Local Flowers (Pinecastle, 1999)

"Local flowers, just some daisies" is the chorus line of the title song, and you may mistake Nancy Moore for a daisy on first listen. Her debut doesn't reach out and hit you with a hammer, but grows on each listen. She has a dead-on-key delivery with a true country sound, a hint of twang with a subtle delivery.

Throwing in an old standard or two would have given the album some ties to its roots, but don't listen for any standards. Every song was penned by Tom T. and/or wife Dixie. "More To Love Than This" and "Your Memory Followed Me Home" would be at home in any bluegrass or country artist's repertoire while "Smoky Mountain Man" and "High Lonesome Love" are pure - and good - bluegrass. With Tom T. in the picture, you have to expect some story songs, and there's a handful of them.

Good as this is, it's not without weakness. Her overall performance is a few shades too subtle, with no real standout track, and she could have used some diversity in song writing, some relief from the Tom T. aura. She's going to be a plus to bluegrass music, a mountain rose budding before full bloom.