West Virginia native, Greg Blake has recently released his debut solo album, Songs of Heart and Home. Blake is joined by some of the best bluegrass talents of today, which includes the band he serves as lead vocalist in, Jeff Scroggins and Colorado, plus guests like 3-time IBMA Vocalist of the Year Claire lynch, K.C. Groves (Uncle Earl), bluegrass icon Laurie Lewis, mandolin player John Reischman, and fiddler Blaine Sprouse. Sally Van Meter not only plays dobro on the record, she also served as producer. Blake has traded the rolling mountains of his West Virginia homeland for the sky-scraping peaks of Colorado, and he’s also moved his lifelong calling as a minister to the full-time bluegrass music scene, but he still keeps his faith close. Drawing from a wide variety of song sources, from Cash to 80’s country (think Joe Diffie), to Canadian folk (think Ian Tyson), to the original source himself, Big Mon, Greg Blake has a far ranging set of influences but a powerful Appalachian base to his music that resets this collection of songs in a new way.Blake has already achieved success as a bluegrass singer/musician, having been nominated twice for the SPBGMA’s traditional Male Vocalist of the Year and won the SPBGMA’s Guitarist of the Year five times, not to mention taking the Kansas State Flatpicking Championship. After moving to Conifer, Colorado, Greg joined all-star progressive bluegrass band Jeff Scroggins & Colorado as the lead vocalist and guitarist. Now after cutting two albums with Jeff Scroggins & Colorado (and a third on the way), and touring North America, Blake is ready to break onto the bluegrass scene as a solo artist.
Songs of Heart and Home opens with “Sweetest Love”, a pure bluegrass tune driven by fiddles and a banjo. The song spins a tale of a couple whose relationship flame has gone out and declares that true love is too sweet to last, all the while reminiscing about the love that they had in the past. Following is the sweet, quiet “Dreaming of A Little Cabin” featuring Claire Lynch. The two vocalists go well together, complementing each other nicely. Another collaboration featured on the record is the energetic “Hills of My Home” featuring Laurie Lewis, which will get your foot tapping along to the beat of the banjo and dobro, accompanied by the fiddle.
This record features two Johnny Cash covers, repurposed as bluegrass songs. Now I’m a bit of a purest when it comes to Cash covers, being a huge fan of the Man in Black, I’m picky when it comes to anyone covering him! That being said, these two covers are excellently and creatively done. The first cover, “Hey Porter” takes the original bluesy, rockabilly number and turns it into a bluesy, swinging bluegrass tune. Blake pulls off the energetic delivery perfectly. The second cover, “I Still Miss Someone”, is beautifully done. It’s soft and slow, with a beautiful fiddle taking the lead instrumentally. Blake achieves that mournful, melancholy feeling that the original version has. The two tracks are excellently done all the way around. Kudos!
I adore the fiddle and excellent guitar picking on “Cruisin Timber”, a captivating, energetic instrumental track. The track “Home” is just what you’d expect it to be judging by the title, an ode to home sweet home. The songs take the listener back to home, conjuring up images of a swimming hole and fishing hole, and a backboard swing and mama singing “Amazing Grace”. It’s a throwback to the good ole days song. The theme of home and where your roots are planted continues with “Where I Live” and “Home Is Where The Heart Is”.
The record concludes with the fiddle lead “Turn Your Heart Toward Home”, a gospel tinged easy rolling tune. It’s a sweet little number, and a perfect way to close out an excellent bluegrass album. I have to say, this is one of the best new bluegrass records I’ve heard this year (and believe me, I’ve listened to a great deal of bluegrass). This is bluegrass in its pure, simple, and best form. Bluegrass lovers will love this album! Check it out!
Originally posted here.
