CD's and Reviews
- Scroll down to see what the critics say!
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- RECORDINGS
- Fool's Gold -- solo original CD with country, bluegrass, and more
- Time to Write a Song -- commended 1994 solo CD with Randy Howard and Scott Vestal
- In Tall Timber -- vibrant, traditional favorites by Chordwood, with title cut by Louisa, produced at Woodsong
- Follow Me Back to the Fold: A Tribute to Women in Bluegrass -- Mark Newton's acclaimed project with bluegrass luminaries Claire Lynch, Rhonda Vincent, Lynn Morris, the Whites, etc.-- liner notes and participation from Louisa - contact Rebel - http://www.rebelrecords.com
- CRITICAL REVIEWS
Daughters of Bluegrass, "Back to the Well"
Blue Circle Records / BCR003 with 13 tracks - web: www.DaughtersOfBluegrass.com / www.BlueCircleRecords.com Winner of Album of the Year and recorded Event of the Year, IBMA, September 2006!- FOOL'S GOLD
- Julie Kohler, Bluegrass Now:
- "With 15 new songs to revel in, Fool's Gold will not disappoint fans of this hugely talented songwriter, nor those musicians who are always in search of top-quality material.
- With a vast pool of musician friends that Louisa has called upon to help with the recording of this album, the key to this collection of songs is variety. Each cut is given individual attention as to lead and harmony vocalists and arrangements. Some are stark and simple like the a capella, mountain-style "Three Hundred Years" most others are given the full bluegrass treatment like "Matters of the Heart" and "Beaver Valley Flood." There's a waltz, a swing tune, several ballads (including a great old-style country ballad, "When I Cry") and a funky gospel/blues tune from Bad Liver's Danny Barnes ("Long Black Train"). But amid all this apparent diversity, the common thread holding it together is Louisa's finely honed talent for crafting a song that tells a complex story with a minimum of words.
- Louisa Branscomb's talent, aside from her considerable skill as a multi-instrumentalist, lies in her ability to recognize the profound in the ordinary, and to then translate what she sees into language that's easily understood by everyone. The songs on this album will touch hearts as well as minds."
- With Jane Baxter, Bill Everett, Mark Squires, and others.
- It's Time To Write A Song
- Lee Taylor, SEBA Newsletter:
- "The talent pool speaks for itself. Scott Vestal on banjo, Randy Howard on fiddle and mandolin, Al Smith on lead guitar, and other talented players--all of which compliment Louisa's own instrumental talents on guitar and mandolin. Simply put, this is a collection of great songs, played by great pickers, and sung by great singers."
- Gypsy Heart
- Wayne Bledsoe, Bluegrass Now:
- "The highlight of this recording would have to be the very moving lyrics of songster Louisa Branscomb... Louisa captures human emotions and sets them to music. She writes of people who care, issues that matter, and places that inspire nostalgia. Great songs are the result of deep feelings, and Louisa Branscomb is one of the most sensitive writers in bluegrass today." With Kathleen Hatfield, Dede Vogt, and Al Pieper
- Songs Of The Whimplewood
- Winner of the Parents National Seal of Excellence
Award
- Bluegrass Unlimited review:
- "a collection of children's songs reflecting Branscomb's predictable excellence as a songwriter"
- School Library Journal:
- "Songwriter/Producer Louisa Branscomb is an excellent melody maker. Her musicians are top-notch. This recording deserves a place in most library collections."
- A cassette of original bluegrass songs for children, capturing the magic of the fantasy forest, the "Whimplewood" which can be enjoyed with the Whimplewood book series.
- Composition, arrangement and production by Louisa Branscomb, with players including Louisa, Jane Baxter, David Blackmon, and Jeff Mosier. The tape includes dance/movement illustrations for teachers to use with kids aged 4 to 10.
- Mark Newton's "Follow Me Back to the Fold: A Tribute to Women in Bluegrass"
- Louisa assisted in Mark's acclaimed project and wrote the liner notes. A project featuring women bluegrass luminaries Claire Lynch, Lynn Morris, the White Sisters, Rhonda Vincent, the Whites, and others... with chart hit "Together We Can't Go Wrong..."
- Archival albums: Boot Hill: Steel Rails, Blue Ridge Memories, Fly Soul Away, available by special request. Also Louisa's poetry chapbook: "Farmhouse" (1980).
- Bluegrass Unlimited review:
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