Early Dawg (Deluxe Edition)

Early Dawg was first released on LP by Sugar Hill Records in 1980. The deluxe edition from Acoustic Disc (2022) keeps the original sixteen tracks and adds thirteen previously unpublished recordings, plus David Grisman’s first recorded mandolin instrumental, “Mandolin King Rag,” from the Even Dozen Jug Band’s 1964 album on Elektra, for thirty tracks presented chronologically across the decade from 1963 to 1973.

Grisman plays mandolin on every track. Del McCoury plays guitar and sings and Jerry McCoury plays bass on tracks 16 through 29, with Winnie Winston on banjo; Bill Keith plays banjo on tracks 2 through 5 and 10 through 15. Other players include Fred Weisz, Artie Rose and James Field on guitar and Gene Lowinger on fiddle. The set includes the earliest recordings of Grisman’s first original compositions, “Cedar Hill,” “Fanny Hill,” “Opus 57” and “Opus 38,” and his only banjo tune, “New York Ramble,” played by Winnie Winston and later renamed “Dawggy Mountain Breakdown.” “Hit Parade of Love” is among the previously unpublished tracks, with vocals from Grisman, Del McCoury and Jerry McCoury.