 |
REVIEW: GONE COUNTRY MAGAZINE
Randy Kohrs is certainly not a newcomer to any fan of bluegrass based music, however with his current single "Who's Goin' With Me" getting a whole lot of play on GAC and CMT, even being in the top 10 on the fan voted "Pure 12 Pack" for the past few weeks, Kohrs is quickly gaining new fans and I am happy to say I am one of them. With his latest offering Kohrs delivers honest lyrics with the subject matter ranging from an everyday woman (Lena Mae), to more spiritual subject matter (Can You Give Me A Drink) to his current single (Who's Goin' With Me) that combines his spiritual side with a great story about falling for the preacher's daughter as an adolescent. Randy Kohrs musically brings modern bluegrass to the table but is smart enough to combine it with a modern country feel that you find spread throughout the mainstream in bands like Little Big Town. As with a majority of bluegrass music, the musicianship is a key element to the music. You will usually find outstanding musicians on bluegrass albums and you have that here as well. From banjo, to mandolin, to a guest spot from the Queen of Bluegrass, Rhonda Vincent on "Don't Let Your Wounded Heart Come Between Us," Kohrs takes his bluegrass influenced style and packages it perfectly for any fan of modern country and I suspect that even those that aren't bluegrass fans will love Randy Kohrs style and vocals and will quickly be adding "Old Photograph" to their collections of music.
Singer-Songwriter Randy Kohrs delivers a masterpiece in his new album Old Photographs. Folks this cd debuting at #19 on the Cashbox Bluegrass charts is Grammy® material.
Randy is one hell of a songwriter and this album showcases his talent. All 12 tracks are like diamonds in the rough on this cd. Now I've heard of genre bending but track 6 stands way out front "Can You Give Me A Drink" not only combines gospel bluegrass but black gospel too. This track will have you jumping to your feet. This is definitely a single release somewhere. If you never thought you would hear such a combination you have it here and believe ole J.D., I'll stand by this track, its fantastic. Other tracks include "Rockwell's Gold", "Old Photograph", "Two Boys from Kentucky",and the more country oriented sounds on "White Ring" and "She Ain't Coming Back". I hope to be hearing a lot more from Randy Kohrs. This is a truly great artist, not from the Nashville Cookie Cutter Society of Sound Alike Rich Cowboys. All you major guys learn from a pro like Randy Kohrs. This cd is real honest down to earth music, the way its meant to be heard.
JDH 5 STARS
Randy’s participation as a session musician on over 500 albums has emphasized his expert virtuosity. He’s also toured with the likes of
Hank Williams III, Tom T. Hall, Holly Dunn, Hal Ketchum, Hank Thompson, Continental Divide, John Cowan Band, and Dolly Parton. His talent helped him find comfortable niches with country, bluegrass and even some folk acts. And his presentation on “Old Photograph” demonstrates his continuing affinity for many genres. While the Iowa native who relocated to Tennessee in 1994 can play all the bluegrass instruments if he wants to, Kohrs’ international fame is primarily due to his fine resophonic guitar work. For the other exceptional instrumental work on “Old Photograph” he enlists support from buds like Scott Vestal (banjo), Tim Crouch (fiddle), Jim Hurst (guitar), Jesse Cobb (mandolin), Jay Weaver (bass), and many others. In 2006, Randy formed his own band, “The Lites.” Three cuts early in this set (Rockwell’s Gold, Lena Mae, Two Boys From Kentucky) are most representative of his band’s sound with the inclusion, to varying degree, of his young bandmates Scott Haas (banjo), Andrew Crawford (guitar), Ashley Brown (fiddle), and Aaron Ramsey (mandolin, bass).
Whether singing country, bluegrass or gospel, Randy gives us a distinctive, brawny delivery throughout his considerable range. For a softer edge, he’s more lyrical than vigorous with “Don’t Let Your Wounded Heart Come Between Us” (sung as a duet with Rhonda Vincent), “White Ring” (straight-ahead acoustic country), and “Shallow Grave” (sung and played solo to close the album). There are some interesting guests who make minor appearances in the mix. Melinda Doolittle, an American Idol contestant, sings high harmony on “Can You Give Me A Drink.” A member of MuzikMafia, Shannon Lawson co-penned “Who’s Goin’ With Me” with Del Gray, and she sings tenor on that song. Chris Wood’s percussion appears on three tracks. Many other guests like Clay Hess, Carl Jackson, Stephen Mougin, Darrin Vincent, and Don Rigsby stopped by Randy’s Slackkey Studios to provide a vocal or instrumental track or two.
I’ve already gone on record as saying that the consummate Randy Kohrs is a deserving member of the contemporary bluegrass elite. His exciting stylistic presentation is full of both tang and twang. His songs have thoughtful substance and gripping delivery. Whether racing or reflective, Kohrs’ music on “Old Photograph” will stand as another triumphant milestone and superlative effort for one of the most happening musicians in Nashville. (Joe Ross)
RANDY KOHRS & THE LITES It’s taken Randy Kohrs a little while to settle in under all those hats he wears—engineer, producer, singer-songwriter and hot Dobro picker—but his new album, Old Photograph, makes a strong case that, even as he continues to work as one of the city’s busiest session players, he’s gotten ’er done. The title track and one other tune are from outside writers, but Kohrs had a hand (sometimes the only one) in all the rest, and he has a well-developed ability to craft a distinctive melody. And while the project features contributions by everyone from longtime ’grass-and-more colleagues such as Scott Vestal and Jim Hurst, to Idol contestant Melinda Doolittle and the MuzikMafia’s Shannon Lawson, it also has room for Kohrs’ regular band, The Lites—a set of youngsters who can hold their own with the big dogs on disc and keep it loose and lively onstage. (randykohrs.net) —JON WEISBERGER
ARCHIVED ARTICLES
ROANOKE TIMES
7.27.05
To read entire article click here"Meanwhile, FiddleFest (today through Saturday) will bring in musicians from the bluegrass/country scene. Groups like the Grascals and the Randy Kohrs Band have won the praise of country superstar Dolly Parton, who has recorded duets with both."
MACON TELEGRAPH
Randy Kohrs Concert Review
Maggie Large on 6.25.05
Before I get to the meat of this review, I wanted to talk a little bit about the venue, the Douglass Theatre. How awesome is it that we have this well-preserved piece of local history here in Macon? It doesn't hurt that it's a great room acoustically. There's no pesky cigarette smoke to get in your eyes. It's a friendly, well-lit place, and if you want, you can buy beer and wine. That aside, I truly enjoyed Friday night's bluegrass show. Local talent Redline Express, who hail from Jones County, proved adept at traditional bluegrass stylings from jaunty instrumentals to plaintive ballads. I especially liked their take on a Gillis Brothers tune, "Room at the Top of the Stairs." The packed house was appreciative, whistling and clapping for every solo. But the true star of the evening was dobro player Randy Kohrs, who played with Monroe, Ga. band Lost Horizon. This Nashville player (I believe he's originally from Iowa) has toured with Dolly Parton and played on his friend Dierks Bentley's latest, Modern Day Drifter. He's got a gorgeous, expressive tenor that easily handles a glissando. But his playing is more expressive than his singing by half, which is saying a lot. And this guy can write a great song. Triple threat alert!Lost Horizon is a talented group. Husband and wife team Brian and Maggie Stephens (on guitar and upright bass, respectively) effectively slid between traditional bluegrass tunes like "Nine Pound Hammer" and more contemporary ones, like songs by Flying Burrito Brothers and Jim Croce. Kohrs's own songs like "Passion's Price" and "I'm Torn" let him showcase his heartstring-tugging vocals. "The bitter, cynical bluegrass songs are probably my favorite," Kohrs said at one point during the show. "They seem to hold the most heart, to me."During Kohrs' song "Hurry Back Jesus", the woman next to me began to sob. It's a funny thing about music. Sometimes it can make us forget our burdens, but other times it brings them home more powerfully.
SING OUT MAGAZINE
Review of "Im Torn" (Lonesome Day Records)This is high-powered contemporary bluegrass (or even "light country") that kicks off strong with the title cut. The driving tune sets the pace for the remaining 10 songs. Although he is a multi-instrumentalist, Kohrs is primarily known for his Dobro playing. He is joined here by a host of versatile players, including Dolly Parton who duets with Kohrs on "It Looked Good on Paper." Written by Carl Jackson and Pam Tillis, this is one of only two songs on the album in which Kohrs did not have a hand composing. Many will recognize Kohrs from his previous performance work with Parton.Among the dozen and a half musicians who rotate lending their talents are guitarist Cody Kilby, banjo picker Scott Vestal, Josh Williams on mandolin and fiddlers Tim Crouch and Shaunna Larkin-Kohrs, the latter of whom also contributes viola work and some harmony vocals. Other guest vocalists are Carl Jackson and Don Rigsby.There is not a dull cut here; this is a lively CD that swings on the up side of the music. "Handmade Nails and Homemade Love" adds novel lyrics to an age-old theme. The up-tempo "Hurry Back Jesus" is an innovative "moving and shaking" Gospel number that is another album highlight; Kohrs co-wrote the song with Susan Hill, who collaborated with him to write several of the cuts. The mood takes a turn at slow and nostalgic on "Fifty Good Years," while "That's What I've Learned (from Lovin' You)" should be a contender for steady airplay.I'm Torn, demonstrates with knowledge, flair and confidence the expertise of Randy Kohrs. Not only is he at the center of all as lead performer and primary contributing composer, he produced the recording and rode shotgun on the engineering and mixing. A splendid job all told.
NO DEPRESSION MAGAZINE
Review of "I'm Torn" (Lonesome Day Records)
By: Jon WeisbergerRandy Kohrs is a talented, distinctive dobroist and singer who’s appeared on a growing list of albums by bluegrass, Americana and mainstream country artists alike. For many musicians, that might be enough, but Kohrs has a bigger role in mind, and his third solo album finds him not only playing and singing lead, but producing, engineering, and writing or co-writing almost all of the material. It’s a bold move, but in most respects, Kohrs pulls it off with distinction.
Though Kohrs is a broad-ranging musician – his last album consisted of vintage honky-tonk – he sticks pretty much to bluegrass on “I’m Torn” with the exception of a classic-sounding acoustic country duet with Dolly Parton on the Carl Jackson and Pam Tillis divorce story “It Looked Good on Paper” and the bittersweet “Fifty Good Years.” Helping out are two different sets of musicians, one consisting of players familiar to anyone keeping an eye on the bluegrass scene, the other of up-and-coming youngsters who one suspects, will be familiar soon, including the superb Patton Wages on banjo and mandolin phenom Aaron Ramsey.
Kohrs has always had a unique melodic sense and edgy tone to his playing, and there’s plenty of that here. Those who have heard him only as a harmony singer will be pleased to find his leads are strong and expressive.
Given the time he’s devoted to these aspects, it will perhaps come as no surprise that his songwriting – much of it done with Susan Hill – has yet to reach the same level. There are some well-crafted melodies and neat structures among the album’s nine originals, but there are also some rough edges in the lyrics to several of the songs. But Kohrs’ conviction and the sympathetic support of his accompanists are enough to carry past them.
POWER SOURCE MAGAZINE
Review of "Im Torn" (Lonesome Day Records)Lonesome Day Records really knows how to pick their artists and crank out the better records. This includes Randy Kohrs and his “I’m Torn” CD. This is about as electric bluegrass as one can get, and Randy has no hesitation whatsoever to carry on the tradition of American music. He’s only complimented even more with the likes of Dolly Parton on the swing ballad “It Looked Good On Paper” which allows these two wonderful vocalists to blend in well together. Coming across sounding a bit like Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs combined, it’s difficult to think this guy hasn’t had radio success in the mainstream format. I wouldn’t hold my breath for Randy to have huge success on the box, even though he deserves it more than most these days. Hey Radio! If you’re reading, take the time to listen to this project and get a clue what true country is all about! If you get this album in your hands, take particular attention to the tearful “Fifty Good Years.” By listening to this song, you want to make it a point to ensure your marriage makes it to the 50 mark on the calendar. Randy has everything it takes to make it to the next step in his career. I just hope that someone gives him the chance to do so!
CALIFORNIA BLUEGRASS ASSOCIATION REVIEW
I'm Torn (Lonesome Day Records)Randy Kohrs has been a featured resonator guitar player on many bluegrass and country records and most recently has been part of Dolly Parton's backup touring band. His dobro playing has a soulful, bluesy vocal quality and it blends seamlessly with the sound of the other instruments and supports wonderful vocals on many recent albums. In this recording, Randy has been able to focus on putting together songs and instrumental settings that show his artistic heart and soul. Since Randy is primarily an instrumentalist, it's no surprise that the instrumental mix is vivid and strong. The pulse is propelled by the Pat Wages' or Scott Vestal's banjo playing and Cody Kilby's strong rhythm guitar and sparkling leads and fills. Josh Williams plays mandolin and Randy's wife, Shaunna, sings and adds fiddle to the band sound. Most of the songs were written by Randy and have reflections on relationships and choices in life. Several are the traditional bluegrass of themes of family and home: "Take Me Back" is the old home place and "Fifty Good Years" is a lament on the loss of a lifetime love. "Handmade Nails and Homemade Love" is a triumph of a family's home over the powers that put highways through rural farms. "I See How You Are" puts Randy's dobro playing to the forefront as he spins the tale of a lover's departure. Dolly Parton sings a duet with Randy on "It Looked Good On Paper," a classic song of a love ending in the coldness of a courtroom. Randy's voice has the edge of experience on the hard-driving songs combined with an engaging tenderness on the softer ballads. As Randy states in the liner notes, "I wanted listeners to know this CD is really everything I am." It's a stellar combination of powerful heartfelt vocals, pulsating rhythms in the bluegrass tradition and well worth seeking out for your CD player.
FOLKWORLD
Review of "I'm Torn" (Lonesome Day Records)Randy Kohrs is torn. The sought-after studio musician from Iowa is best known for performing with Dolly Parton and playing one of the the hottest dobros around in bluegrass, country and americana music but Randy is a master on different stringed instruments. He is also a highly original songwriter and a passionate vocalist, examining the entire spectrum of human emotions. Randy is staying true to the traditional bluegrass sound, though not sounding that much anachronistic. In his own words: I wanted to make a CD that would relate to the sixteen year old fans without upsetting the delicate balance that the first and second generation have come to know and love about bluegrass music. Another fresh take on the bluegrass genre - aged but not torn.
COUNTRY STANDARD TIME
Review of "Im Torn" (Lonesome Day Records)
Due to his remarkable instrumental talents, Dobro player Randy Kohrs hasn't lacked for session and sideman gigs; he's built a resume that includes working with the likes of Tom T. Hall, Dolly Parton, Tammy Cochran, Jim Lauderdale, Dierks Bentley and Rhonda Vincent, as well as stints in Continental Divide and the John Cowan Band.
Now he's building a reputation as a solo artist. This is Kohr's fourth solo album, and after a detour in a more straightforwardly country direction last time out, he's returned to bluegrass with another sterling collection that showcases not only his playing, but his strong, distinctive tenor and songwriting skills as well.
For the most part, Kohrs puts the blue in bluegrass here. There are a few diversions (the fire and brimstone of "Hurry Back, Jesus," a historical yarn in "Mountain Stone," to name a couple), but Kohrs recurs to various dimensions of the sad side of love, from the consequences of love triangles ("I'm Torn," "Passion's Price") to divorce ("It Looked Good On Paper," a duet with Dolly Parton that is one of the album's highlights) to love that's gone bad or died ("I See How You Are" and the poignant widow's lament "Fifty Good Years"). It's easy to find bluegrass records that came out with a bigger splash this year; it's hard to find any that were better than this one.
BLUEGRASS UNLIMITED MAGAZINE
Review of "Im Torn" (Lonesome Day Records)
If Randy Kohrs continues to dazzle listeners with his singing and writing on albums like "I'm Torn," folks may forget that he's an equally gifted resonator guitarist. But as Kohrs demonstrates on his new CD, he has a knack for writing and interpreting songs that deliver their messages with a passion that stands with the best of contemporary bluegrass.
Mostly collaborating with others, mainly Shaunna Larkin Kohrs and Susan Hill, Kohrs penned nine of the eleven songs on "I'm Torn." Standing out amid an excellent collection of songs are two heartbreak ballads, "That's What I've Learned From Lovin' You" and "It Looked Good On Paper." The latter song, cowritten by Carl Jackson and Pam Tillis, is a plaintive duet with Dolly Parton that hearkens back to some of the great vocal pairings in country music.
Instrumental support is supplied by a varied cast including Scott Vestal, Cody Kilby, Tim Crouch, Josh Williams, and Aaron Ramsey, the young mandolinist whose father, Mike, wrote the other nonKohrs original, "Take Me Back."
Kohrs has a good ear for the bedrock sentiments of bluegrass songs, delivering heartfelt messages in songs such as "Handmade Nails And Homemade Love." His singing drives the songs in the best possible way, conveying the power and emotion of each song.
As fine an album as this is, there are three small elements that trip my trigger. Call them this reviewer's personal biases and gauge them accordingly against your personal tastes. First, the fiddle/viola ministring section on "It Looked Good On Paper" strikes me as excessive mascara on a song whose raw emotion, both in writing and singing, are more than enough to make this a powerfully effective performance. Perhaps it was meant to evoke the country hits of past decades, or maybe Kohrs just wanted to pretend he was another well-known country vocalist. To be fair, the strings are much more restrained and fitting on "Fifty Good Years."
Secondly, Kohrs' singing falls into the modern heavy ornamentation camp, where key notes are frequently augmented by slides and flourishesÑa vocal flamboyance that is increasingly in vogue in contemporary bluegrass, but a little of this can go a long way. Finally, maybe it's just me, but even given the historical significance of murder ballads in the folkloric tradition of bluegrass, do we really need one more song like "Passion's Price," in which still another jealous narrator kills his unfaithful lover?
Your mileage may vary on these points, but none of this undermines the overall triumph of Kohrs' second documentation of his growth as a singer and songwriter. "I'm Torn" is sure to appeal to listeners looking for a fine new voice and a fresh body of material. HK
REVIEW
"I'm Torn" (Lonesome Day Records)
By: Joe Ross, Staff Writer, Bluegrass Now Magazine
Many musical moods and the exercise yields bountiful rewards, November 1, 2004
Playing Time - 33:45 -- Resophonic guitarist Randy Kohrs is a well-known Nashville session musician who has also released three previous solo album projects. His fourth, "I'm Torn," is an all-bluegrass album that will appeal to fans of all ages. Kohrs wrote or co-wrote all but two of the songs, produced, engineered, and mixed all the music on this disc. With the help of 15 noteworthy musicians including Scott Vestal, Jay Weaver, Cody Kilby, Josh Williams, Tim Crouch, and others, the result is a contemporary gift full of energy and velocity. Carl Jackson and Dolly Parton appear with Kohrs at track three, "It Looked Good On Paper" (written by Jackson with Pam Tillis). Randy has previously toured the world with Dolly as part of her band, The Blueniques.
Randy's participation as a session musician on over 300 albums has emphasized his expert instrumental virtuosity. This project is a showcase of his singularly impressive talents as a songwriter and singer. He sings with a no-holds barred style. He's truly a well-rounded individual who is a deserving member of the
bluegrass elite. The talented Kohrs has found his stylistic footing as a solo contemporary bluegrass artist, and his songs are distinguished by consummate pyrotechnics and drive. Whether your favorite is a hustling song like "Mountain Stone," or a reflective, sad tale of growing old, "Fifty Good Years," Kohrs covers many musical moods and the exercise yields bountiful rewards. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)
Sunday, June 12, 2005
2:30 P.M. (Doors open at 2:00 P.M.)
Nashville, TN
Historic Ryman Auditorium
Join us for “A Concert of Celebration and Inspiration” as we celebrate the
26th Annual “Sunday Mornin’ Country!”® Nashville, TN
“Sunday Mornin’ Country,” ® a concert that features numerous Country Music Stars and Gospel Legends, to be held at the Historic Ryman Auditorium on Sunday, June 12, 2005 at 2:30 P.M. (Doors open at 2:00 P.M.) This year’s concert will be hosted by the Legendary Brenda Lee, member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Rock-A-Billy Hall of Fame. Special Guest Include Connie Smith, Jim Ed Brown, Jean Shepard, Michael English, Linda Davis, Stella Parton, Stu Phillips, Margo Smith & Holly, Johnny Counterfit, Penny DeHaven, Cowboy Joe & The Babcock’s, Bluegrass Great Randy Kohrs, 2006 Dove Award Winner – Dave Moody, Dianne Sherrill, Pearly Gates, Paula Hernandez, Amber organ, Steve & Lori Bivins, The Country Chorale (Directed by Joe Babcock, featuring Derek Cromwell, Sharon Hardman 6 time Int’l Entertainer Shane Warner, & Judy Gilbert), Jimmy Capps & the Opry Staff Band, The Jennifer O’Brien Singers, and more Surprise Guest Stars!
MCCF President Lorrie Babcock Hendrickson quotes, “As Sunday Mornin’ Country® celebrates its 26th year as a part of the Fan Fair experience, this concert promises to be the highlight of CMA’s Music Fest 2005. Sunday Mornin’ Country® is not just another concert, and it’s more than a church service—It’s a time of Celebration and Inspiration!” A Special Tribute is planned to honor Skeeter Davis, who made her final public singing performance at last years 25th Anniversary “Sunday Mornin’ Country.” ® This concert is sure to leave the fans with an uplifting memory of Nashville that will last a lifetime! Tickets Now Available: $17.50 and $12.50 @ any Ticketmaster location, the Ryman Box Office (615-889-3060) and online at www.ryman.com/events.
The Canada Voice of Country Music
CD Review - RANDY KOHRS - A Crack In My Armour
Randy Kohrs is an award-winning resophonic (dobro) player and his name (and talents) have been appearing on an ever-growing list of top-line country and bluegrass album sessions. A Crack In My Armour is Randy Kohrs' first solo venture and the album confirms that Kohrs is much more than a 'musician' — he also has a very rootsy voice and he can write a pretty powerful song to boot...just listen to his aching 'true story' song, It Can't Rain Forever. Wow !!
There are many more special moments here. I Would If I Could, another of Randy Kohrs' original tunes is an uptempo winner, reminiscent of the music found in the Herb Pedersen / Chris Hillman duets; while Anyway is straight-ahead country 'hurt'; and the bluegrass-flavored Little By Little is filled with improvisational twists galore.
Some of the 'cover' songs are also among the highlights. Miles Of Heartaches (Yet To Go) is a country tune first heard on a badly overlooked 1994 Jamie O'Hara album; likewise, Prisoner's Tears is a crafty tune taken from country/blues artist Mike Henderson's first solo album; while Out Among The Stars, written by Canadian-raised Adam Mitchell, is fast becoming a country / bluegrass standard with previous cuts by Joe Sun (1979), Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, The Seldom Scene, Rice Hillman & Pedersen, etc.
The CD cover is also pretty fascinating - a holograph double-image flashes back and forth from a photo of Randy Kohrs to a medieval scene. Neat stuff.
Website design by PrimeTyme Solutions