Prescription Bluegrass Reviews - Don Rigsby - ‘Doctor’s Orders’

Imagine, you are doing a tribute CD to one of your favorite artists. Now, imagine giving that artist a list of 50 songs and HE picks the songs for the album.

That is exactly how Don Rigsby allowed the songs on his current project Doctor’s Orders, A Tribute to Ralph Stanley to be chosen. This project includes 14 songs, 13 of which are Stanley classics with the title track written by Larry Cordle.

I must admit that when I first heard Don Rigsby was doing a tribute project for Ralph Stanley, I was not exactly ready to run out and purchase the CD.

Prescription Bluegrass Reviews: Claire Lynch - DEAR SISTER

The instant you hear Claire Lynch’s voice, you know it’s her. She has that most elusive of attributes…… RECOGNIZABILITY.

In my humble opinion, recognizability is the most important asset an artist needs. Think about it….. you know it’s Bill Monroe or Lester Flatt the instant you hear their voices, you know it’s Willie Nelson, sometimes even before you hear him sing, because his guitar, nicknamed “Trigger,“ is as identifiable as Willie’s voice is. That guitar’s SOUND informs your brain immediately! Be it love, or be it hate, an artist’s recognizability is the key to his/her success, or failure.