Copper Creek is proud to announce the release of a new collection of classic recordings by the legendary Don Reno, Red Smiley, and their group the Tennessee Cutups. This project documents live concert performances at the New River Ranch (at Rising Sun, Maryland) and Sunset Park (in West Grove, Pennsylvania). Both were venues of almost unbearable excitement in the 1950s for anyone who loved bluegrass music. Outdoor parks with rustic stages and seats; these were the forerunners of major festivals that, a decade later, would launch bluegrass to a new high in visibility and economic viability.

The energy and enthusiasm generated at these locations is evident in the performances presented in this collection. The Cut Ups live shows earned the group a legacy as world-class performers. The band loved to surprise their audiences, and in many instances surprises came in the way the music was performed. While other groups might strive to reproduce their recordings note for note on stage, there was always a generous helping of improvisation and spontaneity with Reno and Smiley.

These performances from New River Ranch and Sunset park are equally spectacular and engaging. The group includes much of their best-known material in their sets. The powerful instrumental “Banjo Signal” is present and, as always, serves to showcase the banjo wizardry of Don Reno. Several Jim Eanes songs also appear in these performances, namely “Don’t Stop Now” and “Your Old Standby.” Aficionados of Don Reno and Red Smiley’s music will be overjoyed to find no fewer than nine full-length numbers that were never released as studio recordings. Furthermore, the remaining songs and tunes take on new life – and sometimes new musical twists – in these delightfully energized performances.

This collection is a treasure for anyone who enjoys the wide spectrum of musical styles from the first generation of bluegrass artists. Long-time fans will be no less than thrilled with the blend of Reno and Smiley favorites as well as the never before released material presented in these fine recordings.