Ronnie Bowman - Starting Over (CD)

A high-flying hummer of an album!

By Joe  Apr 12, 2003

Bowman's third solo album, and the first since he left the Lonesome River Band, is a winner. The new material is first-rate and was written by Craig Market, Wayne Winkle, Shawn and Gracie Lane, Jay Don Johnson, Dennis E. Todd, David Via, Tim Massey, ...Don and Tina Rigsby, Bowman himself and others. Songwriter Craig Market either wrote or collaborated on the writing of five contemporary selections, with "Rise Above" and "What She Didn't Say" being standouts. The title cut, "Starting Over," provides good advice for someone with a broken heart. The band picks up the drive potient, however, on the more traditional sounding "Lonely Quit Knocking On My Door," and "Stone Cold Blue." When the band lays into Tim Massey's novelty tune, "I'll Be Dogged," you're guaranteed to smile out loud.I like Bowman's singing, but I wonder if compression used in the mixing process doesn't accentuate his breathing a little too much between the vocal phrasings on this album. That aside, Ronnie Bowman sings with a great deal of honesty, feeling and emotion. The arrangements and presentation are hot and nifty. Dan Tyminski, Barry Bales, Jerry Douglas, Ron Stewart, Ton Rice, Tim Stafford, Aubrey Haynie, Mark Casstevens are a few of the guest artists helping out. Two cuts, Rise Above and Go Home, include Tom Roady's percussion in the mix. I was prepared to question its utility but find that it is a tasty complement to the songs, not annoying or distracting. Harmony vocals are added by Craig Market, Dan Tyminski, Garnet Imes, Steve Gulley, and Michael Hunt. "Starting Over" is a high-flying hummer of an album. The bluegrass vocals, instrumentals, arrangements, and song selection don't get much better than this. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now) Read more Less