Bluegrass Fiddle Albumby Anonymous

Reader Rating:
See Detailed Ratings

October 07, 2003: Originally from Florida, Aubrey Haynie started playing the fiddle and mandolin when he was only nine years old and soon after entered fiddle contests and joined the Bluegrass Parlor Band. At 17, he was playing with country musician Aaron Tippen. At 18, he moved to Nashville. By age 19, he was touring with Clint Black. In 1996, he briefly did a stint with David Parmley, Scotty Vestal, and Continental Divide. A year later, Haynie recorded his first highly-acclaimed solo album ("Doin' My Time"). Then he toured with Randy Travis in 1998. Haynie has quickly become one of the most sought after session musicians. His exceptional fiddle and mandolin work can be heard on albums by Clint Black, Neal McCoy, Bryan White, George Jones, Trisha Yearwood, Ricky Skaggs, Continental Divide, Lonesome River Band, Lou Reid, Butch Baldassari, Tina Adair and many more. If one listens to Haynie's stellar fiddling, you'll gain an appreciation for his magnificent tone, whether he's sawing off the melody, harmony, or double-stopped fills. The most accomplished musicians know when to lay back, when to embellish, and when to jump into the driver's seat. Haynie has obviously learned his lessons well, such as Bill Monroe's direction that "You follow the melody right, and you don't put in no hot know-it-all fiddle that don't belong in there. If you're just trying to show off, that ain't going to get it?." While Haynie could certainly "show off" if he wished to, we have to appreciate this master musician who knows how to use all his technical proficiency to simply play these tunes as good as they've ever been fiddled in a neo-traditional manner. Half of the twelve tunes are from Kenny Baker. They include McHattie's Waltz, Duck on the Millpond, Bluegrass in the Backwoods, April's Reel, Long Cold Winter, and First Day in Town. One tune comes from Arthur Smith (Smith's Rag), three are traditional numbers (Make A Little Boat, Ook Pik Waltz, and Bill Cheatham). The traditional numbers are given a breadth of new life. Two tunes (Buckner's Breakdown, Hamilton Special) are Haynie originals which open the album, and I especially look forward to hearing more of his self-penned numbers. Not that Sam Bush is any kind of a slouch, but as a showcase for Haynie, I would've enjoyed hearing Aubrey also pick the mandolin on a tune or two?or even three or four...on this project. With this latest solo project, Aubrey Haynie demonstrates why he's one of the most up and doing fiddlers in the country. Sawing on the strings just doesn't get much sweeter and finer than this. Guests include Barry Bales, Sam Bush, Tony Rice and David Talbot. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)