Biography

Raymond Fairchild - Gospel

Much has been written on the exciting banjo picking of Raymond Fairchild. Innovative, fast, tasteful, interesting, one-of-a-kind and creative are just a few of the adjectives people use to describe this North Carolinian’s music. You might also hear people say that to see him in action is even more amazing.

Yet there’s another part of Raymond’s music which is equally as good and equally as important to its quality: the rhythm section. That’s where Josh and Wayne Crowe come in. With Josh on rhythm guitar and Wayne on acoustic bass, the music becomes complete. There rock-solid rhythm compliments Raymond’s music perfectly. Indeed, they worked together for seventeen years. Josh Crowe put it this way, “Our job , on this particular recordin’ with Raymond, is we provided the firm rhythm section that Raymond liked for everybody to work to.”

“This instrumental Gospel album was recorded in the fall of 1975”, continued Josh. That year also marked the first year that Josh and Wayne played with Raymond as Raymond Fairchild & The Maggie Valley Boys which changed to Raymond Fairchild & The Crowe Brothers in 1978. “What I remember about the Gospel album is they wanted to take Raymond’s banjo work, being as unique as it is, and take the old hymnal favorites and record ‘em with his banjo work, say, like they would Floyd Cramer on piano. Whereas it featured Raymond’s banjo playin’ as the main lead instrument. They wanted to do a gospel-hymnal favorites, you know, the old favorites and featuring the Raymond Fairchild style of banjo playin’ on ‘em”.

Rural Rhythm’s owner, “Uncle Jim O’Neal was the producer in the long distance sense. He sent a guy here to actually sit in on the session and do the overseein’ and the producin’. Jim was someone that neither Raymond nor the Crowe Brothers ever met. Only way Raymond ever hear him was talk to him on the telephone. He was a business associate with him but only by telephone and mail.”

This compact disc, a re-issue of one Raymond’s earlier albums, is a classic. It’s filled with all the exciting music Raymond Fairchild has come to represent.
Liner Notes by Barry R. Willis,
Pine Valley Music 1997
Gathered from an interview with Josh Crowe