Some of us already know the name Tammy Jones Robinette, but not for bluegrass. Robinette is at the top of her game in the Southern Gospel field, having been named Favorite Female Vocalist at last year’s SGN Scoops’ Diamond Awards. Tammy has also celebrated two #1 hits in 2014. For those who aren’t familiar with Tammy or her music, I’ll give you a quick summary of why you should get to know her. Tammy was raised in the coalmining hills of Kentucky, in the middle of both the Bible Belt and the Bluegrass Belt. While fate (and faith) originally carried her career down a Southern Gospel path for many years, Tammy recently felt called by her muse to cultivate and honor her Bluegrass roots. Under the guidance of longtime friend and producer, Grammy award winning Mark Fain (of Ricky Skaggs’ Kentucky Thunder), she released her first Bluegrass project in 2014, Let It Shine.
On October 31, Tammy released her sophomore Bluegrass project, Tammy Jones Robinette & The Drive, her first with powerhouse Bluegrass label Rural Rhythm Records. Partnering with producer Mark Fain once again, and recording at Skaggs Place Studio, the 12 track project features Tammy’s wonderful alto which is driven by a collection of superstar musicians. The album is pure, adulterated Bluegrass infused with a Southern Gospel theme. It’s one of those records that you can’t help but thoroughly enjoy.
The record opens with the powerful, fiddle-driven track, “I Think I’ll Just You Drive”, which tells the story of the narrator giving their life to Jesus and letting him take the driver’s seat of her life. For mainstream fans, think Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take The Wheel”, only 10 times more spiritual and pure. The energetic, banjo driven “I’ve Got To Work On The Ark” tells the biblical story of Noah and the building of the Ark. The song takes one of the most well-known Bible stories and gives it a fresh sound and new life. The album starts out with the first two tracks bringing the energy, but then quietens down with “Love God”, a sweet and beautiful faith-filled song.
“Love God” carries the never-fail advice to just love God, and everything else will fall into place. The quietness continues with the next track. “Mama’s In Sweet By & By” is truly a standout on the record, with the opening featuring Tammy’s own mother singing a few verses of the traditional hymn, “In The Sweet By And By”. Tammy’s vocals follow her mother’s and go on to tell the story of her mother’s passing, explaining that her mother was “in the sweet by and by”.
“My Rock” and “Oh I Want To See Him” are both banjo-driven tracks, while “Pages of Time” features a prominent mandolin. “The Colors That Never Run” and “There’s A Record Book” are both beautiful songs driven by fiddles. “The Letters” is a sweet, melancholy infused track, about memories of the past. The record closes with the mid-tempo “To Be A Kid Again”, which finds the narrator reminiscing about childhood shenanigans and adventures. It’s a sweet way to end an excellent album.
I’d recommend this record to anyone looking for great Bluegrass music. I’d also recommend it to fans of southern gospel music, as the record is deeply rooted in gospel. I thoroughly enjoyed Tammy Jones Robinette & The Drive, and look forward to digging back through Tammy’s catalogue some more.
Originally posted here.
