Vikram Singh Chadha asked:
Modern day bluegrass patriarch Del McCoury adds a new dimension to his role as a musical leader on July 8, 2008 when his family owned McCoury Music label, distributed by powerhouse RED Distribution (a division of SonyBMG) releases Moneyland, a timely multi-artist collection that offers a hard-hitting look at today’s economic injustice through a thoughtful selection of six new (or newly recorded) songs, mixed with eight neglected gems and classic favorites. Framed by excerpts from two of Franklin Roosevelt’s Depression-era “fireside chats,” Moneyland revitalizes country and bluegrass music’s connections to the lives of hardworking people in ways that honor the past, look to the future and challenge listeners to act in the present.
Moneyland’s musical bookends are found in Bernard “Slim” Smith’s Depression era classic, “Breadline Blues,” as the original 1931 recording at the start of the album is matched by a new “Breadline Blues 2008,” featuring McCoury, the legendary Mac Wiseman, Grammy winner Tim O’Brien and the harmonies of Gillian Welch & David Rawlings. Between the two, the collection explores the hardships of rural and small town working people and their families. Familiar names and songs abound–the Del McCoury Band brings two original songs to the table, Country Music Hall of Famer Merle Haggard supplies the 1973 classic “If We Make It Through December” and the more recent “What Happened?,” which appeared on his McCoury Music bluegrass debut of last year, and the set includes Emmylou Harris’s and Rodney Crowell’s glistening take on his “Mama’s Hungry Eyes”–but there’s also room for Dan Tyminski’s 2001 recording of “Carry Me Across The Mountain,” based on a true Depression era story, Haggard and Marty Stuart’s searing “Farmer’s Blues,” Chris Knight’s “A Train Not Running,” a more recent tale of economic devastation, and more. Yet whether new or old, bluegrass, country or something else, each song contributes to the profound impact of Moneyland.
That impact is more than musical, and it doesn’t take long to learn that for McCoury, the new album is more than just a thematic collection–it’s a project that reflects deep and abiding concerns shaped both by observation and experience. “I grew up on a farm myself, back during the late ’40s, and we raised everything. We raised hogs and chickens, had dairy cows, we shipped milk. Times were good for the farmer in those days, but now the farmers are just hanging on…by their fingernails.”
“It’s sad to me that country kids can’t stay in their hometowns any more. There’s no opportunity, there are no jobs, there’s just nothing. And at the other end of life, there are a lot of people losing the pensions they worked for–that happened to my wife, Jean–and there are more people relying on Social Security than ever. You know, we have a little fun on this album with that Beatles song, ‘When I’m 64,’ but really, it’s no joke. It used to seem like 60 was really old, but nowadays, it feels more like middle age, and to have a lot of years ahead of you without being sure that what you spent a lifetime working for, like a pension or Social Security, is going to be there–well, that just doesn’t seem right.”
Yet as pointed as the critique is, and as sharp as the thoughts and stories embedded in Moneyland’s songs are, Del and his associates–his manager, Stan Strickland shares executive producer credits with Del, while Strickland produced the project with Del’s sons, Rob and Ronnie–never lose sight of two key points: first, that the album’s musical artistry be as compelling and irresistible as its sentiments are strong, and second, that it be not only critical, but inspirational, too. While Moneyland’s stories may tell of trials and even desperation, they’re never without hope–along with plenty of incisive wit and flashes of humor.
“Moneyland has a message that people need to hear and think about,” McCoury says reflectively. “And, especially in an election year, take action on. This isn’t about party politics, it’s about doing what’s best for our country and everyone in it, not just a lucky few.”
For more information, please visit www.mccourymusic.com.
