Steam Powered Aereo-Takes

John Hartford's 1971 album Aereo-Plain was one of the truly cosmic moments in American roots music: five killer musicians with undeniable bluegrass pedigrees getting together for an unfettered romp through Hartford's demented songbag. Songs that were intensely personal, irreverent, and musically expansive (and often all at once) yet still were grounded - in their conception and performance - in classic folk and bluegrass. With Hartford's inventive, unpredictable banjo leading the way, the Aereoplane Band taught a generation of acoustic musicians that tradition isn't something you blindly obey: it's fuel for a longer voyage.

This disk presents, for the first time ever, outtakes from the legendary Aereo-Plain sessions. Included are unissued songs, alternate versions of Aereo-Plain favorites, early versions of songs that debuted on later albums, and revealing takes on some bluegrass chestnuts. All of it goes to prove how fertile and wide-ranging Harford's vision and this band's abilities were.

Features: John Hartford (banjo, guitar, vocals), Norman Blake (guitar, mandolin), Tut Taylor (dobro), Vassar Clements (fiddle), and Randy Scruggs (electric bass).

This release is available directly from Rounder Select.


Song Titles

Win. Media
Track
  Title Time
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1
  Where the Old Red River Flows
03:05
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2
  Ruff and Ready
01:50
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3
  Blame It On Joann
03:09
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4
  The Vamp from Back in the Goddle Days
04:38
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5
  Emanuel Cant
01:41
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6
  Bad Music (Is Better Than No Music At All)
04:30
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7
  Dig a Hole
04:11
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8
  Presbyterian Guitar
02:00
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9
  Strange Old Man
01:37
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10
  Lady Jane
02:39
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11
  Oasis
03:28
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12
  Because of You
01:08
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13
  Morning Bugle
03:25
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14
  John Henry
01:41
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15
  Doin' My Time
03:02
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16
  Keep On Truckin'
02:42
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17
  Don't Ever Take Your Eyes Off the Game, Babe
03:26
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18
  Howard Hughes Blues
02:11
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John Hartford: Banjo, Guitar, and Vocals
Norman Blake: Guitar, and Mandolin
Tut Taylor: Dobro, Mandolin and Mandola
Vassar Clements: Fiddle and Mandocello
Randy Scruggs: Bass

All phases in this issue of these recording supervised by Bob Carlin. Original recordings produced by David Bromberg for Sweet Jellyroll Productions except cuts 5, 7, 11, 17 and 18, produced by John Hartford.
Recorded at Glaser Sound Studios, Inc., Nashville, engineered by Claude J. Hill, except cuts 6, 10, 13 and 15, recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York, engineered by Warren Dewey.

Mixed by Wes Lachot at Overdub Lane, Durham, North Carolina, and with Mitch Easter at Fidelitorium Recordings, Kernersville, North Carolina, during the fall of 1999. Mastered by David Glasser at Airshow, Boulder, Colorado, and Toby Mountain at Northeastern Digital, Southborough, Massachusetts.

Notes by Bob Carlin

Front cover photo by Maddy Miller, back cover photo by Peter Amft.

Design by Susan Marsh.


Rounder 82161-0480-2
Released: 2002


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