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Songs:

Rebel Records REB CD 1786
PO Box 7405
Charlottesville, VA 22906

Larry Sparks first stepped on stage with the Stanley Brothers in 1963, so this year is his 40th as a bluegrass entertainer. He is a standard bearer for the traditional sound of Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers but he has developed his own distinctive style. His expressive baritone pulls the emotion out of the songs and several songs are the heartfelt musings about home and family. David Norris wrote "This Old Road," "Our Old Home" and "He Walked All The Way Home" with the common theme of returning to home and hearth. Several songs by Marshal Warwick are also featured, and his "Winter in Miami" has the memorable line "the coldest part of winter is goodbye." Marshal also wrote the nostalgic "Let's Turn Back The Clock" with a look back at the innocent days when life was simple and love was new. Scott Napier on mandolin, Josh McMurray on banjo, Michael Cleveland on fiddle and Matthew Madden on bass provide instrumental settings that highlight the vocals. They also prove they can rip up the pea patch with a roaring version of "Solider's Joy" and a bouncy bluesy rendition of Scott Napier's "Parkway Blues." Larry, here's to 40 more years of great music!