Peter Rowan has a bluegrass band these days, but his shambling, winded performances don’t much resemble bluegrass. The sad thing is, he can play the music; he’s one of the most gifted performers in the genre. The sad thing is that he chooses to waste his gifts.

Even as he writes a book on the musical lessons he learned as one of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys, he turns his back on everything he says he values, while still claiming to play traditional bluegrass music.
Folks, there’s way more to it than a suit, a tie, and a Stetson hat.

Once upon a time, Peter Rowan played stunning bluegrass music. In fact, I’d recommend this entire CD – “The First Whippoorwill” – as an excellent example of how it’s done.

And, yes, there’s way more to good bluegrass than just covering Bill Monroe tunes, as Rowan does on this CD.

This tune’s called “I Believed In You Darlin’”.