Recently, I bought the bluegrass CD "Big Mon," produced by Ricky Skaggs, as a tribute to Bill Monroe. I've almost worn it out listening to it! It has some people that you wouldn't think of as being in the bluegrass genre, i.e., Bruce Hornsby. Some of the BG diehards don't like his arrangement of "Darlin' Corey" but I do ... it's different.

There's not a cut on this CD that's not good. Joan Osborne and Ricky Skaggs on "On The Old Kentucky Shore" is an absolute study in close harmony. Have you been wonderin' where John Forgarty disappeared, it's to bluegrass. The Monroe standard "Blue Moon of Kentucky" starts out with Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys and seques into John Forgarty. You'll hear a little of that CCR sound, but it fits just fine. If you've listened to Dolly Parton's recent bluegrass CD, you won't be surprised to hear her on "Big Mon" singing "Cry, Cry, Darlin.'" Also on this CD are "Walk Softly On My Heart" - Natalie Maines/Ricky Skaggs; "Heavy Traffic Ahead" – Steve Warriner; "Close By" – Patty Loveless; "Used To Be" – The Whites; "My Little Georgia Rose" – Travis Tritt; "I Am A Pilgrim" – Charlie Daniels; "Blue Night" – Mary Chapin Carpenter; "Rocky Road Blues" – Dwight Yoakam.

The last cut is "Big Mon" and the g-dgiven talent on this piece of music is awesome!!!! To name a few: J.D. Crowe, Bela Fleck, Rob McCoury, Roland White, Sam Bush, Ronnie McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, Del McCoury, Bryan Sutton.

This CD would be worth the money, at almost any cost. The only thing missing is Mr. Monroe, himself.