I am quickly wearing this one out. The CD has everything from straight ahead bluegrass to bluegrass/roots-tinged country. I first heard Patty Loveless on a Ralph Stanley CD set and I was very impressed. BTW, Ralph himself in the liner notes says that she has the High Lonesome Sound. How's that for an endorsement?

Loveless has a marvelous bluegrass vocal technique and she can sell any song she sings. Listen to this CD a couple of times through and she'll draw you in like a siren. An additional feature of this album is that some of the tracks have *fine* bluegrass instrumental backup, including an amazing dobro solo on Shady Grove. One of the several dobro players on these tracks is Gene Wooten, who was a member of Jimmy Martin's group.

If you like the slick citified country/pop sound, then go elsewhere. If you want to hear an artist of great power who can put you right there in the hollers of East Kentucky looking for a way to a better life, Patty is the real deal.

--Finn