A few days ago I saw Bela Fleck link to a home video posted by Mark O’Connor of their former band Strength In Numbers rehearsing their one and only album, The Telluride Sessions, just before the recording sessions in 1989. I am astonished and mesmerized by this footage and will have to process it more before going into any detail about it, but it’s news that it’s up. I hope very much nobody sees a need to take it down. Not only is this newly revealed video of huge historic importance for the Nashville and string band story, it's deeply moving for me emotionally and intellectually. The album they’re working on was the most pivotal and influential recording I ever owned, in the sense that it set in motion the things in my life that led me to move to Nashville and get involved in music journalism and production. It changed the course of bluegrass music generally. I’ve interviewed all the musicians involved numerous times and enjoyed friendly relationships with them. Two of them, Bela and Sam, were central to my recent long form story and podcast on New Grass Revival. This album and these artists showed me new horizons, and I can’t believe that Mark O’Connor has made it possible to sit over his shoulder 30 years ago and listen as this epic American ensemble refines ten timeless and outstanding compositions as if we’re hanging out.
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