excellent cd would recommed to any bluegrass lover
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Total Playing Time - 36:07 -- Alan Laney's bluegrass roots go back to bands he played in during his high school days in the hills of east Tennessee. After college, a stint in the army, a few years in the cattle business, and some band work, he eventually settled in Nashville to focus on songwriting. Laney's proficient country music craftsmanship got his songs recorded by the likes of Charlie Louvin, Joe Diffie, Kix Brooks, and Shania Twain. His songs have also been picked up by the Seldom Scene, Tim Graves and Cherokee, James Monroe and The Special Consensus. On this project, nine of the twelve songs were written or co-written by Laney. Two of his songwriting collaborators (Carl Jackson and Bill C.Graham) also appear on this album. Jackson plays lead guitar, banjo and sings harmony on seven cuts. Graham plays fiddle on seven songs. Other musicians include Randy Kohrs (resophonic guitar, Weisenborn guitar, harmony vocals), Jon Randall (rhythm guitar), Jenee Keener (fiddle on 4 cuts), Larry Paxton (bass), and Lona Heins (harmony vocals on five cuts). Besides composing, Laney is also a solid mandolin player.   

The album's title cut kicks off with a punch, and offers a reflective treatise about life -- at least you'll know where the edge is as a result of wild and free living. "Blueridge Mountain Range" and "Smoky Mountain Girl" are beautiful ballads that interweave instrumental fills with stories of a heart that longs for places and love left behind. Alan Laney, the storyteller, treats us with "Emmaline," a hard-hitting and eery tale of how a coal-truck driver finds a unique way to dispose of his burdens. The uptempo gospel offering, "The Hand of a Higher Power" features a four-part chorus and some hot fingerpicking from Carl Jackson. "Mr. Fireman" illustrates how a contemporary bluegrass train song ought to sound today. A different cast of supporting musicians back up Laney on "A Little Place Back in the Hills," a nostalgic recollection of his home in the hills of Tennessee. 

While Alan Laney may be best known for his songwriting, this acoustic/bluegrass collection shows that he's also a fine singer and picker. His pleasant and smooth vocal delivery indicates that Laney is equally comfortable with acoustic country and bluegrass music. He's assembled some good Nashville musicians for this project that showcase his many musical skills. "Livin on the Edge" will be very well received on the Americana market. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)
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