If there is any doubt in your mind that bluegrass as a musical art form is in danger of disappearing, Get Along Girl should set your mind at ease. Casey & Chris are Casey and Chris Henry, a twenty-something siblings duo with substantial bluegrass credentials who have joined up with other hot young pickers from the Nashville area to keep-and re-energize-the family musical franchise. For this recording, Casey and Chris and the Two-Stringers (here, Tyler Grant on guitar, Shad Cobb on fiddle, and the unmistakable Missy Raines on bass) collectively put down some seriously fundamental bluegrass tunes. Seven of the 12 tunes are originals, and the remaining five are tunes not often heard (such as Will McLean's "Hold Back the Waters" or Chris Brashear's "Sad Woman from the Country").

Casey (on banjo, vocals, and occasional guitar) and Chris (on mandolin and vocals) fulfill the promise that their five-tune demo CD Bluegrass Up Ahead (with Tyler on guitar and Amanda Kowalski on bass) made last year. In fact, I wouldn't have minded if several of those tunes-in addition to "Two Hands on the Wheel"-had found their way onto this CD as well.

But in addition to tight sibling harmonies, the expert stringwork of Casey and Chris together is an auditory delight. After honing their skills with other groups (Uncle Earl, June Carter Cash, the Jim Hurst Band, and Tennessee Heartstrings for Casey, and Dave Peterson & 1946 for Chris), in an ensemble they exhibit a "supernal symbiosis" (to paraphrase Gamble Rogers) that only comes from growing up and playing music together.

And for flatpickers (and especially FGM readers), the addition of Tyler Grant is an added bonus. Tyler not only does a fantastic job of rhythm (give a headphone listen to "Going Back to Old Virginia," especially behind the vocals and Casey's banjo solo) but absolutely rips things apart for his 11-second lead in the same tune. Or the old-timey feel he provides in his lead to "Sound I Hear." My absolute favorite, though, is the amazing gallop and rich tone he gives to his solo on "Leroy and Liza." Well, it's a toss-up between that and his treatment of the waltz ballad "Hold Back the Waters." But then there's his remarkable ability to restate and embellish the essence of Chris Henry's mandolin tune "Pass the Eagle."

But let's not forget the contributions of the rock-steady bass of Missy Raines or the Chubby Wise-like fiddle lines of Shad Cobb. Most enjoyable! Get Along Girl is just flat-out great bluegrass from musical luminaries of the rising generation. For further information on Casey & Chris and The Two-Stringers, see www.twostringers.com.

By Chris Thiessen

WOW!! The Impact of this extraordinary CD just takes your breath away. It was thoroughly enjoyable. Unfortunately , it wasn't long enough!! I could have listened for another hour. When if was done, I played it again. I am going to charge you for a new CD player. The CD was "so hot" that when I turned on my CD player and the music started smoke came out and compltely disintegrated my player. They CD has all the bells and whistles of a first class production: beautiful singing, flawless instrumental work, and superb song selecation. I really loved your song selection. The CD starts off at 1K mph and continues that way throughout the entire project. The intensity of the playing and singing is a steady 12!! I played it entire CD and received manyh requests to play them all over again. I know this will be my constant companion for many weeks to come.

Al Shusterman,
KCBL Radio,
Backroads Bluegrass
Sacremento, CA

This sister-and-brother band of Casey (banjo, guitar, vocals) and Chris (mandolin, vocals) Henry, plus Missy Raines (bass) and Shad Cobb (fiddle), give knock-your-socks-off performances of seven originals and six by other writers. INBA member bands would be wise to give this one a listen for new material. "Got Sweet Heaven In My View" is a great gospel song, and Chris Henry's "One Foot In The Graveyard" is one great song. Super!

By Mitch Finley
Inland Northwest Bluegrass Assocation
The Bluegass Blabber
Vol. 12, Issue 34