“Cold Virginia Night” was written by Tim Massey and recorded by Ronnie Bowman as the title track of his 1994 solo album. Bowman, long the lead singer of the Lonesome River Band, was widely admired for his expressive voice, and the song gave it a strong showcase.
The lyric is a bluegrass heartbreak ballad, its chill Virginia night standing in for the loneliness of a love gone wrong. The recording drew a notable cast of guests — among them Alison Krauss, Tony Rice, and Dan Tyminski — a sign of the regard Bowman’s singing commanded among his peers.
“Cold Virginia Night” became one of Bowman’s signature songs and has been taken up by other traditional singers since.
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