O Sister! The Women's Bluegrass Collection

 (27 customer reviews)

Where the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack had Ralph Stanley as the patriarch of the roster of artists, this collection from the Rounder label (long known for its folk and bluegrass recordings) has Delia Bell and Wilma Lee Cooper as the matriarchs of this fine collection of bluegrass. Taken from the artists' individual albums rather than being recorded for this specific recording, the listener is nonetheless presented with some of the finest bluegrass music in the country today. [Note: I did NOT qualify that statement by gender!] Song selection ranges from the upbeat ("If Wishes Were Horses"), to the mournful ("Sad Situation") to the inspirational ("Will There Be Any Stars?"). Most of these tracks were recorded within the past decade and several have appeared on other Rounder collections (notably Hand-Picked: 25 Years of Bluegrass), but if you're looking for a solid introduction to bluegrass music led by women, this is an excellent...Read more

this CD offers lots of good music, but it just lacks the compelling "play-it-again" quality of "O Brother." I bought the CD, enjoyed it, gave it to friends to listen to, but I've not played it after that first time. I like the idea of "O Sister" -- there has been a lot of good music in this genre made by women, but I think that those who compiled this CD just missed the mark. The songs don't fit together as well as they could & they often lack the "sing-along" quality of much of my favorite Bluegrass. Some of the musicians are not represented as well as they could be by the selections & I think (as the other reviewers have remarked) that MANY songs could have been included that weren't. Buy the CD or borrow a friend's if you are so inclined -- I doubt you'll really regret it -- it's just that it became just so much filler in my CD tower, not really getting the "airtime" that my other bluegrass CD's do (like "O Brother" or Kristen Hersh's "Murder, Misery, and then Goodnight" or...Read more

After listening to just few tracks of this WOMEN'S BLUEGRASS COLLECTION...can only say one thing "O SISTER WHERE ART THOU", when you think this was for "men musicians only"...well think again after you sample this album, the gals are in the top form...19 tracks of unforgettable bluegrass, and the ladies are singing "Pure Americana".I can remember as a youngster playing records by "Mother" Maybelle Carter, what an incredible sound came from this wonderful entertainer, will never forget those early years of "Mountain Music"...now let's look at Ronda Vincent's "LONESOME WIND BLUES", digging into the roots of bluegrass...and the warm style of Lynn Morris singing "MAMA'S HAND", touches the heart of everyone who has left the nest...nobody does gospel like The Cox Family on "WILL THERE BE ANY STARS?", joined by Alison Krauss, takes us to them "Golden Gates", doesn't get any better than this...Read more