CD Review Paper Airplane – Alison Krauss and Union Station

“Paper Airplane”
“Dust Bowl Children”
“Lie Awake”
“Lay My Burdens Down”
“My Love Follows You Where You Go”
“Dimming of the Day”
“On the Outside Looking In”
“Miles to Go”
“Sinking Stone”
“Bonita and Bill Butler”
“My Opening Farwell”

I cannot remember whether the exact year was 1984 or 1985, but I remember the day quite well. My first introduction to Alison Krauss at that time was not because of her wonderful singing, but because of her great fiddling in the parking lot jam sessions at the Winterhawk Bluegrass Festival, fairly close to my home in CT in Ancram NY. She was accompanied by her dad, I believe, and I did not even know that she could sing back then! I heard this teenage girl playing the fiddle and was quite impressed. We struck up a conversation and decided to get some supper at the vendors’ tents where we got hamburgers and corn on the cob. I am sure we had hamburgers because I remember that they put too much salt on the hamburgers, and I never forgot how good that tasted. Funny thing is that I became quite fond of using more salt than usual on my hamburgers and corn on the cob and became a huge fan of Alison Krauss that hot summer day in 1984-1985.

“Lay My Burden Down”

I have always admired how Alison pays her respects to all the greats in bluegrass that have influenced her including and, most especially, Lynn Morris. Allison Krauss’ singing is absolutely incredible, and I can only describe her singing as like an angel because it is so beautiful. This is a great CD, and I recommend it to everyone who loves music.

“My Love Follows You Where You Go” is great and has a choking or pinching banjo break along with tasteful Dobro playing as does “Bonita and Bill Butler.” She has an incredible band of talented musicians here again. Without pointing out other cuts individually, I will just say that the whole CD features incredible singing and picking of Alison Krauss and Union Station. I highly recommend Paper Airplane.


Rounder Records


Editor’s note – Paper Airplane garnered two Grammys, this year (2012); Best Bluegrass Album and Best Engineered Album Non-Classical to the sound engineers.

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