Album Notes

Bluegrass singer Janet McGarry has become an integral member of the Maritime Bluegrass scene. Since launching her first Bluegrass recording project in 2000, Janet has received four East Coast Music Awards nominations in the Bluegrass Artist of the Year Category for 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005, and also won the PEI Music Awards Country/Bluegrass Artist of the Year Award for 2001, 2002 and 2003. She has captured the honor of "Female Vocalist of the Year" at the Eastern Canadian Bluegrass Awards three years in a row including this year and she also walked away with two awards from the PEI Music Awards Show in 2004.

Her voice has been described as passionate, powerful and full of emotion. She has continued to showcase this in each of her albums, the latest being a gospel project called "He Will Bring You Home". This cd contains a great mix of cover tunes, as well as some original material, including songs penned by Prince Edward Island songwriter, Ivan Ashley, who contributed a great up-tempo number called "Love that Shines"; a wonderful song by Tom T. and Dixie Hall, and Troy Engle, entitled "Lord, It's a Hard Road Home"; "Mount Zion's Lofty Heights" by Janet's idol, Hazel Dickens, and the title track which was written by McGarry and her husband, Serge Bernard.

Janet and her band Wind River make regular appearances at many Eastern Canadian Bluegrass festivals, earning them the accolades of bluegrass listeners and fellow musicians alike. A highlight for Janet and her band was having the opportunity to showcase at IBMA in Louisville, Kentucky, in October 2003, in a showcase sponsored by "Bronzewound Bluegrass", WERU-FM out of East Orland, ME, USA, and again this year at the "Good Home Grown Music" showcase at the 2005 IBMA's in Nashville, Tennessee.

Janet completed her new gospel project in time to be released for the 2005 bluegrass festival season, and it is receiving considerable air play throughout the region. Be sure to catch them at an upcoming performance. For a listing of festival appearances, please visit www.janetmcgarry.com.

Review: BLUEGRASS NOW MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2006
This is one of the most pleasing collections of bluegrass gospel songs I have heard in a while. This project, the fifth album in Janet McGarry's Bluegrass carreer clearly shows her star is very much on the rise. Musicians include Serge Bernard on various instruments and harmony vocals and J.P. Cormier on several different instruments also. Keila Glydon and Catherine MacLellan join Janet for some excellent harmonies.
Janet's voice with a bit of an edge conjures up images of a blend between Wilma Lee Cooper and Ginger Boatright. Janet actually includes Wilma Lee's "I'm going home on the Morning Train" but my personal favourite is Tom T. Hall's "Lord Its a Hard Road Home" with J.P. Cormier providing some very delicate frailing banjo for a sound reminiscent of early acoustic mountain music. Several songs come from the Dry Branch Fire Squad's repertoire including "Mt. Zion's Lofty Heights", "By the Mark" and one called "Your Long Journey".
Most fans of early traditional sound will find this cd a must have. The album presents a generous 53 minutes of exceptional solid traditional and mountain music that is getting pretty rare these days.
Johnny Pearce. Bluegrass Now Magazine.