Everything is Gonna Work Out Fine

By age 26, Jerry Douglas had already completed stints with the Country Gentlemen, J.D. Crowe & New South, and Boone Creek in addition to his two solo records for Rounder. These first two solo records-- 1979's Fluxology and 1982's Fluxedo--are combined for this stunning reissue. On the Fluxology cuts, Douglas and familiar pals (Skaggs, Rice, Phillips, et al) roar through rags and breakdowns at furious paces, save for two Douglas originals--the bouncy little jazz gem "C-Biscuit" and the delicate "Blues for Vickie." Fluxedo displays a change in direction as Douglas takes a more melodic approach and aims for a more diverse sound--even piano and harmonica crop up. Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, and Russ Barenberg assist while Douglas runs from steel great Leon McAuliffe to Irving Berlin to James Taylor. Whether rifling off sizzling runs or coaxing bluesy squeals, Douglas earns his spot in the highly exclusive (fictitious?) Dobro Hall of Fame. --Marc Greilsamer