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Northern California Bluegrass Society provides this CD review. You can find our most current reviews on our Message Board, where you can comment or query the author directly. Our monthly magazine, Bluegrass By the Bay also publishes them. Return to CD Reviews. |
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| Bob Bovee and Gail Heil | When The Cactus Is In Bloom |
| Review by Brenda Hough | |
| Songs: Dry and Dusty Long Side of the Santa Fe Yellow Rose of Texas The Cowboy’s Wife Viola Ruth Schottische So Long It’s Been Good To Know You The Sporting Cowboy California Blues Dying Ranger Robinson County When The Cactus Is In Bloom Escudilla Waltz The Farmer Is The Man Get Along, Little Dogies Spotted Pony Lee’s Ferry/The Jones Waltz |
Copper Creek Records Personnel: |
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With a cowboy riding the range on a giant jackalope on the cover, there’s no mistaking that there will be cowboy songs in the album. The musical keys of the songs are listed in the liner notes so listeners can play along if they wish. Bob grew up in Nebraska with a family tied to farms and old time music. Gail grew up in Missouri and learned her love for traditional songs from the Ozark players and singers. Their voices echo the styles and inflections of the old time singers from past times and isolated places. There’s lots of bouncy tunes on this album with fiddle and old timey banjo backup on some famous tunes such as "Farmer Is The Man," "Get Along Little Dogies," and "Yellow Rose of Texas." Bob and Gail take turns on the solo songs and join forces on “So Long It’s Been To Know You.” Gail sings “A Cowboy’s Wife,” a true look at the life of the riding cowboy from the viewpoint of the hardworking wife at home. Guess some cowboys were married! The title tune, “When The Cactus Is In Bloom,” is a classic done in sparse style with solo guitar breaks highlighted against Bob’s solo voice. There are several instrumentals including a little known version of “Spotted Pony,” “Dry and Dusty,” the “Viola Ruth Schottische,” and the haunting minor key “Escudilla Waltz.” |
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