There have been any number of bluegrass covers of Beatles songs over the years, but the Charles River Valley Boys did it first. The album is called Beatle Country and it was recorded in 1966 and re-released by Rounder Records in 1995.
Beatle Country is just amazing in technical proficiency, wit and beauty. If you love the traditional bluegrass sound (though, technically, this would qualify as newgrass) you owe it to yourself to give this album a listen, even if you're merely indifferent to the Beatles. Conversely, if you're wild about the Beatles but only lukewarm to the bluegrass genre, this album may turn your head around.
Listening to this album, I can't help feeling as if these songs started out as country bluegrass songs; they work so well translated into the genre. I also can't help feeling as if The Charles River Valley Boys are traditional country musicians from Down South, not the Harvard students they actually were.
Especially notable are the toe-tapping rendition of "Paperback Writer" and the comic version of "Yaller Submarine."
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
very nice job Sparrow and excellent to see a classic like that get some attention - thanks and welcome!
2 - Alex
I know Bob Siggins (actually George-Bob Siggins) well. He was the pedal steel guitarist and banjo player for the band, although they occasionally switched instruments. It is good to see the album gets the attention it deserves and I will tell him so.
3 - graham siggins
I also know Bob Siggins. He's my Dad as a matter of fact. I agree with you; he does a great version of paperback writer. I remember when I was little I would ask him to play it and he would go off like no other and hit the falsetto amazingly.
4 - Andy Solomon
I knew Bob when I was starting on the banjo and visited him at his home many times. I attended Brandeis and we had a folk group, The Colliers, which performed for 3 years at the Golden Vanity and I remember him from there along with The Tarriers (Eric Weisberg), Joan Baez and many others.
I was playing a CRV album (yes, I still have my original record!) and was wondering how Bob is and what he is doing now-some 50 years latter.
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Andy
5 - ben howell davis
Oddly enough I just found my original copy of this album and I had always just considered it a "novelty" album but I always liked it (I never knew anyone else that ever listened to it!) and have kept it over the years..then I look it up on the Web and find out it is a classic album! Makes me feel very smart today. Great musicians!!!