Angels Are Singing: Women's Bluegrass Gospel

This collection begins with an old standard by the Cox Family setting a familar tone which is quickly broken. "Wayfaring Stranger" is the only other standard Gospel number but its execution with a bluesy clarinet is anything but standard; bluegrass clarinet works splendidly. Hazel Dickens provides a mother/memory piece in "Faded Pressed Rose" - she delivers an intensely emotional piece without ever sounding sacchrine. The Stevens Sisters' bluesy rendition of "In My Time of Dying" balances death and faith in well balanced close harmony. And OlaBelle Reed cuts us all down to size in a riveting performance of "Six Feet of Earth Makes Us All of One Size".

This anthology provides the high quality variety that allows one's favorite to change with each change in your mood, providing a good introduction to several of Rounder's bluegrass women.

This is different from most other gospel collections and not just in style. With the exception of Wayfaring stranger, it avoids all the obvious gospel songs like Amazing grace and Precious memories. Brilliant as they are (and I'm sure that the ladies featured here could do wonderful versions of the gospel standards), it is refreshing to hear a gospel album without them.

Some of the songs were written by or for the featured singers, but where traditional songs have been covered, they are obscure to say the least, except Wayfaring stranger, on which the group that named themselves after the song adds a clarinet to traditional bluegrass instruments - but don't panic - it's lovely.

The finest modern bluegrass ladies - Claire, Rhonda, Alison, Lynn, Laurie and the Stevens sisters -are represented, but you also get to hear Hazel Dickens, Wilma Lee Cooper and other pioneering bluegrass ladies. Many of these ladies are also featured on the same label's secular music compilations, O sister...Read more

It's really about time the women got their due. For many years men seemed to dominate bluegrass music, but with the resurgence caused by "O-Brother.." and "Down From The Mountain", the ladies are making their way to front and center.
Several years before, I saw Claire Lynch and her Front Porch Sting Band at a Georgia bluegrass Festival at Hillside bluegrass park in Cochran, GA. I met her afterword, and my first comment to her was "you sing like an angel". So do the rest of the ladies, and you will really enjoy this CD, as well as the "O Sister" CDs.