It’s doubtful if The Crowe Brothers name gets dropped a lot in bluegrass circles these days. But wait. These siblings — Josh on guitar and Wayne on bass — are putting a new stamp on a career that dates to 1975, when they began a recording and touring career.

That career has reached a new pinnacle with the release of The Crowe Brothers: Brothers-N-Harmony on the Rural Rhythm Records label, which itself is becoming a major player in the production of high-quality bluegrass CDs with first-rate artists. Brothers-N-Harmony certainly fits in that slot.

Based in North Carolina, The Crowes are no strangers to the recording studio. They were key players on four previous albums with Raymond Fairchild and they released four other albums as The Crowe Brothers. They’ve gained their share of fame along the way, picking up some prestigious SPGMA awards and appearing on venues such as the Grand Ole Opry and the Nashville Network.

Brothers-N-Harmony harkens back to the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s when the line between bluegrass and country was blurred. In fact, it really didn’t exist in the days when acts like Reno & Smiley, Flatt & Scruggs, the Osborne Brothers, the Louvin Brothers and Jim and Jesse McReynolds saw their recordings rise into the Top 10 country charts.

Brothers-N-Harmony brings back that blurred line with a mix of songs that are flat-out bluegrass, pure country and a hybrid of the two. Their sound leans strongly toward traditional bluegrass that sparkles with family harmonies but done in a new, refreshing way.

The Crowe Brothers

One of the CD’s highlights is a reworking of the Louvins’ “Are You Teasing Me?” Another is the 1970s country hit, “God Must Be A Cowboy At Heart,” written and placed on the charts way back when by Dan Seals.

“It was a treat to hear ‘Are You Teasing Me’ included in this album,” Charlie Louvin writes in the liner notes. “The song was really good to me and Ira early in our career. Along with tight harmonies the Crowe Brothers mix bluegrass and traditional country music, and while giving a nod to their heroes now and then, this music doesn’t sound old or tired. It comes smooth, easy to listen to and enjoy…”

Although the CD is well packed with older nuggets, it also includes some new tunes written by Dixie Hall and Eric Gibson and two originals penned by Josh Crowe.

The CD’s opener, “Cindy Mae,” written by Pine Mountail Railroad front man Cody Schuler, is putting The Crowes on the national stage, reaching No.1 on the Sirius radio bluegrass chart and No. 8 in Cashbox.

The supporting cast on Brother-N-Harmony is a bunch of good guys to have on the team in a bluegrass recording studio. Some of the musicians on Brothers-N-Harmony are Steve Thomas on fiddle, lead guitar and mandolin; Randy Kohrs on dobro and lap steel; Don Wayne Reno playing banjo on the Don Reno tune,”Better Luck Next Time;” Ronnie McCoury guesting on mandolin on one track; and Buck White playing keyboard on another.

Overall, I’d say Charlie Louvin nailed this CD. It indeed is “easy to listen to and enjoy.” Isn’t that what good music is all about?