Like We Used to Be
One of the main assets of the original Seldom Scene lineup was John Starling's warm, honeyed tenor, especially when coupled with John Duffey's high, lonesome voice. For the first time since he left the premier bluegrass band in 1977 to pursue his career as a doctor, Starling is back with the Scene for a studio recording,Like We Used to Be. A vocal mentor to both Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, Starling is the perfect singer for the album's material, which is drawn largely from Nashville's younger, more folk-oriented songwriters. With electric bassist T. Michael Coleman and occasional drummer Pat McInerney anchoring the beat,Like We Used to Besounds like the best Ricky Skaggs album in years.--Geoffrey Himes