Joe Meadows & Buddy Griffin - Two O'clock In The Morning

(Old Homestead OHS-90081) 1977

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This album by Joe Meadows and Buddy Griffin has quite a relaxed feel to it, with the musicians switching instruments as required. For instance, Joe plays fiddle on ten of the twelve selections, changing to guitar on Angeline The Baker & Waltz Of A Dream Come True, and playing both instruments on Some Sunday Morning & Sockeye.

Buddy Griffin was working in the Katie Laur band at the time the LP was recorded, and the album also features Jeff Roberts, Rich Flaig and Curly Snail from her band.

Both Buddy and Joe Meadows had spent time working with The Goins Brothers, and Buddy played banjo on Joe's 1973 And His Blue Grass Fiddle LP. Buddy also later played in Charlie Sizemore's band, worked with Jim & Jesse for several years, and founded and directed the world's first four year degree course in Bluegrass Music at Glenville State College... A talented multi-instrumentalist, on this LP he plays guitar (7 tracks), fiddle (6 tracks), bass (4 tracks), and banjo (3 tracks).

Tune selection is also quite varied with Benny Martin's Two O'Clock In The Morning, Merle Haggard's If We Make It Through December, Don Reno's Sockeye, Irving Berlin's Waltz Of A Dream Come True, Howdy Forrester's Memory Waltz & Limerock and some traditional tunes.

Buddy & Joe get to twin-fiddle on Fair And Tender Ladies, Flatt & Scruggs' When You're Lonely and Curl Snail adds a third fiddle to Wayfaring Stranger.

Jeff Roberts gets to show off his banjo prowess on the Scruggs Medley, which includes a short fiddle break.

Highlights for me are Joe's rendition of Howdy Forrester's Limerock and the uptempo title cut Two O'clock In The Morning.

• Ralph 'Joe' Meadows: fiddle, guitar
• Buddy Griffin: banjo, fiddle, guitar, bass
• Rich Flaig: bass, guitar
• Jeff Roberts: banjo
• Curl Snail: fiddle

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