In addition to Doc Watson, Dan Crary and Tony Rice's Norman Blake one of the great pioneers of Flatpicking guitar. Through this style succeeded the guitarists from her wallflower to free the acoustic guitar in the Oldtime- and bluegrass music as an accompanying instrument and they just like the fiddle and the mandolin use as a solo instrument. Sounds to us today trite, but was a subversive innovation in the early 60s. This way of playing the guitar, quickly found many followers and disciples. And no one came over to Norman Blake. And for each of them is "Whiskey Before Breakfast" still must. What is presented to us on the album recorded in 1976 is pure acoustic guitar. Norman Blake and his 1934er Martin D-18th Every now and then it can be accompanied by Charlie Collins on a second guitar. To hear, we get wonderful Oldtime Country songs like "Hand Me Down My Walking Cane", "Six White Horses", "The Girl I Left In Tennessee", "Church Street Blues" and "Slow Train Through Georgia" (the latter two by the way own compositions which Blake also post as soulful, rooted in tradition songwriter). Norman Blake's relaxed and unobtrusive vocals contributes to the harmonious atmosphere of the CD. We also find great instrumentals like the classic "Under The Double Eagle", "Old Grey Mare", "Sleepy Eyed Joe," "Arkansas Traveler", "Macon Rag", "Fiddler's Dram" and of course the title track "Whiskey Before Breakfast ".
However, what the listener can expect here is not stunning, all-speed record-breaking Weltmeisterei on the guitar, but a virtuoso, while still quiet, relaxing and cozy rehearsed album. So I imagine a perfect Sunday breakfast in the garden.
