New Grass Revival - New Grass Revival (Starday SLP482 - 1972

This was Lans'. The album contained a few clicks and pops here and there but the material is quite nice. I really enjoyed the Vassar tune, "Lonesome Fiddle". At over 7 minutes, it dominates the A-side. I can't find this on Amazon, except to say that it's been discontinued by the manufacturer.

New Grass Revival - Barren County (Flying Fish FF083 - 1979)

Let's see if I remember how to do this.... This was definitely one of Lans' albums. The condition is really good... there might have been a few artifacts, but nothing really notable. Amazon has this for 17 bucks on CD. The material was pleasant and well executed but didn't bowl me over.

I made a new lightbox for taking the album photos. These are the first images from this new contraption. It should make setting up easier and I thought the colors looked pretty true. I'm not sure why the lefthand inside image is so much brighter than the righthand one.

Flatt & Scruggs - Greatest Hits (Columbiia CS9370 - 1966)

This puppy from Lans' collection didn't have an inner sleeve but after a round with the Discwasher, the vinyl quality was surprisingly good. It doesn't look like this package is available on CD but certainly a best of CD could be had.

Tony Rice - California Autumn (Rebel Recording SLP1549 - 1975)

Just a real pleasant album. Reviewers don't seem to consider this early Rice album to be one of his best but it felt like another great Tony Rice album to me. The vinyl quality was absolutely mint. Lans probably put this on cassette on its first playing. Amazon has this for 16 dollars or downloadable for 9 or single tracks for a buck.

The Flying Burrito Bros - Blue Grass Special (Ariola 86501HT - 1974)

I can't find this album anywhere on Amazon and felt lucky to find it through Media Player's "Find Album Info". All the tracks on this live album were separated by a track break except Ruebin's Train and Foggy Mountain Breakdown which ran together and I left them as a single track and adjusted the titles accordingly. Lans' probably committed this one to cassette on it's first playing and thus the condition was mint for both the jacket and the vinyl.

Bill Keith - Something Auld Something Newgrass Something Borrowed Something Newgrass (Rounder 0084 - 1976)

Kind of classic Lans. A sleeper album but with David Grisman, Tony Rice, and Vassar Clements on it. "Caravan" seemed more Dawgmatic, whereas the rest of the album was just smokin' bluegrass. Rounder is still selling this on their site at 12 bucks. The vinyl condition on this one was pristeen.

Skaggs & Rice - Ricky Skaggs/Tony Rice (Sugar Hill SH3711 - 1980)

I would have to believe that this would have been one of Lans' favorites. The condition was nearly flawless. The material compelling straight-up old-time country music. The arrangements are spare and so the musicianship really shines through. The CD cover (what downloaded from the net) is different rom the LP cover. Amazon thinks it's worth 14 bucks. There's a reseller offering a sealed LP of this for $127.50.

Tony Rice - Cold On The Shoulder (Rounder ROUN0183 - 1984)

This one from Lans is in typical "like new" condition. Wikipedia says:

Rice’s solo career hit its stride with "Cold on the Shoulder", a collection of bluegrass-inspired vocals. With this album, "Native American" and "Me & My Guitar", Rice arrived at a formula that incorporated his disparate influences, combining bluegrass, the songwriting of folk artists like Ian Tyson, Joni Mitchell, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Bob Dylan and especially Gordon Lightfoot, with nimble, jazz-inflected guitar work. Simultaneously, he pursued his jazz-infused, experimental “spacegrass” with the Tony Rice Unit on the albums "Mar West", "Still Inside", and "Backwaters".

New from Rounder, this one will set you back 12 bucks, downloadable from Amazon at 10 bucks, or on CD for 18.

Various Artists - Flatpicking Guitar (Kicking Mule Records KM 210 - unknown year)

This one feel a bit like an album of guitar instruction. I suspect that Lans may have been attracted to it for that very reason. The vinyl quality was "like new".

Eric Thompson - Bluegrass Guitar (Kicking Mule Records)

Another classic Lans. Grisman is featured prominently on this album. I can't find it at Amazon and even Wikipedia seems unaware of this gem. Unfortunately it sounded a bit dusty in places but still quite listenable. I've been using Goldwave to edit some of my transcriptions and this might benefit from a little "touch-up". I'll have to enter the titles manually since Media Player couldn't help me out.

I took the album art photo on 6/6/2008.

I think the release date on this might be 1978.

J. D. Crowe and the New South (Gusto Records SLP-489 - 1977)

Norman Blake - Directions

Clarence White and the Kentucky Colonels (Rounder 0098 - 1980)

http://ebni.com/byrds/refdiscogcw.html

Fuzzy Mounstain String Band - Fuzzy Mountain String Band (Rounder 0010 - 1972)

A Retroactive entry for one of my albums. I grabbed the album art to load it into the ipod in place of some alternative art that came down from the net.

Good Old Boys - Pistol Packin' Mama (Round RX-109 1976)

This is a cut-out (with a bullet-hole in the lower corner) but it's still sealed and has the Wonderland price sticker for $3.99. Straight up bluegrass. I remember reading somebody on the net saying how deadheads were buying this when it came out because Jerry was involved, and surprised because it was their first real exposure to hardcore bluegrass.