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| The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Linda Ronstadt |
There’s something special about this three song stretch from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Symphonion Dream. The first song, “Ripplin’ Waters”, is quite possibly, in this author’s humble opinion, the prettiest song ever made. It’s a song I’d pitch to replace “This Land is Your Land” by Woodie Guthrie as our unofficial, truer national anthem. The second song, “(All I Have to Do Is) Dream”, is quite possibly, one of the best song covers ever done. Then the third song, “Mother of Love”, sends you struttin’ off and makes you think that possibly, quite possibly, this southern/country rock genre is just damn glorious in ways you couldn’t imagine at first.
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| Will the Circle Be Unbroken Sessions |
If, you have time, go back and listen to the whole album itself. It presents a large scope of Americana (bluegrass and country) music, in such a progressive way, that this Colorado-based band deemed it insurmountable enough by them (and in this author’s opinion: others) to end their “genuine” recording career with, on a high note. Its as if these young men wanted to demonstrate to their musical forefathers, the ones they paid homage to in Will the Circle be Unbroken, everything they’ve learned from them. In doing so, they created their own trail that takes you to a special place where you feel:
Warm as the mountain sunshine
On the edge of the snow line
In a meadow of columbine
…and if music posts were binding, I’d marry “Ripplin’ Waters” and no other song, in a heart beat. Can you tell I’ve been properly smitten by this song?
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| During their tour in Russia – First American band to do so. |
Check out a sweet live performance of Ripplin’ Waters…