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Bluegrass Today
A.L. Wood was a legendary banjo picker, singer, songwriter and bandleader in North Carolina, active with his band The Smokey Ridge Boys along the eastern seaboard states through the ’90s.

He only recorded four albums under his name, and they are treasured keepsakes for those who have them. One, Sing A Bluegrass Song, was re-issued by Rebel in 2011, and that may be the only record of his currently available.

His songs have been recognized, however, as bluegrass classics with several recently re-recorded by today’s top bluegrass artists. Dailey & Vincent included Sweet Carrie on their first album, Rhonda Vincent sang Rhythm Of The Wheels on her All American Bluegrass Girl, and Lorraine Jordan & Carolina did Sing A Bluegrass Song on their Back To My Roots CD.

Now at 77 years old, A.L. doesn’t travel to perform any longer, but his family has picked up where he left off.

A debut album is expected shortly from the Wood Family Tradition, featuring A.L.’s sons Mike on guitar, and Bobby on bass, Mike’s wife Joanie on vocals, their son Jason on mandolin, and his wife Mackenzie on vocals. That’s a lot of Woods! Mike and Bobby had served as Smokey Ridge Boys, as had Jason, so they really are continuing A.L.’s music.

Jason told us this afternoon that one part of his grandfather’s tradition they want to emphasize is original material, and that 9 of the 13 tracks were written within the band.



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