Bill Monroe: Live From Mountain Stage
When dealing with legendary musical pioneers--whetherLouis Armstrongor theBeatlesor Bill Monroe--allof their recorded work is worth hearing, to say the least. This rousing May 1989 date from Charleston, West Virginia, features the wily veteran Clarence "Tater" Tate on fiddle and hits all the essential stops of a Monroe show: glorious gospel harmonies ("Beautiful Life," "Working on a Building"), fierce mandolin showcases for the master ("Southern Flavor," "Rawhide"), and a selection of Monroe's signature tunes ("Uncle Pen," "Blue Moon of Kentucky"). Sure, Monroe's high tenor may not be what it was in his heyday--he was nearly 78 years old for god's sake--but try listening to his falsetto moans and wails on "Muleskinner Blues" without getting the gooseflesh.--Marc Greilsamer