OLD & IN THE GRAY

Vassar Clements, David Grisman, Peter Rowan and Herb Pedersen

With their roots firmly planted in bluegrass history, Old & In the Gray reunites Peter Rowan, David Grisman and Vassar Clements from the original bluegrass boundary-breakers, Old & In the Way. Sparked by a 1996 performance at David Grisman's Birthday Bash concert at San Francisco’s Warfield Theater, these three legendary bluegrass musicians called upon veteran banjo player and vocalist supreme Herb Pedersen to fill the slot left vacant by the late Jerry Garcia. Since then, music festivals across the country have presented this “special bluegrass reunion” in concert. They are joined here by bassist extraordinaire Bryn Bright (Davies).

This recording, produced by David Grisman, includes traditional bluegrass gems like “The Flood” (Stanley Brothers), “Barefoot Nellie” (Reno & Smiley), “On the Old Kentucky Shore” (Bill Monroe) as well as bluegrass renditions of popular songs like the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women” and Townes Van Zandt’s “Pancho & Lefty”. Peter Rowan contributes two originals, “Meadow Green” and “Rainmaker”, and Vassar Clements offers his own “Vassar’s Fiddle Rag”. A classic version of John Hartford’s “Good Old Boys” rounds out this eclectic blend of old and new bluegrass sounds.