the 1920's…then I just feel certain that you'll love listening to this album. And to make it even MORE tempting for ya, here's something that's been added…it's an ENHANCED CD. This means that, not only do you get to hear the music that lots of us have never heard, or at least, never heard LIVE…you'll get to SEE it!

This wonderful CD is a soundtrack produced by the grandson of the famous, John Lair, who founded and announced the big Saturday night Renfro Valley Barn Dance. Lair was known throughout the south, and beyond, as one of the greatest songwriters and radio hosts, of his day. He began airing his famous 'barn dance' in 1939, welcoming the entire nation to his small rural home in the foothills of Kentucky. You'll hear his voice throughout this CD, introducing the performers he brought into his radio family. You'll hear such artists as Red Foley, Homer and Jethro, Old Joe Clark, The Renfro Valley Entertainers, Russ and Jo Fisher, Ginger Callahan, and many more. You'll even hear a new group, "Old Crow Medicine Show", who will astound you with their music that sounds so much like the old music, that I DARE you to tell the difference! "Old Crow……" sing their renditions of songs like "Take Me Back To Renfro Valley" and "Train on the Island". I LOVE these guys!

I think you all know about that 'other' CD out there that has been an instant hit around the world…you know…the one that's the soundtrack for that movie…"O Brother Where Art Thou". Sure you do! Granted, you don't hear it very often on mainstream country radio…(big surprise, huh?) ….but the fact is, it has sold millions, even bumping aside such 'new country' stars as Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, to take its place on the charts. Its biggest single, "Man of Constant Sorrow" was a HUGE hit, in SPITE of itself! And hey, I don't think it took any of the big radio stations to do it, either! It seems that fans of music, EVERYWHERE, were buying this record! Kind of a phenomenon! But…is that it? Does it stop there? Will anyone give us more of that great music? Can we ever expect to find it in the record stores again?

Well, folks, get ready to get the answers to all those questions. First, NO, that's NOT it! And NO, it does NOT stop there. And YES, someone WILL give us more of that great music! And YES, with your help, you WILL find it in record stores….soon, I hope! Heck, maybe it's already in some of them! But I know where you CAN find it…right NOW. And thanks to a variety of things, including the hit movie soundtrack I just mentioned, a lot of interest has been generated in this old-time music. People from New York to Chicago have discovered the roots of country music, and they LIKE it! Its brand new to a lot of them, and even become somewhat of a music fad. But who cares? Fads are fine, as long as they open up the eyes of music lovers everywhere, to the fact that country music really DOES exist and really IS good!

barn, and through the radio waves. It gave me goosebumps! It's HISTORY! And you get to hear it on a very well produced CD that couldn't have come at a better time. I mean, have you ever heard the voices of Little Eller, Coon Creek Girls, or Coy Priddy? I don't think so, and you SHOULD! 'Cause if you REALLY love the traditional, the REAL country music that we all crave so much, then you HAVE to hear the original, early music that comes right out of the foothills of the mountains of Kentucky. Its amazing!!

Matt Teater, who produced this album, along with a documentary that is available as well, is the grandson of John Lair. He's a filmmaker who has put his love into this wonderful example of good ol 'country music and he's done an outstanding job! (you can write to Matt at mst@megatrondata.com, if you'd like to hear more about his various projects) I'm very honored, again, to have been asked to review this work. I am thrilled, beyond words, to be hearing the voices of so many entertainers that performed all those years ago. I wish, TRULY, that more of this kind of entertainment was available for the present generation to hear and enjoy. But, hey, who knows…maybe this is just the beginning of a very long stream of productions like this! Wouldn't THAT be great! But, for now, we have to take what we can get, and this one is for SURE worth the taking. PLEASE, I beg you, boys and girls….take a minute to visit www.mstfilms.com/store.htm or www.renfrovalley.com , and buy this fabulous record! Put it in your collection, right next to Hank Williams, George Jones, Merle Haggard, and Alan Jackson. If you don't, and it gets away from you, you're gonna be one sorry soul. I'd put 5 stars on this one, if I was Roger Ebert. And two thumbs up! But I'm just li'l ol' me, the Yankee with the hat. And this is only…