Free Born Man, released in 1969, represents Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys at a characteristic point of tension between hard-driving traditional bluegrass and the commercial mainstream country market that Martin always pursued but never fully captured. Martin's voice — one of the most powerful and distinctive in the genre — is in commanding form throughout, and "Milwaukee Here I Come" is the kind of working-man anthem that demonstrated his understanding of what his core audience wanted. The Sunny Mountain Boys were consistently among the best-drilled bands in the business, and Martin's demanding leadership produced a precision that rivaled Monroe's. His career-long failure to achieve the mainstream success he sought remains one of bluegrass's defining ironies.
Tracklist
- 1 Free Born Man alt version 2:51
- 2 Losing You alt version 2:53
- 3 Slowly 2:09
- 4 Undo what's been done 2:47
- 5 Lonesome prison blues 2:54
- 6 Doin’ My Time alt version 3:16
- 7 Milwaukee Here I Come Source Recording 2:37
- 8 Shackles and Chains alt version 2:57
- 9 Moonshine Hollow 2:57
- 10 Arab bounce 2:38
- 11 Wooden shoes 2:54
