Carter Family Redux on 3rd Generation CD

Growing up on farms in Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri, I listened to the music of the house, namely my grandparents' houses on the various farms. That music was old-time country, specifically the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Roy Acuff, and others who often appeared at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

While some kids grew up listening to classical, swing and other favorites of the late 1940s and early- to mid-1950s, I took in and learned to love Appalachian folk combined with bluegrass and hill songs, Carter Family country.

A.P. Carter was the songcatcher, roaming the hills of Virginia to find songs that he then adapted to fit what he, his wife Sara, and sister-in-law Maybelle could play and sing, which became the Carter sound. Sara played guitar, Maybelle an autoharp and guitar.

Anyway, the original Carters are long gone as are most of their kids. Now we have the Carter Family III, third generation cousins John Carter Cash (son of June and Johnny Cash) and Dale Jett (son of A.P. and Sara's daughter Janette). Carter Family III has come out with a great album (includes John's wife, Laura Cash), called Past & Present.

I love the CD, which is filled with good, old-fashioned music that would make the Carters proud. I'm a nonbeliever, but I absolutely love their country gospel songs that make up about a quarter of the album. It's available from Amazon for less than $14. Unlike a lot of CDs, there's not a bad song on it.