Richard Blaustein & Ralph Blizard with the Island Road Revelers
These recordings were made at WETS studios in Johnson City in 2001 and featured the fiddling of Blountville, Tennessee legend, Ralph Blizard. Richard’s unique “up-picking” banjo style can be heard clearly in these recordings and is a fine complement to Blizard’s long-bow fiddling. He learned this way of banjo playing from his Sulphur Springs, Tennessee-neighbor George Payne, who characterized it as a regional style carried forward through his family. Richard developed it further into a versatile approach to playing that was unique to Richard — indeed, we are aware of no one else who plays in that style. Also on the recording are Reeltime Travelers band members Thomas Sneed, Martha Scanlan, and David Havas.
Richard Blaustein is featured prominently on the bonus track "Brown Eyes" singing the bass line on the chorus.
This eponymous recording titled Ralph Blizard and the Island Road Revelers features Ralph Blizard (fiddle), Richard Blaustein (banjo), Martha Scanlan (guitar), Thomas Sneed (mandolin), and David Havas (bass).
The complete recording is available to stream at the following link: Ralph Blizard and the Island Road Revelers
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