★★★★★
FDR fireside chats bookend bluegrass good guy Del McCoury's concept comp about slicker greed (Del McCoury Band, "Moneyland"; Dan Tyminski, "Carry Me Across the Mountain").
- www.robertchristgau.com
2009-07-10
★★★★★
Del McCoury has one of those high tenor voices that seems to be enriched, rather than undermined, by age. Although you'd never mistake him for a youngster, he can still let the high notes fly with the confidence of a singer half his age...
- music.aol.com
2008-08-28
★★★★★
Don't Stop the Music is a typically entertaining and surprisingly bluesy release from the Del McCoury Band, featuring a selection of originals and covers, including a version of the George Jones title track.
- music.aol.com
2008-08-28
★★★★★
"Everyone who pre-orders The Company We Keep will be placed in a drawing to receive the very first (#1/500) limited-edition Del McCoury Bobblehead doll." The fact that this quote, according to almost every press release concerning the latest release from the esteemed Del McCoury Band, precedes any information about the actual record itself is cause for concern among longtime fans...
- music.aol.com
2008-08-28
★★★★★
Named for his version of the Patty Loveless hit "The Blue Side of Town," McCoury covers Steve Earle's "If You Need a Fool" and Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's "That's Alright Mama." When it comes to song choice, he may be the most well-rounded man in bluegrass.
- music.aol.com
2008-08-28
★★★★★
An exemplary album from the group that roots music figurehead David Grisman has referred to as "my favorite bluegrass band," The Cold Hard Facts features everything one has come to expect from the McCourys: virtuoso (but never unnecessarily flashy) playing, innovative song selection, and the finest tenor lead vocals since Bill Monroe...
- music.aol.com
2008-08-28
★★★★★
The Del McCoury Band followed 2005's Grammy-winning Company We Keep with their first-ever all-gospel record, the reliably stellar Promised Land. For a man who is over 40 years into his career, it's surprising that McCoury took so long to lay down a collection of bluegrass gospel classics, as seemingly every other artist in the genre has had their turn at the pulpit...
- music.aol.com
2008-08-28
★★★★★
McCoury's first album as a bandleader was recorded in two days in December 1967. Although he didn't have a regular band at the time, he was backed by a solid quartet (though five other musicians appear in all, with Tommy Neal and Dewey Renfro alternating on bass), three of them capable background singers as well. McCoury's vocals had the high, lonesome sound for which bluegrass is esteemed, but put over with more easygoing, engaging friendliness than some slicker, flashier singers and players...
- music.aol.com
2008-08-28