Contemporary bluegrass with a lot of feeling
author: Joe Ross (for Nwbluegrass)
Soulgrass, a band formed in the spring of 2001 which calls south central Kentucky home, has taken an approach to their contemporary bluegrass that combines elements of soul, R&B, rock, country, and folk. The core group is Debbie Heavers (bass, guitar, vocals), David Foster (guitar, bass, vocals), and Curtis Burch (dobro, bass). Occasionally, sidemen Joe Larson (banjo, harmonica, vocals) and Joel Whittinghill (fiddle, mandolin) also play with the band. Bill Verheide plays the spoons on "Gimme Some Lovin'." The covers on this album range from Leon Jackson's "Love Please Come Home" to "Downtown" (remember the song that won Petula Clark a Grammy in 1964) to a Jackson 5 tune (I Want You Back), some Beatles (Help), and one originally recorded by the Spencer Davis Group (Gimme Some Lovin'). The seven original numbers written by Debbie Heavers that fill out Soulgrass' debut album clearly show that Heavers is a prolific singer-songwriter. Her songs about relationships have a strong country feel, and "Stay With Me" rocks. It was nice to see the written lyrics included in the CD's jacket. Soulgrass succeeds by presenting their brand of bluegrass with strong feeling, emotion and expression. (JR)
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