Search - Chestnut Grove Quartet :: Legendary Chestnut Grove Quartet

Excellent White Gospel A Capella Recordings From Virginia

Todd A. Gracyk | Petaluma, CA USA | 01/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

""The Legendary Chestnut Grove Quartet" is an excellent anthology of recordings made by a fairly obscure act from Southwestern Virginia. This CD has fine liner notes by Joe Wilson explaining the group's history. The quartet didn't travel much but they began a radio show in the mid 1950s and stayed on there for over 30 years. They made a bunch of self-produced records that they sold over the radio and at public appearances (mostly at churches). Apparently the 15 tracks on this CD were recorded between 1960 and 1974. Favorites of mine are "My Lord Delivered Me," "Just Over Yonder," "Lord Don't Leave Me Here," "That's The Reason," "Where The Roses Never Fade," and "The Great Beyond."Other than their voices, the Chestnut Grove Quartet used no instruments. They featured little ornamentation in their singing. I would classify their recordings as "American Roots Music." Bluegrass artists Ralph Stanley and Doyle Lawson have been influenced by the Chestnut Grove Quartet and Lawson has covered many of their songs."