Charlie Moore & The Dixie Partners - The Legendary Charlie Moore and the Dixie Partners

(Leather Records LBG-7704) 1980.

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This album, which features former CMB's Curley Lambert and Lester Woodie, was released a few months after Charlie Moore had died, and garnered a good review in the July 1980 edition of 'Bluegrass Unlimited'.

The new material on offer includes four new songs by Charlie's daughter Lisa. Of these, Truckin', Bluegrass Pickin' Son Of A Gun is a catchy tongue-twister, The Opry In The Forty's & Momma's Roses are nostalgic pieces, and It's Morning Already is a slow 3/4 tearjerker. Bennie Caudill's Look What I've Turned To is another excellent sad bar-room drinking song from the chap who also wrote The Best Female Actress Of The Year (recorded by Charlie on Wheeling and 'The Original Rebel Soldier').

Re-recorded numbers by Charlie include Love Me One More Time which he'd previously recorded with Bill Napier on The Best Of Moore & Napier, and It Don't Make No Difference Anymore from his Sings Good Bluegrass 1972 LP.

Other tracks include versions of Fred Stryker's Don't Step Over An Old Love, which had been recorded by The Stanley Brothers on their Country Folk Music Spotlight LP and the King 5933 45.

Don't Let Your Sweet Love Die was originally cut by Roy Hall and His Blue Ridge Entertaineers (1940), and later cut by the likes of Mac Wiseman, Reno & Smiley, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, and Jimmy Martin. The Stanley Brothers' also cut a throwaway instrumental verison which was issued on the Wango EP-110.

There's also a good version of Rosie, which was originally featured by Chief Powhatan on his 'Sings Rosie & Other Bluegrass Orginals' LP (Homestead 102) 1971. As Curly Lambert had spent some time playing with Chief Powhatan, and even wrote an article on him for 'Bluegrass Unlimited', I guess he probably had a hand in suggesting the song to Charlie. The songs composer, Floyd Atkins was also lead vocalist for the Chief.

Curley Lambert's contribution to the album is mostly confined to mandolin chops, although there are some kick-offs & short breaks. He also sings baritone, and together with John Davis' tenor the trio harmony with Charlie on the choruses is spot-on.

Lester Woodie bluesy fiddle is also quite prominent, mostly weaving away in the background and providing the odd break & fill-in passage.

Most of the heavy-lifting, back-up wise, is however handled by banjo player Ben Green, who does a pretty good job of straight-ahead Scruggs style pickin'.

Charlie's vocals are a little strained at times on Don't Step Over An Old Love, and the upbeat If You're From Dixie is a bit weak, but otherwise there's plenty of interest on this one.

One 45 was released from the album: The Opry In The Forty's / It's Morning Already (Leather LBG 7004-45) 1980.

• Charlie Moore: guitar, lead vocal
• Ben Green: banjo
• John Davis: bass, tenor vocals
• Curley Lambert: mandolin, baritone vocal
• Lester Woodie: fiddle

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