another traditional song, "Who Will Sing for Me?" The harmonies in this song are traditional and as nicely executed as any harmony in a studio containing millions of dollars of electronic manipulation. After a second spoken introduction is a short, peppy instrumental, "Soldier's Joy."



The style changes a little with "Walk on Boy." This time we hear Doc and grandson Richard Watson play a song that has a strong blues flavor. This song is powerful because of its simplicity. The next song, "Daybreak Blues," stays in the blues vein, and even includes some yodeling.



The pace and style changes once again on "Don't Let Your Real Deal Go Down." There is some fast-paced picking on this song and a good deal of enthusiasm that the audience picks up. The next selection is "Pick Along," an instrumental that initially highlights Earl Scruggs's banjo, moving along to what I believe is Glen Duncan's fiddle. Next Doc Watson's guitar takes the lead with gusto. I believe Rob Ickes then takes a turn on banjo, followed by Ricky Scaggs on mandolin. Earl Scruggs then takes the lead to the end of the song. Somewhere on this instrumental is Mark Fain on bass, though I have difficulty picking the bass out.



The next song, "What Is a Home without Love," returns to a more traditional bluegrass style. This simple song is readily reminiscent of the Appalachian Mountains and an era but recently gone. "Doin' My Time" has a blues style that is similar to some of the music in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Earl's father wrote the next instrumental, which Earl says in the introduction he though he named after him, "Earl's Breakdown." This instrumental is fast-paced and, as with the other instrumentals, features several instruments in the lead.



The next song is "The Storms Are on the Ocean." This lovely bluegrass song is about separation and longing, and is a rarity among bluegrass songs in that it includes oceans. The first song on this CD to have a strong gospel flavor is "Down in the Valley to Pray." This a capella song features guest artist Alison Krause. "The Banks of the Ohio" follows and is as mellow as the former song. Alison Krause also sings on this song.



The pace picks up significantly with "Ridin' that Midnight Train." Having a train song is an excellent enhancement to this bluegrass collection.



The next instrumental was written by Ricky Scaggs and was performed by Scaggs and Kentucky Thunder, his band. "Road to Spencer" is bluegrass with a Celt flavor. I was immediately reminded of Nickel Creek's music when I heard this instrumental that is more strongly bluegrass than Nickel Creek's music.



The last three songs include Alison Krause and the performers who appeared on the previous tracks. "Katy Hill" and the last song, "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms," are traditional bluegrass music. The song in the middle, "Foggy Mountain Top," was written by A.P. Carter, Maybelle Carter and Sara Carter, also known as the Carter Family. The three songs are a marvelous finish to this CD, and will leave bluegrass enthusiasts wanting more.



Some of us may have forgotten what it means to play music. Today electronic effects hide mistakes and mediocre performances, turning street corner crooners who would scare chickens into marketable commodities. The three pickers and their ensemble remind us what it means to be in front of an audience with acoustic instruments and their voice. There are no pretty people here, just us. This music may have something to do with reminding us of our roots, but it may also tell us about ourselves, as we are now. The next time someone drives by and you hear thundering bass vibrating your bones, remember that loud electronic noise does not make music great, nor does it make up for lack of virtuosity, which does exist, here. You just need to reach for it.

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