Bluegrass became part of Lauderdale’s oeuvre decades ago through his collaborations with Ralph Stanley and Roland White. East Tennessee’s Grammy-nominated Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, admired for their fresh, energetic, and tradition-based sound, prove to be perfect partners. While Lauderdale co-wrote all 12 songs, Ramblin’ Boys guitarist Josh Rinkel co-wrote six, all outstanding.

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys fit Lauderdale well for one reason: this is a band. Their strengths are tight, tasteful ensemble work, not endless hot-licks excursions. They’re even restrained on Rinkel’s hell-for-leather “Drop The Hammer Down.” Fiddler Laura Orshaw, mandolinist C.J. Lewandowski, banjo player Jereme Brown, and bassist Jasper Lorentzen are A-list players. Like his bandmates, Rinkel doesn’t indiscriminately fire off solos; his breaks reflect taste, passion, and polish as they tell a story and finish smoothly.

Lauderdale is at his unvarnished, no-frills best. On the title track, he swaps verses with Del McCoury (his first duet with the bluegrass icon). At ease with the songs, he delivers everything with his masterful, earthy flair. His ability to choose optimal collaborators (including non-bluegrassers like Buddy Miller and Robert Hunter) has produced superb results in the past. Reflecting that same consistency, the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys rightly share Lauderdale’s triumph.

This article originally appeared in VG’s February 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.