Marty Raybon "This That & The Other"
He grew up in bluegrass and later earned acclaim in country music, so it should come as no surprise that the latest release from Marty Raybon and his band, Full Circle, bears the mark of both. Indeed, “This That & the Other” is not only a showcase for a singer hailed as a great by fans, critics and fellow artists alike, but follows in the footsteps of legendary acts like the Osborne Brothers and Jim & Jesse by offering compelling performances that make distinctions between bluegrass and country almost meaningless.
From the hard-driving ‘grass of the opening “Leavin’ On The Next Thing Smokin’” to the heartfelt piano ballad, “You Get Me,” to a pair of George Jones covers to the inspirational a capella gospel of “Didn’t It Rain Rain Children,” it’s a vocal and instrumental tour de force that could only come from Marty Raybon.
“We just got into the studio and started recording, and when we looked up, we had eighteen songs done,” says Raybon with a chuckle. “I told the guys, I don’t know if we’ve over-cut or under-cut.” Keeping a few tracks in reserve for his next project, Raybon hand-selected a set that ranges widely in tempo, mood and instrumentation. “I collect songs,” he notes, “and some of them on this album, like ‘Nothing Ever Hurt Me (Half As Bad As Losing You),’ are things I’d been thinking about recording for a long time. In fact, I almost cut it for our last album, ‘The Grass I Grew Up On,’ I always had in the back of my mind that that would make a good bluegrass song, and of course, George Jones is a big bluegrass fan. Or ‘Everybody’s Reaching (Out For Someone)’–I actually learned that years ago from a Jim & Jesse album, Superior Sounds Of Bluegrass, that they’d recorded all the way back around 1975. The Cox Family cut that a while ago, and I guess a lot of other folks have done it, too, but I think the song has so much merit on its own that that didn’t bother me.”
As esteemed country music critic Robert K. Oermann said about Raybon’s first bluegrass release of the new century, “there are few more thrilling vocalists in America than Marty Raybon“–and it’s unlikely any other singer would earn high marks from fellow artists as diverse as bluegrass legend Del McCoury (“Marty’s a great singer”) and Rascal Flatts’ Gary LeVox (“The greatest singer on the planet to this day!”).
From his early days as a member (along with his father and brothers) of one of Florida’s premiere young bluegrass groups, American Bluegrass Express, through his country chart-topping stint as the lead singer for Shenandoah to his country-bluegrass blends of the 21st century, Raybon’s smoky, soulful voice has commanded attention, and his interpretative abilities have only deepened with the passage of time. Case in point: “This That & the Other’s” “The Immigrant Song,” written by Billy Lawson. “I’ll never forget the first time I heard it, I asked Billy, ‘what are you doing with this?’ He said he didn’t think a country artist would cut it. They’d be too worried about the content. So I said, ‘I don’t know when I can, but if you’ll let me have it, I promise one day I’ll cut a good record on it.’ And then I got to thinking, all of my folks are from Scotland, so I took Billy’s line about an ‘Irish grin,’ changed it to ‘Scottish,’ put the bagpipes on there, and just got it as close to my own soul as I could.”
Beyond the power of Raybon’s voice, “This That & the Other” gains strength and depth from the contributions made my his band, Full Circle, built around West Virginians Jayd Raines (bass) and Chris Davis (mandolin), and including veteran dobro player Glenn Gibson and banjo man Daniel Grindstaff. A few guests contribute, including guitar whiz Booie Beach (Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time), mandolin player Scott Napier (Lost & Found) and drummer Chris Robbins, but the focus is on the touring band–and a busy group they are, with appearances throughout the year at bluegrass festivals and venues across the country. Subtle when that’s called for, hard-driving when they need to be, Full Circle are a perfect complement to Raybon’s masterful singing. “I’ve got a really good band,” he says with pride, and the truth of his observation can be heard throughout the album.
“I love bluegrass,” Raybon says with visible passion, “and I love to see young people love it. I was younger than a lot of them are when I started playing, and I’d sit in school and try to draw Bill Monroe’s mandolin peghead. That’s how into it I was then–and I still am. When we go out there and see young people at our show, it makes us feel really good, and all we want to do, whether it’s at a show or on this album, is entertain them and let them feel good.” And with the release of “This That & the Other,” it’s clear once again that that’s exactly what Marty Raybon & Full Circle do.