Bluegrass in the American Tradition was released in 1965 by Nashville Records (NLP 2018), credited to Bill Clifton and the Dixie Mountain Boys. All twelve tracks were recorded on 3 September 1963 at Wynwood Studio in Falls Church, Virginia, with an ensemble the Bluegrass Discography lists as Clifton on guitar and vocals, Charlie Waller on guitar, Eddie Adcock on banjo, John Duffey on mandolin, Roy and Paul Justice on fiddles, Mike Seeger on autoharp, guitar and banjo, and Tom Gray on bass. Waller, Duffey, Adcock and Gray were then the Country Gentlemen; the same four are listed on that group’s own Wynwood session later that month.
Clifton sings lead on every track except “Bluegrass Ramble,” an instrumental he wrote. He is credited as composer of most of the songs, among them “Old Ruben,” “My Cindy Girl,” “I’ll Be Satisfied,” “Big Bill,” “At My Window,” “Little Green Valley,” “My Nights Are Lonely” and “When I Lay My Burdens Down.” “Lamp in the Window” is credited as his arrangement, and “Bringing Mary Home” to Chaw Mank and Joe Kingston.
Tracklist
- 1 Reuben’s Train alt version 3:34
- 2 Lamp in the window
- 3 My Cindy girl
- 4 I'll be satisfied
- 5 Big Bill
- 6 Bringing Mary Home alt version
- 7 Bluegrass ramble
- 8 Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar alt version
- 9 At my window
- 10 Little green valley
- 11 My night's are lonely
- 12 When I lay my burdens down
