The Three Pickers cover

The Three Pickers

Earl Scruggs

Album · 2003 · Rounder 11661 0526 2

The Three Pickers documents a December 2002 concert at Reynolds Auditorium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, that put Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson and Ricky Skaggs on one stage. Rounder released the 23-track CD in July 2003. The concert was also shown on PBS’s Great Performances, and a DVD followed.

The program alternates between the three together and each of them with his own band. Watson, Skaggs on mandolin and Scruggs on banjo play and sing a set of eight numbers together, with occasional bass accompaniment, according to a No Depression review, which singles out three songs the Monroe Brothers recorded in the late 1930s. Watson is joined by his grandson Richard on guitar for “Walk On Boy” and “Daybreak Blues.” Skaggs leads Kentucky Thunder (Cody Kilby, Jim Mills, Andy Leftwich, Mark Fain, Darrin Vincent and Paul Brewster) on “Ridin’ That Midnight Train” and the instrumental “Road to Spencer.” Scruggs’s own band, with Brad Davis, John Jorgenson, Glen Duncan, Rob Ickes, Gary Scruggs and drummer Martin Parker, plays “Doin’ My Time” and “Earl’s Breakdown.”

Alison Krauss joins in on fiddle and harmony vocals for “The Storms Are on the Ocean,” “Down in the Valley to Pray,” “The Banks of the Ohio,” “Katy Hill” and “Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms.” On “Foggy Mountain Top” Watson sings lead, with Paul Brewster on harmony, Skaggs on mandolin, Scruggs on banjo and Rob Ickes on dobro.

Tracklist

  1. 1 Feast Here Tonight alt version 3:02
  2. 2 What Would You Give in Exchange For Your Soul alt version 2:35
  3. 3 Spoken Introduction 1 0:55
  4. 4 Who Will Sing for Me alt version 3:34
  5. 5 Spoken Introduction 2 1:48
  6. 6 Soldier’s Joy alt version 1:34
  7. 7 Walk On Boy alt version 3:23
  8. 8 Daybreak Blues 3:21
  9. 9 Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down alt version 2:30
  10. 10 Pick Along 2:39
  11. 11 Spoken Introduction 3 0:30
  12. 12 What Is A Home Without Love? 3:07
  13. 13 Doin’ My Time alt version 4:07
  14. 14 Earl’s Breakdown alt version 2:59
  15. 15 The Storms are on the Ocean alt version 3:58
  16. 16 Down in the Valley to Pray alt version 2:48
  17. 17 The Banks of the Ohio alt version 4:20
  18. 18 Ridin’ That Midnight Train alt version 2:02
  19. 19 Spoken Introduction 4 0:51
  20. 20 Road to Spencer Source Recording Ricky Skaggs · key B · 126 bpm 3:36
  21. 21 Katy Hill alt version 2:41
  22. 22 Foggy Mountain Top Source Recording A.P. Carter · key G · 133 bpm 3:10
  23. 23 Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms alt version 2:37

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