Vanguard Visionaries

Album review

Founded in 1950 by brothers Seymour Solomon and Maynard Solomon just as the LP format was taking hold (it had been introduced to the market two years previously), Vanguard Records took full advantage of the longer playing time afforded and began life as a classical label, moving easily into jazz, then gospel, bluegrass, blues, and folk (as Joan Baez's label, they had a high profile during the 1960s folk revival), eventually experimenting with rock groups like the Frost, although folk and classical remained the label's forte. Vanguard was sold to the Welk Group in 1985. The new owners set about revitalizing the imprint's back catalog, and also began adding contemporary recordings of country and pop artists as the 21st century began. To celebrate the imprint's rapidly approaching 60th anniversary, Vanguard has released a series of brief artist samplers (Vanguard Visionaries) from the label's peak 1960s and early-'70s era, including this one from Doc Watson. A true American treasure, Watson recorded some ten albums for Vanguard in the 1960s beginning in 1964, each full of his rich, everyman singing and startling guitar and banjo skills. This brief sampler is representative of Watson's work with the label (to be honest, Doc has never recorded a bad track in his whole career), including fine versions of traditional fare like "Little Sadie" and "Shady Grove" and what may be the definitive take on Jimmie Driftwood's classic "Tennessee Stud."

© Steve Leggett /TiVo