One of my favorite local recordings right now is ‘Big Truck’ by The Crawford Brothers.
If you heard it on my Mp3 player, you might be surprised I was listening to Bluegrass and if my teenage rock and roll soul saw this, it would turn in shame, but over the years, I’ve discovered something rarely beautiful about this special music we call ‘Bluegrass.’
Here in East Tennessee, the heart of Bluegrass is a sense of family and this is what makes the music so enduring and one of the main reasons it’s opened my mind.
I began playing music in a small living room at my ‘Papaw’ Frank’s house. My dad married Frank’s daughter and some of our most special family moments were spent in what we called ‘sessions.’ My father and Frank played guitar on those days and I tried to hang on to a big acoustic and the whole family would sing.
Click here to listen to the Crawford Brother’s song “Big Truck”
Jason Crawford is the multi-talented musician (mandolin, banjo, guitar, bass and Monster Truck Driver) in Reagan Bogg’s Band and about the time Reagan released her new CD, Jason delivered a handful of shiny wrapped CD’s and on the front a big Peterbuilt truck, his dad (Tom), brother (Anthony) and sister-in-law (Jennifer).
He explained that this was a family project he and his brother had been working on and featured several songs that his father had written over the years as an independent truck driver. He said, ‘Dad had all these songs and he didn’t care what we did with them.’
I’m very happy they decided to bring together this special family tradition into the studio. Bobby Starnes from Hog Holler Studio in Jonesborough produced the project and brings to disc Tim Stafford (Blue Highway), Adam Steffey (mandolin), Kevin Jackson (fiddle) and Bill Dunham on acoustic bass.
Tom Crawford’s songs are word for word the experiences of a family man on the road and from the opening track, his honesty at first listen reminds me of the rugged sincerity of Johnny Cash.
The title track ‘Big Truck’ is a heading on down the road foot stomper and it’s a great story that deserves more radio play. Other songs take you down the road to Birmingham and Tom even pulls out a few legends in his storytelling.
There are some great Gospel songs on this recording too. Tom’s faith, work and love for family are warm melodies moving through songs like ‘He is Risen,’ A Touch of His Hand sung by his Jennifer.
Behind the stories and the rugged voice of experience, The Crawford Brothers features some fine bluegrass picking too. Jason performs an original instrumental called ‘Hopscotch’ that is both traditional and progressive and a stellar addition to this memorable work.
I met Jason Crawford about a year ago when he joined The Reagan Boggs Band. His smile, talent and sense of humor create an ‘x-factor’ that is sure to bring him to wonderful heights as he is just beginning his career. Along with Reagan, he’s playing for Trey Hensley, Wallace Switch, Leisure Time and truly the busiest musician I know and for an ‘Eastmanite’ – I’m jealous!
Jason’s friends are no slackers either. Each of these tracks reel with bright, enjoyable Bluegrass from some of Northeast Tennessee’s most talented players.
Tim Stafford, a regional Bluegrass icon and member of Blue Highway says this on the liner notes on the back of the new CD.
“Tom Crawford is a homegrown working-man’s hero from Hawkins County, TN. He’s a fine bluegrass songwriter and his vocals are real – they sound like he’s lived every word. If folks like Jason, Anthony, Jennifer and Tom keep picking and singing, there will never be a lack of talent to carry on the powerhouse tradition of bluegrass and traditional music from the Bluegrass Heartland of East Tennessee.”
Now I’ve got a lot to learn about Bluegrass. It’s a fast paced music that depends on unity and family. It’s an excellent compliment to my own growth as a musician and I like keeping up with the players, but it warms my memories of my own family to celebrate a fine recording like this. I wish that I had a recording of our sessions too, but one moment with The Crawford’s and those memories seem like only yesterday.
Click here to listen to the Crawford Brothers song Big Truck