An awesome show...

By: satter Mood: elated Date: 05/11/2007 20:48:01 Music: Jerry Salley Concert

I just got home a little while ago from the Paint Valley Jamboree, in Bainbridge, OH. Tonight's bluegrass show featured Jerry Salley, who was originally from Chillicothe. He put on an awesome show, and his band, Breakin' New Ground, was nothing but excellent. It included Clay Hess on guitar and mandolin, Ned Lubercki on banjo, Kim Gardner on dobro, and Beth Lawrence on bass.

Jerry has been touring some lately to promote his new bluegrass album, "New Songs, Old Friends" which has some great stuff he's written. I'd encourage everyone to check it out.

I'd say he probably performed about 8 of the cuts from the album, mixed in with other great songs he has written over the years, along with a couple bluegrass standards. Also, he really gave his band ample opportunity to shine, with quite a few featured vocals and instrumentals and a great Clay Hess solo performance on "I Know Why" (which Clay wrote a few years back). Needless to say, with that level of talent in a band, there was some jaw-dropping stuff played over the course of the evening.

Anyhow, two thumbs up for a great show. If Jerry ends up in your neck of the woods, go hear him!