By BLUEGRASS JOHNSON
Rural Route Music 

BITTERSWEET, Ky. — You’ve heard me say it here before; there’s nothing like a great band that has an even better name.

The Steep Canyon Rangers top both categories. Above all these guys are one of the hottest bluegrass bands in the universe with a sound that has been pleasing a diverse fan base for 15 years.

I’ve not often been a fan of bluegrass performers that stray away from the traditional sound, but these guys are so off-the-charts good, they appeal to a broad range of music lovers including this old dog.

They make "new bluegrass" appealing to a traditionalist like me, and I can’t even describe how good they make classical bluegrass sound. (Classical bluegrass, hmm, I may have just coined a new phrase in the musical world … remember, you heard it here first.)

SCR, a six-man band from North Carolina, has taken their unique sound all over the world and in places you might not think of as bluegrass venues like Carnegie Hall – although the great Flatt and Scruggs wrote that ticket many years ago.

My point is, these guys seem as comfortable and fit in as well at a grand music hall as they do at the Rockygrass Festival band competition where they unofficially took off in the world of bluegrass.

While music enthusiasts know and appreciate the road taken by the Rangers, many people recognize them for their affiliation with actor/comedian Steve Martin, an accomplished banjo player in his own right.

Martin was looking for a group to join him at a concert event and his pick was SCR. For the last six years they have toured across the country and throughout the world. In fact, Martin and the Rangers are spending much of November together on the road.

If you catch one of their shows you will likely get to hear music from their latest collection call Radio. This, their ninth album, was released last August and is a great gathering of country-infused bluegrass tunes that will please Steep Canyon Rangers fans from all corners of the country. The best way I can describe it is, I never thought bluegrass could sound like this, and I like it.

What else could I give these guys but an A in my classroom. And for teaching an old dog new tricks, I will forever be a fan.

Bluegrass Johnson comes from a long line of country music performers and enjoys a passion for the rhythm and melody. From the hills of Kentucky, he will offer his opinions on a variety of new country music each week. Readers with questions or comments may write to Johnson in care of this publication.