Fenced In - Fenced In

(Truegrass Entertainment 2180-19516) 2019

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This CD-R is a rather tasty album of fine trad. bluegrass, with splendid vocal duets by Rick Oldfield and Curnie Lee Wilson. Two former CMB's are also featured:- Steve Sparkman, who's been on banjo with Fenced In since 2016; and John Rigsby who helps out on fiddle/mandolin throughout.

Curnie Lee Wilson's father was one half of the Wilson Brothers, a close vocal harmony / traditional bluegrass act which recorded about a half-dozen albums. They had originally got their start in the music business backing J.D. Jarvis^[1] and were heavily influenced by the Stanley Brothers. Curnie and Rick Oldfield also have a great vocal blend, that is likewise influenced by the sound of Carter & Ralph.

Hard-core Stanley fans will no doubt be familar with the Wilson Brothers tribute number, The Stanley's Will Sing Again, which here is updated to include Ralph's passing. There's also versions of Jacobs Vison & Lips That Lie from the Stanley Brothers catalogue (John Rigsby adds harmonica on the latter), as well as Ralph's classic That Beautiful Woman. Another cut, Forever Ain't No Trouble Now was also recorded by Jim Lauderdale and Ralph Stanley on the Lost In The Lonesome Pines CD (2002).

In addition to The Stanley's Will Sing Again, there are versions of two other Wilson Brothers songs:- Heavenly Highway ('Lonesome Old Home' LP (Vetco LP-516) 1980) and Take A Little Time (For A Friend) which Russell Lee Wilson recorded on his 2002 'Trooper Lee' CD.

The traditional song, Pretty Little Miss (In The Garden) is also patterned after the Stanley Brothers cut. On Country Folk Music Spotlight the song is credited to Carter, but in Gary Reids book, he explains that they got the song from the New Lost City Ramblers and their lyrics/arrangement was a combination of the versions by Cousin Emmy and Roscoe Holcomb.^[2]

All the cuts on 'Fenced In' debut are pretty strong, but the murder ballad (The) Watery Deep is one that particularly stands out. Featuring superb harmony vocals & tasteful backup on fiddle/banjo, the song was originally by Roy McMillan & The High Mountain Boys (from their 'Up In The High Country' (Rebel SLP 1523) 1973).

Although the album doesn't have any instrumental numbers, Steve gives a masterclass on Stanley-style backup throughout & gets breaks on Lonesome Road Blues, Heavenly Highway and the bluegrass evergreen Hello City Limits.

Ronnie Bowman's Three Rusty Nails, with Rick Oldfield on solo vocal is another fine performance, which is backed mainly by fiddle & guitar. It has a different feel to the other tracks, which kind of breaks up the flow a little.

Overall this is a fine album which is well worth checking out. To get copies contact Fenced In via their Facebook page.

• Rick Oldfield: lead, tenor & high baritone vocals
• Dustin Parker: bass
• John Rigsby: fiddle, mandolin, harmonica
• Steve Sparkman: banjo
• Curnie Lee Wilson: rhythm & lead guitar, lead vocals

PS: Curnie also played on the Cumberland Highlanders CD Cumberland Mountain Home alongside Ralph Stanley & Curnie Snr & Rusell Wilson.

Other artwork / related images:

[1] For more info on JD Jarvis see the More Bluegrass Gospel Songs entry.
For more on the Wilson Brothers check out:-
https://www.wilsonbluegrass.com/biography.html
https://bluegrasstoday.com/russell-wilson-passes
[2] Gary Reid's book 'The Music Of The Stanley Brothers' page 171-172.