Bluegrass dad and his boys keep it real, and really good
Amid a flurry of “newgrass” outfits offering spit-polished production and electronic flourishes, The Del McCoury Band is the torchbearer of keeping it traditional. The Company We Keep proves no exception. The stellar “Nothin’ Special” and “If Here is Where You Are” pair the blood harmonies of Ronnie and Rob with father Del’s Bill Monroe-like curls and yelps.
Del normally shies away from autobiographical tunes, but Company provides a rare glimpse into his life with the touching “Fathers and Sons.” His first stab at co-writing (“Never Grow Up Boy”), though, sums him up best: “I make my livin’ with a guitar / My job is standin’ on the stage / I’ve played in churches, fairs and dive bars / I ain’t have a goal to act my age.” And, at 66, the Peter Pan of bluegrass still has a knack for picking youthful tales of love (“She Can’t Burn Me Now” and “When It Stops Hurtin”), serving them up with a grin and a wink.