Old & in the Way was a one-shot bluegrass band whose legacy lasted far longer than the band. Led by Grateful Dead member Jerry Garcia.
Old and in the Way is the self-titled first album by the bluegrass band Old and in the Way. It was recorded 8 October 1973 at the Boarding House in San Francisco by Owsley Stanley and Vickie Babcock utilizing eight microphones (four per channel) mixed live onto a stereo Nagra tape recorder. The caricature album cover was illustrated by Greg Irons. For many years it was the top selling bluegrass album of all time.
The first release from Jerry Garcia's short-lived backcountry bluegrass act was this 1973 recording that also highlighted the amazing skills of mandolin player David Grisman. The quintet actually released only this record, recorded at a series of performances in 1973, but the sound caught on with Grateful Dead fans and the record actually built up the group's legacy long after they disbanded. The songs themselves, mostly penned by guitarist Peter Rowan and Grisman as well as a handful of traditional numbers and even a revamped version of the Rolling Stones' classic "Wild Horses," are delivered with the sincere reverence of true bluegrass fanatics. Soaring multi-part harmonies; fiddle, guitar, banjo, bass, and mandolin lines that seamlessly intertwine with a good-time feel; and exceptionally solid musicianship round out the ten-track effort.
Fans of the Grateful Dead's jolly throwback tunes should already have this in their collection, but even those put off by the member's psychedelic resumés will find that Old & in the Way is nothing of the sort. This is the sound of purists re-creating the music they grew up with and it's both enjoyable and inspiring to listen to. Like American Beauty and Workingman's Dead, this record showcases Garcia going back to his roots, and it shows that he and his buddies have more than the chops required to live up to their legend.
01. "Pig in a Pen" (Traditional) - 2:53
02. "Midnight Moonlight" (Peter Rowan) - 6:17
03. "Old and in the Way" (David Grisman) - 3:05
04. "Knockin' on Your Door" (traditional) - 3:36
05. "The Hobo Song" (Jack Bonus) - 5:05
06. "Panama Red" (Rowan) - 2:57
07. "Wild Horses" (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) - 4:19
08. "Kissimmee Kid" (Vassar Clements) - 3:32
09. "White Dove" (Carter Stanley) - 4:45
10. "Land of the Navajo" (Rowan) - 6:19
Old & In The Way
The first release from Jerry Garcia's short-lived backcountry bluegrass act was this 1973 recording that also highlighted the amazing skills of mandolin player David Grisman. The quintet actually released only this record, recorded at a series of performances in 1973, but the sound caught on with Grateful Dead fans and the record actually built up the group's legacy long after they disbanded. The songs themselves, mostly penned by guitarist Peter Rowan and Grisman as well as a handful of traditional numbers and even a revamped version of the Rolling Stones' classic "Wild Horses," are delivered with the sincere reverence of true bluegrass fanatics. Soaring multi-part harmonies; fiddle, guitar, banjo, bass, and mandolin lines that seamlessly intertwine with a good-time feel; and exceptionally solid musicianship round out the ten-track effort.
Fans of the Grateful Dead's jolly throwback tunes should already have this in their collection, but even those put off by the member's psychedelic resumés will find that Old & in the Way is nothing of the sort. This is the sound of purists re-creating the music they grew up with and it's both enjoyable and inspiring to listen to. Like American Beauty and Workingman's Dead, this record showcases Garcia going back to his roots, and it shows that he and his buddies have more than the chops required to live up to their legend.
01. "Pig in a Pen" (Traditional) - 2:53
02. "Midnight Moonlight" (Peter Rowan) - 6:17
03. "Old and in the Way" (David Grisman) - 3:05
04. "Knockin' on Your Door" (traditional) - 3:36
05. "The Hobo Song" (Jack Bonus) - 5:05
06. "Panama Red" (Rowan) - 2:57
07. "Wild Horses" (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) - 4:19
08. "Kissimmee Kid" (Vassar Clements) - 3:32
09. "White Dove" (Carter Stanley) - 4:45
10. "Land of the Navajo" (Rowan) - 6:19
Old & In The Way
- Vassar Clements – fiddle
- Jerry Garcia – banjo, vocals
- David Grisman – mandolin, vocals
- John Kahn – acoustic bass
- Peter Rowan – guitar, vocal
Production
- Recording engineers – Owsley Stanley, Vickie Babcock
- Producer, mixing – David Grisman
- Editing – David Grisman, Owsley Stanley
- Sleeve illustration – Greg Irons
- Sleeve layout – Raymond Simone
Notes
Released: February 1975
Recorded: October 1973
Genre: Bluegrass
Length: 42:48
Label - Round Records
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