Silver Bullet Bluegrass – Various Artists

Thirteen of Bob Seger’s rock classics get new life on Silver Bullet Bluegrass (on Lonesome Day Records). They are given the bluegrass treatment and it’s remarkable the degree to which they stand up successfully in the style. Seger’s compositions have always been smart—in subject matter and, especially in their arrangement—and these performances plumb the depth of their meaning. For those of us who assumed that Seger’s intimate-yet-universal vocals were required in order for his songs to achieve their full potential, Silver Bullet Bluegrass is an ear-opener. Now there’s no doubt that Night Moves is one of the greatest albums of all time because of the material, not just the performance.

Silver Bullet Bluegrass offers an all-star musician lineup. The album features lead vocals from Bo Bice, Carson Peters, Gary Nichols, Jeff Parker, Josh Shilling, Keith Garrett, Larry Cordle, Robert Hale, Shonna Tucker, Tim Shelton, Tim Stafford, Bill Taylor, and Ward Hayden. Every musician on these tracks deserves attention, including Richard Bennett, Shawn Brock, Larry Cordle, Stephen Mougin, and Gary Nichols (guitars); Shawn Brock, Jeff Parker, Tony Robertson, and Darrell Webb (mandolin); Richard Bailey and Ned Luberecki (banjo); Mike Bub, Mike Flemming, and David Hood (bass), Tim Crouch, Shawn Lane, Megan Lynch, Carson Peters, and Tammy Rogers (fiddle), and Wayne Bridge, Phil Easterbrook, and Jake Joines (dobro). The ever-important harmony vocals were provided by Sarah Borges, Shawn Lane, Gary Nichols, Tim Shelton and Cindy Walker.

Every artist finds their own comfortable approach to the material, and each track stands out in its own way. While the songs are (thankfully) faithful to the originals, they are equally exciting in their reinterpretations. After enjoying Ward Hayden’s performance, you’ll never convince me that “Betty Lou’s Gettin’ Out Tonight” wasn’t originally conceived as a bluegrass number. And the meanings in “Against the Wind” multiply exponentially after listening to Tim Shelton’s brilliant confessional conveyance.

Silver Bullet Bluegrass Track List:

Long Twin Silver Line (Carson Peters)
Turn The Page (Gary Nichols)
Hollywood Nights (Shonna Tucker)
Against The Wind (Tim Shelton)
You’ll Accompany Me (Keith Garrett)
We’ve Got Tonight (Jeff Parker)
Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man (Bo Bice)
Betty Lou’s Gettin’ Out Tonight (Ward Hayden)
Main Street (Josh Shilling)
Even Now (Tim Stafford)
Feel Like A Number (Robert Hale)
Roll Me Away (Bill Taylor)
Night Moves (Larry Cordle)

I have a new dream: that the lineup on this album get the attention they (and Bob Seger) deserve. Together, they should all be the featured artist at the next Super Bowl Halftime Show. In the meantime, we’ve got Silver Bullet Bluegrass.