Old & In The Gray - Old & In The Gray (2002)

Thanks to Jerry Garcia's participation, Old & in the Way's self-titled 1975 one-shot album was enormously popular--essentially, it made bluegrass music safe for post-Woodstock hippies. By mixing traditional numbers, pop covers, and catchy originals, the Grateful Dead guitarist (and bluegrass banjoist) and his pickin' pals--guitarist and lead singer Peter Rowan, mandolinist David Grisman, fiddler Vassar Clements, and bassist John Kahn--broke musical (as well as cultural) boundaries. Old & in the Gray reunites Rowan, Grisman, and Clements, with banjoist and vocalist Herb Pedersen filling in for the late Garcia and bassist Bryn Bright replacing the late Kahn. The result is a solid effort, propelled by rich vocal work by Rowan and Pedersen and fiery instrumental performances by Grisman and Clements. The song selection is delightfully eclectic: John Hartford's "Good Old Boys," Townes Van Zandt's "Pancho and Lefty," and the Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Women" accompany gems from the Carter Family, the Stanley Brothers, and Bill Monroe, not to mention several fine Rowan originals. Garcia is missed; he may not have been the world's most proficient banjo player, but his ragged voice provided the band with much of its soul and charm. Still, these one-time young Turks of bluegrass may have become the genre's elder statesmen, but their forward-thinking approach to music-making hasn't changed a bit. --David Hill