Album Notes

Carol Elizabeth Jones lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and Laurel Bliss lives in the Pacific Northwest, but music brings them together for festivals and concerts on both coasts. Their close harmonies, song selection, simple acoustic backup, and straight-ahead delivery have won them many fans wherever they've played. Bluegrass Now says of their 2003 CD GIRL FROM JERICHO "Augmented by a crackerjack band, Jones and bliss have taken timeless songs - both classic and newly-composed - and have crafted a remarkable and compelling Bluegrass album." Their new CD RIDIN'ALONG is a collection of classic Country and Bluegrass duets with the sound and feel of the real deal. Carol Elizabeth Jones has made her mark as a singer of traditional mountain music and as a writer of new songs in the old tradition. A recording of the Coon Creek Girls, some good friends, and the Mt. Airy Fiddler's Convention helped get her started in music in her late teens. As a member of the Wildcats and the Wandering Ramblers she helped to bring vocals back into stringband music with good singing, great harmony, and creative song selection. With James Leva she recorded three acclaimed albums of original material. Cuts from the "Heart of a Singer" project with Hazel Dickens and Ginny Hawker were included on Rounder's "O Sister Women in Bluegrass" collection. Dave Higgs of Bluegrass Breakdown says "...Carol Elizabeth has one of the most haunting and honest voices in acoustic music." Laurel Bliss was introduced to traditional and bluegrass music in 1974 when she heard the "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" album. This exposure to Mother Maybelle, Doc Watson, Jimmy Martin and Earl Scruggs inspired a love for traditional and Bluegrass music that has determined her direction ever since. Laurel played Dobro and sang in Southfork from 1982 to 1990, and then in a duet with Cliff Perry for five years. Their "Old Pal" CD was named the County Sales' Best Old-Time Recording of 1994. Laurel's heartfelt vocals and understated slide guitar playing have made her a stand-out in acoustic and Bluegrass music. Jones and Bliss have appeared at such venues as the Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse, Wintergrass and MerleFest, and have taught at the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, California Coast Music Camp and the Swannanoa Gathering.