Appalachian Journey, the long-awaited follow-up to the best-selling album Appalachia Waltz (SK 68460) is here, this time with superstar guest vocalists James Taylor and Alison Krauss, and a 7-city US tour that kicks off on March 30, 2000 in Nashville.
Appalachian Journey features a powerful combination of original music plus innovative arrangements of traditional American favorites. Tracks range from foot-tapping jigs to heartbreakingly beautiful songs as the worlds of country, jazz, bluegrass and classical music reunite for a unique sound that People Magazine hailed as one of the year's best albums.
Like its predecessor, Appalachian Journey features all-new music by Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor, and this time James Taylor contributes his own original instrumental track, "Benjamin", which he has performed in concert but never before recorded. Taylor lends his multi-platinum vocals to the timeless "Hard Times Come Again No More", bringing that Civil War era gem into the 21st century with what is sure to become the definitive version of the song.
Highlights of the new album also include performances by country superstar Alison Krauss, who joins Yo-Yo Ma, Mark O'Connor and Edgar Meyer on two tracks: the poignantly beautiful ballad by Civil War era composer Stephen Foster called "Slumber, My Darling", and a new arrangement of the traditional "Fisher's Hornpipe".
