The Cumberland Highlanders are a constantly-shifting group ranging from bluegrass legends to ridiculously-talented local pickers. This particular lineup includes former Blue Grass Boys Butch Robins on banjo and Wayne Lewis on guitar and vocals.

Less well-known (and I aim to remedy that) is tenor singer Stacy York. If you don’t know her work, I hope you’ll take the time to search it out. She’s one of the few real-deal female bluegrass singers around, working solidly in the tradition of Hazel Dickens.

Here they all are with The Stanley Brothers’ “Let Me Love You One More Time”.

A few days ago, I posted a video by The Cumberland Highlanders, an ever-shifting amalgamation of bluegrass talent that includes former Blue Grass Boys, and some current Clinch Mountain Boys.
In this case, the band is fronted by no less than Ralph Stanley, and his son, Ralph II. They’re backed by once and future Blue Grass Boy, Butch Robins on banjo, and singing a Stanley Brothers favorite, “I Hear A Choo Choo Comin’.”

I figure I’m just being redundant if I say it’s amazing, and that you should devour every performance by this band that you can find.

The Cumberland Highlanders is a constantly-shifting collection of bluegrass musicians who get together for the occasional album, gig, or, in this case, their own TV show. You may recognize Stacy York Isaacs on tenor vocals and Lynwood Lunsford (Big Country Bluegrass, The Molly Rose Band) on banjo.

Earlier, I posted an idyllic vision of country life from Larry Sparks. This song – “Sharecropper’s Son” – paints a whole ‘nother picture.

Something to think about: The difference hinges on the selfishness of just one man.