Dry & Dusty [1973] - Kenny Baker

Label: County Records - 744
Format: Vinyl
Country: US
Rleased: 1973
Song List:
A1 - Cincinnati Rag
A2 - Dry And Dusty
A3 - Jug City
A4 - Wednesday Night Waltz
A5 - Land Of Lincoln
A6 - Sally Goodin'
B1 - Hollow Poplar
B2 - Sweet Bunch Of Daisies
B3 - Grey Eagle
B4 - Happy Time Waltz
B5 - Marsha's Reel
B6 - Rocky Road To Dublin
Musicians:
・Kenny Baker (Fiddle)
・Bob Black (Banjo)
・Alan Murphy (Guitar)
・John Kaparakis (Guitar)
・Lonnie Feiner (Bass)

[@warrenhanlin1568]

This is the first of many albums with Bob Black on banjo, recorded in a motel room in Nashville, Indiana. Al Murphy, also a great fiddler, played guitar on this session. These guys are long-time band mates of mine, so I’ve heard many stories about how they started jamming with Kenny at Bean Blossom, and after some marathon jams he asked them to record this album. A couple of years later Bob joined the Bluegrass Boys and has set the standard for playing fiddle tunes on banjo.
This recording shows Kenny in great form and foreshadows the incomparable fiddling he would accomplish in subsequent years. There will never be a “next Kenny Baker.” He is unique and could only be the fiddler he was in the time and place where he did his unbelievable work.

[@mikemccarthy7590]

Bob plays a nice break on grey eagle

[@daves.9479]

Thanks for the inside info! I agree about Kenny's uniqueness; his technical mastery and his tune-writing/polishing genius. What has always struck me as odd is how few of his fabulous original tunes have been picked up by other fiddlers. Jug City, for example, which is such an interesting tune (sort of a study in C9) and so much fun to play. I have never heard another fiddler, besides myself, play it. Perhaps it's because his tunes are so unique and so "stamped" with Kenny's identity? Or because they're not typical-sounding fiddle tunes, having been influenced by his swing background? He was indeed a treasure.
Bob Black's renditions of fiddle tunes were mind-boggling. I was a Scruggs-style banjo player back then and could scarcely believe my ears. I think my fave was Limerock.

[@dougnickerson]

What a great variation he plays in the middle of Sweet Bunch of Daisies, clean , precise , swinging, all wrapped up in a package with a neat bow. no pun intended. What an education on how to play the fiddle. :)

[@jimfillingim1523]

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT CARL. !!!!!!!!

[@whipsnade13]

How did Bill used to introduce Kenny Baker? "The finest fiddler in bluegrass music?" Something like that. I still have this album.

[@roberrc]

A1 - Cincinnati Rag 00:00
A2 - Dry And Dusty 02:24
A3 - Jug City 04:50
A4 - Wednesday Night Waltz 07:11
A5 - Land Of Lincoln 09:46
A6 - Sally Goodin' 12:03
B1 - Hollow Poplar 14:26
B2 - Sweet Bunch Of Daisies 16:45
B3 - Grey Eagle 19:20
B4 - Happy Time Waltz 22:20
B5 - Marsha's Reel 24:53
B6 - Rocky Road To Dublin 27:18

[@anniebanannie2248]

Thank you so much for all the cuts off Dry & Dusty and the titles and time stamps. I played Land of Lincoln & Jerusalem Ridge at a Bluegrass contest at a festival in Louisiana. Every song is just wonderful!!! Nice memory from 1974!