Jesse McReynolds & Charles Whitstein:
Remember me
[purchase]
I must admit that a favorite album which I regularly put
back into rotation is “A Tribute to Brother Duets” from Jesse McReynolds and
Charles Whitstein.
What’s interesting is that this entire 37-minute collection draws
from repertoire of many famous traditional country brother duets from yesteryear.
Classic songs come from such brother
acts as The Delmores, Wilburns, Morrises, Louvins, Monroes, Stanleys, Yorks,
Bailes, and Bollicks (Blue Sky Boys). These are the brother acts which
influenced McReynolds and Whitstein and continue to inspire other artists
today.
The album has many old favorites like "When I Stop
Dreaming," "What Would You Give (in Exchange For Your Soul)?,"
"Rose of my Heart," "The White Dove," "Blues Stay Away
From Me," "Kentucky," "Remember Me (When the Candlelights
are Gleaming) and "Are You Missing Me?" The two also cover a few less
commonly heard duets such as "Somebody Loves You Darling,"
"That's All I Want From You," and "Which One Is To Blame?"
Jesse McReynolds (born in 1929) recently turned 84. Charles Whitstein is a little younger, born in
1945. Both of them spent many years performing with their own brothers. From
Virginia, Jim & Jesse have released over fifty albums and joined the Grand
Ole Opry in 1964. From Louisiana, The Whitstein Brothers (Bob & Charles)
were once called “the second-coming of the Louvin Brothers” by Charlie Louvin.
Sadly, Robert Whitstein passed away on November 14, 2001,
and Jim McReynolds passed on in December 31, 2002 (only two weeks after his
wife had died).
While both surviving brothers were greatly saddened by their
losses, they endured and bounced back by forming their own duo. The only new
song on their album, "Gone But Not Forgotten," written by Jesse, opened
with a touching tribute to their deceased brothers.
Besides Jesse (mandolin, mandolobro) and Charles (guitar),
the rest of the musicians are Dave Salyers (lead guitar), Charlie Cushman
(guitar), Glen Duncan (fiddle), and Kent Blanton (bass). As they sing in "Gone but Not
Forgotten," Jesse and Charles vow to "do their best," and
they've proven that they can create strong and close harmony together that pays
homage to their departed brothers.
