Bill Clifton was one of bluegrass' finest guitarists and also an underrated vocalist. He was especially gripping on slow, aching tunes like "Lonely Heart Blues" or gospel numbers like "I'm Living the Right Life Now" and "When You Kneel at Your Mother's Grave."
Clifton's late-'50s singles were collected on this CD, featuring him working alongside such musicians as Curley Lambert on mandolin and Johnny Clark on banjo, as well as fiddler
Tommy Jackson,
Ralph Stanley on banjo, and
Gordon Terry on fiddle. These songs are light-years away from the polished, intricate newgrass and contemporary bluegrass sounds of the 1980s and '90s. The harmonies, leads, solos, and arrangements reflect simpler, more innocent times, but don't lack intensity or musical quality.