Gary Ruley & Mule Train

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Gary Ruley & Mule Train 

Album: The Southern Inn and Out: Live 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Bluegrass 

Comments: This live album from local musician Gary Ruley has two things going for it: one, it's a fine collection of bluegrass from Ruley and the supremely talented pickers performing with him; two, it's one of the last documented events at The Southern Inn, recorded just a few months before the original restaurant burned this summer. (There are some terrific photographs of the downtown Lexington institution that serve as the album artwork.)

For this November 2009 performance, Mule Train included Larry Keel (guitar/vocals), Will Lee (banjo/vocals), the Knicely brothers Danny (mandolin/vocals) and David (bass), and fiddlers Shannon Wheeler and Nate Leath. The Southern Inn and Out: Live features bluegrass staples like "Little Maggie" and Bill Monroe's "Uncle Pen," traditional songs like "Durham's Bull" and even pop tunes like The Beatles' "Hard Day's Night" and The Rolling Stones' "No Expectations." But the clear highlight of the album is their 6-minute rendition of John Hartford's "Steam Powered Airplane," which provides a perfect showcase for each picker's ability--particularly, though by no means exclusively, Danny Knicely's expert work on the mandolin.

Also try "Pike County Breakdown" (another Monroe tune) and "Matterhorn" (made famous by The Country Gentlemen).