Bluegrass Special (Epic LN 24031 mono, BN 26031 stereo) was recorded by Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys at Columbia Studio in Nashville on 22 June 1962 and released in February 1963. It is the earliest album listed under their name on Epic, where their singles had begun in 1962; “Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes” and “Pickin’ and A-Grinnin’” came out as a 45 that July.
The personnel are Jim McReynolds on guitar, Jesse McReynolds on mandolin, Don McHan on guitar, Allen Shelton on banjo, Jimmy Buchanan on fiddle, David Sutherland on bass and Douglas Kirkham on drums. Of the twelve tracks, “I Wish You Knew” and “Are You Missing Me” are credited to Ira and Charlie Louvin, and “She Left Me Standing on the Mountain” and “When It’s Time for the Whippoorwill to Sing” to A. Delmore. McHan is credited with “Grave in the Valley,” and the brothers with “Congratulations, Anyway!” and the instrumental “Stoney Creek.” Jesse’s self-invented crosspicking and split-string mandolin style is the best-known part of the duo’s sound.
Tracklist
- 1 Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes alt version 1:58
- 2 Somebody Loves You Darling alt version 2:24
- 3 She Left Me Standing on the Mountain Source Recording 2:09
- 4 Don't say goodbye if you love me 2:45
- 5 I Wish You Knew alt version 2:28
- 6 When it's time for the whippoorwill to sing 2:22
- 7 Grave in the valley 3:12
- 8 Blue Bonnet Lane alt version 2:33
- 9 Are You Missing Me alt version 2:27
- 10 Congratulations, anyway! 2:15
- 11 Pickin' and a-grinnin' 2:22
- 12 Stoney Creek 1:52
