Throughout her most noteworthy career, Alice Gerrard has worked to befriend and learn from the old-timers, and generously disseminated those songs, tunes and tales to an eagerly-awaiting, albeit small, audience. She seemed to be always coming up with hidden gems of early country music. Now the audience for old-time music has widened somewhat, and it’s all been or is about to be reissued, meticulously annotated and cleaned up on CD. Do we need reinterpretations? We definitely do, if they are made new and relevant again through the skill and passion of the retelling. And Alice’s versions definitely fill that bill. There are many highlights on this album, but it is Alice’s original songs and tunes that set it apart from (and above) other revival recordings. Drawn from old-time ballad singing, fiddling, bluegrass, and early country music, Alice pays loving homage to these connected and yet disparate styles, and through her affection and her unmistakable voice makes us see them as connected, separate constellations in the same sky. No doubt where the roots extend, and no doubt the nature of the fruit. It is pure Alice Gerrard. Pure tradition, and pure originality.