Lefty's Old Guitar

1	Mississippi River Raft 2:17
2	Lefty's Old Guitar 3:35
3	Just Loving You 2:25
4	Rovin' Gambler 3:00
5	In My Next Life 3:47
6	You Can Be a Millionaire With Me 3:01
7	I Only Wish You Knew 3:34
8	Loneliness 2:01
9	I'm a Hobo 2:21
10	Too Often Left Alone 2:26
11	Blue Bonnet Lane 2:33
12	She Knows When You're on My Mind Again 3:05

Barnes & Noble

The title track is a loping, gentle tribute to honky-tonk giant Lefty Frizzell, told from the vantage point of his weathered six-string, now hanging on the wall in the Country Music Hall of Fame. A reverence for the past -- nearly palpable in its concise banjo fills, discreet pedal steel cries, haunting fiddle moans, and especially the warmth of Rickey Wasson's lead vocal and the tight, soaring harmonies supporting him -- is the essence of J. D. Crowe & the New South. On his first new album since 1999's Come On Down to My World, progressive bluegrass pioneer Crowe and his latest New South configuration (alumni include Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, and Keith Whitley) haven't missed a beat, so to speak. Crowe's way is not one of bombast or even showy displays of impeccable speed-picked lines (allowed only in tempered, economical form, as evidenced by Crowe's own succinct banjo runs on the up-tempo tear-jerker "Loneliness"), but rather of subtlety and economy, saying in a few elegantly constructed, no-frills solos exactly what needs to be said in order to enhance the ambiance. Crowe favors songs in which actions have consequences, especially when you hurt the one you love. Loneliness and abandonment figure prominently here (on "Loneliness" and the bustling "Too Often Left Alone," most notably), as well as the ache of unrequited love (the classically styled honky-tonk lament "I Wish You Only Knew"), but there's redemption too (in the mid-tempo gospel meditation "You Can Be a Millionaire with Me"). Lefty's Old Guitar is a landmark moment for this bluegrass master. David McGee

All Music Guide

It's been over 30 years since J.D. Crowe laid down his legendary newgrass in the mid-'70s with Tony Rice, a lively mix of old and new acoustic music. Few groups sound this fresh today, and even Crowe leans much closer to tradition on Lefty's Old Guitar. Banjoist Crowe is joined by mandolinist Dwight McCall, guitarist Ricky Wasson, fiddler Ron Stewart, and bassist Harold Nixon on a dozen tradition-based songs that clock in at 34 minutes. Wasson handles most of the lead vocals, and his tone and range are vaguely reminiscent of Rice's; his depth and resonance add a bit of folk grit to ballads like "In My Next Life." He's usually joined by Crowe and McCall on the choruses, creating a rich harmonic mix and upping the emotional ante. In two instances, Crowe and the New South vary the mandolin/guitar/banjo arrangements, on "Lefty's Old Guitar" and "She Knows When You're on My Mind Again," adding Doug Jernigan's pedal steel. This adds a definite country flavor without really altering the band's bluegrass approach. For old fans and anyone who enjoys solid bluegrass performed with lots of feeling, Lefty's Old Guitar shows J.D. Crowe & the New South in good form. Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.