MUSIC REVIEW: 3 Fox Drive

By KEITH LAWRENCE - The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

E-Mail

Comments (0)

Text Size:

tool goes here

3 FOX DRIVE AND FRIENDS, "Christmas Grass Vol. 3," Koch Records. 10 tracks.

Bluegrass Christmas albums, rare in the past, are becoming easier to find in the 21st century.

In fact, 3 Fox Drive - a band many bluegrass fans still think of as the Fox Family - is releasing the third volume in its "Christmas Grass" series this month.

The Nashville-based band from upstate New York has been on the bluegrass scene for nearly two decades now. And siblings Joel, Barb and Kim Fox have built a solid fan base during those years.

That creates a ready market for Christmas albums.

But "Christmas Grass" is an album for anyone looking for Christmas music with a bluegrass beat.

Think of it as "bluegrass lite."

The only cut where Joel Fox's banjo is really evident is "I'll Be Home For Christmas."

These are mostly timeless Christmas classics with a great lineup of guest artists.

Sonya Isaacs duets with Kim Fox on "New Star Shining."

John Cowan sings "Please Come Home For Christmas." Sixteen-year-old newcomer Sarah Jarosz handles the vocals on "One Bright Star." Larry Sparks does "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day" and IIIrd Tyme Out's Russell Moore sings "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas."

The one new song on the album is Kim Fox's "Watching Over The Soldiers At Christmas," a song about the American flag, with Charlie Daniels reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Fox siblings perform "The Christmas Song," "O Holy Night," "White Christmas" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas" on their own.

Guest musicians include Darrin Vincent, Byron House, Bryan Sutton, Cody Kilby, Adam Steffey, Aubrey Haynie and Rob Ickes.

Can't find it in stores? Try KochRecords.com.

___

Keith Lawrence: klawrence@messenger-inquirer.com