Mark Holt & Kimberlee Holt Tully - Acoustically Native
By George Peden
Retro acoustic classic country with a 1970's feel, made complete with a bluegrass sound and an edgy kick, is how it’s described. For this brother and sister duo, it’s a banner that works. Out with their 11-tracker, Acoustically Native, the album covers a range from classic Marty Robbins to a classy Frank Sinatra medley. It’s all tempered with an easy and friendly feel that fits the given label.
Propping the duo is a celebrated band of musos. These include Randy Kohrs on Dobro, Stuart Duncan on mandolin and fiddle and Kathy Chiavola on harmony vocals. With Scott Vestal on 5-string banjo, Mark Fain on bass fiddle, Pete Huttlinger on guitar, Tim Tappan on piano with the Holt siblings offering percussion and guitar, the ensemble is pitch perfect.
Opening the album is a Marty Robbins tribute, “El Paso City”. Pairing Mark Holt and Chiavola works wonders, especially in the rich falsetto moments heard on the tune. “Midnight Rider” the Gregg Allman-penned memory, is an album standout, driven hard by some polished banjo. The Jerry Hayes written, “Roll’n With The Flow”, is a pleasing inclusion, while the classic “Cattle Call”, a tune written in ’35 by Tex Owen, receives a notable reworking.
Showing musical diversity is the curious inclusion, but album successful, Frank Sinatra Medley: “One More For The Road”/ “The Way You Look Tonight”. Smooth and fuelled, the two tracks blend tightly with the backed instrumentation, proving that familiar and dated music, with the right application of passion and talent, still holds up.
Mark Holt’s further versatility shows on his three written tunes for the album –“One Last Dance”, You’re In My Arms To Stay” and “All Over Now”. Holt and his sister share trail riding memories on the closing tune, “Cowboy Up”/”Riding For America”. Written at the request of the trail leader for an international ride, one navigating Alberta, Canada, Wyoming and the Statue of Liberty, the tune highlights deeper 9/11 thoughts behind saddle sore lyrics.
www.markandkimberlee.com
Retro acoustic classic country with a 1970's feel, made complete with a bluegrass sound and an edgy kick, is how it’s described. For this brother and sister duo, it’s a banner that works. Out with their 11-tracker, Acoustically Native, the album covers a range from classic Marty Robbins to a classy Frank Sinatra medley. It’s all tempered with an easy and friendly feel that fits the given label.
Propping the duo is a celebrated band of musos. These include Randy Kohrs on Dobro, Stuart Duncan on mandolin and fiddle and Kathy Chiavola on harmony vocals. With Scott Vestal on 5-string banjo, Mark Fain on bass fiddle, Pete Huttlinger on guitar, Tim Tappan on piano with the Holt siblings offering percussion and guitar, the ensemble is pitch perfect.
Opening the album is a Marty Robbins tribute, “El Paso City”. Pairing Mark Holt and Chiavola works wonders, especially in the rich falsetto moments heard on the tune. “Midnight Rider” the Gregg Allman-penned memory, is an album standout, driven hard by some polished banjo. The Jerry Hayes written, “Roll’n With The Flow”, is a pleasing inclusion, while the classic “Cattle Call”, a tune written in ’35 by Tex Owen, receives a notable reworking.
Showing musical diversity is the curious inclusion, but album successful, Frank Sinatra Medley: “One More For The Road”/ “The Way You Look Tonight”. Smooth and fuelled, the two tracks blend tightly with the backed instrumentation, proving that familiar and dated music, with the right application of passion and talent, still holds up.
Mark Holt’s further versatility shows on his three written tunes for the album –“One Last Dance”, You’re In My Arms To Stay” and “All Over Now”. Holt and his sister share trail riding memories on the closing tune, “Cowboy Up”/”Riding For America”. Written at the request of the trail leader for an international ride, one navigating Alberta, Canada, Wyoming and the Statue of Liberty, the tune highlights deeper 9/11 thoughts behind saddle sore lyrics.
www.markandkimberlee.com
