Ernie
Martinez - "Blue Range"
Longtime performer and session man Ernie
Martinez writes this collection lets him explore his love for Western and Bluegrass. Just wait til you hear him cut loose into the second half of "Along the Navajo Trail" as an up tempo Bluegrass instrumental! You'll look for the white lightning to strike!!
We were first introduced to Ernie's elevated musicianship as part of the chuckwagon band Everywhere West (rumored to be back together again, but maybe more on that later). And does he ever shine here! His original title track is tremendous as are his covers of "Ol' Double Diamond," "El Rancho Grande," and others. He does his own version of Sandy
Reay's "[Our] Last Roundup" after playing on her album (she's with him here, too) and finally the 1970s pop hit "Ride 'Em Cowboy" has been given the acoustic Western treatment it merits.
Here's a great one for fans of the two genres from an artist who's considered a national treasure in Colorado. I see no reason to argue the point. Eleven tracks.
