Something Auld, Something Newgrass, Something Borrowed, Something Bluegrass was released by Rounder in 1976 (Rounder 0084) and recorded at Track Studios in Silver Spring, Maryland. Bill Keith, who had joined Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys in 1963 and was one of the banjoists who developed the melodic style, plays banjo throughout. His band is Jim Rooney on rhythm guitar, Tony Rice on guitar, David Grisman on mandolin and Tom Gray on bass. The fiddle chair is shared by Vassar Clements and Kenny Kosek, and Kosek also plays piano alongside Keith on “Rickett’s Hornpipe.” Tony Trischka wrote the liner notes.
Four of the twelve tracks have vocals. Rooney sings the Rolling Stones’ “No Expectations,” “I’ll Stay Around” and “Detour,” and Al Jones sings “Pain in My Heart.” The instrumentals include Don Reno’s “Green Mountain Hop,” Hank Garland’s “Sugarfoot Rag,” Tommy Jackson’s “Crazy Creek,” Duke Ellington’s “Caravan,” “Jordu,” and the traditional “Farewell Blues,” “Rickett’s Hornpipe” and “Auld Lang Syne.” Keith arranged “Green Mountain Hop,” “Rickett’s Hornpipe” and “Auld Lang Syne.”
In the liner notes Keith credits “I’ll Stay Around” to the songwriting team of “Certain and Stacey.” Those were the maiden names of Earl Scruggs’s and Lester Flatt’s wives, and the name was put on many Flatt and Scruggs songs; this one was written by Flatt.
Tracklist
- 1 No Expectations 3:12
- 2 Green Mountain Hop 3:06
- 3 I’ll Stay Around alt version 3:12
- 4 Crazy Creek Source Recording 2:57
- 5 Pain in my Heart alt version 2:22
- 6 Farewell Blues alt version 3:10
- 7 Caravan 5:19
- 8 Detour 2:49
- 9 Sugarfoot Rag Source Recording 1:50
- 10 Jordu 2:27
- 11 Rickett’s Hornpipe Source Recording 1:21
- 12 Auld Lang Syne Source Recording 3:23
