Early country music pioneers 1979 reunion album finally available digitally.
‘Feudin’ Again!‘ was the 1979 album capturing the reunion between two legends of early country and bluegrass music, Arthur ‘Guitar Boogie’ Smith and Don Reno.
Legend is no idle exaggeration. Don Reno first played banjo with Smith in the 1940’s before joining the U.S Army in 1943. After leaving the army he took the place of Earl Scruggs as a Blue Grass Boy before moving on to forge a successful 14 year partnership with Red Smiley. Reno was an innovative banjo player and developed a distinctive sound, introducing 2 and 3 note chords as well as guitar-like runs into his solos. It was a style that, at the time, set him apart from the more established 3-fingered rolling technique favoured by Scruggs. He was also a pioneer in bluegrass flat-picked guitar, especially fiddle tunes: greats such as Doc Watson and Clarence White cite Reno as an influence on their own playing.
Arthur Smith was a record producer, media personality, studio owner and co-founder of the CMH label. He was also an accomplished musician and composer, publishing over 500 original tunes. His 1945 ‘Guitar Boogie‘ was the first million-selling country instrumental, eventually selling over 3 million copies, and in 1955 he reunited with Reno to record a track he wrote in 1954 – ‘Feudin’ Banjos‘. This was later to become the basis for the iconic country hit ‘Dueling Banjos’ for which Smith was awarded a Grammy as original writer.
24 years after ‘Feudin’ Banjos’ the duo returned to the studio with this Smith-produced collection of Dixieland, swing- and show-tune covers plus a couple of Smith penned originals. The popular 1918 song ‘After You’ve Gone’ gets the full Smith and Reno treatment. Its leads with Smith’s guitar, picking its way through the melody at the same, measured tempo of the original, before Reno launches into his trademark style of accompanying slower songs in double-time. The duo’s ability to play at a breakneck pace is showcased in the jazz classic, ‘Bye Bye Blues‘ and the barnstorming Dixieland ‘12th Street Rag‘ which closes the album.
Fans of popular songs such as ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’, ‘Yellow Bird’, ‘Hello Dolly’, ‘Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue’ and ‘Cabaret’ may enjoy them as instrumental reworkings. However, for many listeners such treatment will add little to better known versions and would not warrant repeated plays but for the mastery of Reno on banjo and Smith on guitar.
The stand-out track recalls the duo’s earliest recordings. The Smith original ‘Follow Me Boogie‘ is ‘Feudin’ Banjos‘ meets ‘Guitar Boogie‘. It starts with a passage of call and response, guitar and banjo trading licks until both instruments converge on the lively boogie tune. The tempo gradually spirals up as each artist dares the other to follow, interweaving parts as they go.
Overall, you get the feeling that the artists were having great fun recording tunes they both enjoyed. This album is most likely of primary interest to collectors and particularly those interested in Reno’s distinctive banjo style. For the casual listener, it’s worth checking out if only to enjoy the energy and exuberance of two influential masters of their craft at work.
