David Davis and the Warrior River Boys (Rebel, 2004)

Though they have been away from recording for a few years, the Warrior River Boys are not new to the bluegrass scene. Possessing a 'big sound' and a repertoire of well-chosen material, this album show that the Alabama-based, David Davis and TWRB are among today's top interpreters of Monroe-style bluegrass.

While Davis and company clearly feel the influence of the father of bluegrass, they put their own stamp on the music. Their unique vocal take on "I Haven't Seen Mary In Years" is a good example. The band does an equally good job of breathing new life into familiar tunes, like "Leavin' Tennessee" and "Freight Train Blues." The band respects the listener by including favorites like these, as well as the hard-driving, "My Rocky Mountain Sweetheart" and "The Lonesome Cry Of The Whippoorwill." They do a fine job on lesser known bluegrass songs like Bill Grant's "For A Few Dollars More" and "In The Shade Of The Old Buffalo."

Davis is a tremendous singer and mandolin picker. He and bassman Marty Hays share the lead vocals. Jeff Griffy plays guitar, and Josh Smith and Owen Saunders (Doyle Lawson, James King) play banjo and fiddle, respectively. With this album, TWRB seem poised to move into the upper echelon of bluegrass artists.