Love of the Mountains (Old Homestead OHS 90118, 1982) is a recording from the Bluegrass Alliance, a North Carolina–based traditional bluegrass band featuring mandolinist Tony Williamson — later recognized as one of the most respected traditional mandolin players in the southeastern United States and a 2018 North Carolina Heritage Award recipient. Garland Shuping on banjo, Keith Sanson, Lonnie Peerce, and Mike Williams complete the ensemble. The Old Homestead Records catalog, operated by John Morris in Michigan, was among the most significant outlets for traditional bluegrass outside the major labels during the 1970s and 1980s, providing a national platform for regional acts that would otherwise have had limited distribution. The album reflects the strength of traditional-style playing in the North Carolina piedmont during the period and documents a working band at its core.
Tracklist
- 1 Love of the Mountains alt version 2:45
- 2 Blue Lonely River 2:58
- 3 Shenandoah Breakdown alt version 3:13
- 4 Blue Ridge Mountains Turning Green 3:27
- 5 East Bound and Down alt version 3:21
- 6 Bus Fare to Kentucky 3:10
- 7 Rolling Midnight Train 3:12
- 8 Diamonds and Rust 3:52
- 9 Song of the Wildwood 3:50
- 10 Black Mountain Rag alt version 2:41