Old Ways and Old Paths (Rebel REB-CD-1754, 2000) was Paul Williams's debut for Rebel Records and his first album under the Victory Trio banner — the gospel ensemble he led through the late 1990s and 2000s. Williams (mandolin, lead vocals) is joined by Mike Crider (bass, tenor vocals), Ned Cutshaw (guitar, baritone vocals), and David Yates (fiddle, guitar) through fourteen tracks of traditional bluegrass gospel. The close three-part vocal blend and spare acoustic instrumentation draw on shaped-note harmonies and mountain-church conventions Williams absorbed growing up in southwest Virginia. The record confirmed that Williams, celebrated for his Jimmy Martin–era work, had found a strong second artistic home in sacred bluegrass, a direction he would develop across several further Rebel releases.
Tracklist
- 1 Home To Stay 2:17
- 2 Seek Ye Out The Old Paths 3:07
- 3 Go Rest High On That Mountain 3:15
- 4 Stay By The Brook 2:10
- 5 Beulah Land Source Recording 3:31
- 6 Be Ready To Go 2:30
- 7 I'm Going Through, Jesus 3:49
- 8 Don't Weaken The Wheel 3:55
- 9 The Great Beyond 3:26
- 10 You've Got To Live Your Religion Every Day 2:17
- 11 His Blood Is On My Soul 3:11
- 12 I'm Not Afraid To Cross That River 2:19
- 13 I'm Going To Ride 5:09
- 14 Be Looking For Me 3:08
