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Luminaries of the Country, Celtic and Bluegrass families
such as Earl Scruggs, Jerry Douglas, Victor Krauss, Mollie O'Brien, Mike Marshall,
Darol Anger, Kelly Joe Phelps, Del McCoury,
Kathy Mattea, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer,
Altan, Maura O'Connell, Paul Brady,
Ronan Browne (Afro-Celt Sound System), Seamus Egan
(Solas) and Frankie Gavin (De Dannan) join Tim to tell the poignant and
bittersweet story of Scots-Irish immigration to
Appalachia, and Tim's own journey back to Ireland.
Best known somewhere between "Americana singer-songwriter" and "bluegrass
multi-instrumentalist," O'Brien was a founding member of
bands such as Hot Rize and Red Knuckles and the
Trailblazers. His 1996 album "Red On Blonde"
received a Grammy nomination and his original songs have
been recorded by Kathy Mattea, the Seldom Scene, New Grass Revival, Garth
Brooks and Laurie Lewis.
 The Crossing, featuring Tim on lead vocals, mandolin, fiddle,
bouzouki, guitar and mandola, is a natural musical and
personal intersection for O'Brien. "Since hearing Kevin
Burke fiddle 'The Sailors Bonnet' on an Arlo Guthrie
record in 1973, I've sought out traditional Irish music
whenever and wherever I could. Old-time and bluegrass
music share a common repertoire with Irish music, and
the two worlds have greatly influenced one another,
particularly since the 50's and 60's folk revival," says
O'Brien. Like many Irish-Americans, Tim has taken a
recent interest in his Irish roots, tracing back to his
great-grandfather Thomas O'Brien, from County Cavan, who
came to America in 1851.
The album's opening track, Ireland's Green Shore,
originally from a Hammons Family Smithsonian Folkways
recording, is an excellent example of the marriage of
Scots-Irish and Appalachian music. Maggie Hammons'
version is a cappella, reminiscent of Irish "sean nos"
("old style") singing. Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley
recorded it as a waltz. Tim has made it his own, adding
the high lonesome sounds of Stuart Duncan, Del McCoury
and "low lonesome" sounds of Edgar Meyer (bass) and
Kenny Malone (percussion).
A Guthrie/Dylan-esque O'Brien original, Talkin' Cavan,
documents the true story of Tim's April 1998 trip to
find the old O'Brien farm cottage in County Cavan. Tim
jokes, "I didn't know at the time that saying you're
from Cavan is as socially questionable as saying you're
from West Virginia (I'm both). That said, I wear my
Cavan football cap with pride."
Text and graphic from alula records and allegro corporation.
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