The Foghorn Stringband consists of Sammy Lind (fiddle and vocals), Caleb Klauder (mandolin and vocals), Taylor Grover (banjo), Kevin Sandri (guitar), and Brian Bagdonas (bass), who met in Weiser, Idaho at the National Old-Time Fiddler's Festival. The Foghorns draw their repertory from legends of old-time music such as Clyde Davenport, Tommy Jarrell, John Salyer, Luther Strong, Emmett Lundy, Ernie Carpenter, the Skillet Lickers, Ed Haley, the Leake County Revelers, John Ashby, Camp Creek Boys, and Dykes Magic City Trio. Their contemporary sources are also impeccable, including Jimmy Triplett and Ginny Hawker and Kay Justice. The CD opens with "Lost Girl" and "Lost Indian" and proceeds into the equally dysfunctional title of "Drunkard's Dream." In some genres of music, there might be criticism that there are no original tunes or songs, but in traditional music, the point is to stamp one's own interpretation, or setting, on a common fund of musical heritage, and the Foghorns definitely have their own style and approach. Some of the less frequently heard tunes on the 20-track CD include "Jim Short's Tune," "Lacy Brown," "New Broom," "Courting Day's Waltz," and "Huckleberry Blues."
The Foghorns play and sing with very tight driving rhythm. Most of the tunes are driven by the fiddle, but this really is ensemble playing at its best, rather than a rotation of leads and backup. Old-time banjo fingerpicking has become almost a lost art, and a notable and refreshing feature of this band is that the banjo not only has a resonator but Taylor Grover picks with three fingers. There are some rolls, but this is not bluegrass picking.
The liner notes are spread around the album cover with focus entirely on the tunes and their lyrics (and the many names the band considered calling themselves). There is no information about the band members except for their names. But, in this case, the music speaks for itself in a loud and clear voice and says, "Lovers of old-time dance music gather round, shake your feet, and buy this CD."
