Song List: The Flood, Lonely River, Sleeping Cold, Forget the Hard Times, Climb That Hill, Blue Night, Sweetest Waste of Time, Farmer’s Lament, Don’t Let the Stove Go Cold, Enough on My Mind, Foolish Heart, Your Worries and Troubles Are Mine, What Will Become of Me.
Rick and Josie Grant started Rock Ridge in Northern California, and when they moved to Oregon, they reformed the band with Dale and Suzanne Adkins. The quartet has a well-blended vocal harmony with Dale and Josie in the forefront. Dale plays banjo, Rick is on mandolin, Josie on guitar and Suzanne on bass. Also performing on the album are Chad Manning and Greg Spatz on fiddle.
Five of the songs are originals and an album highlight is Suzanne’s “Forget the Hard Times” with its sustained vocal harmonies and a gentle reminder to remember the good times and forget the hard times. Dale’s “Climb That Hill” has a fast-paced bluegrass rhythm with Chad’s fiddle and Dale’s banjo providing the pulse. Rick’s “Farmer’s Lament” has Josie taking the lead vocal joined by Dale with harmony vocals and a sorry story of a farm loss. Suzanne wrote the title track, “The Flood,” and poor decisions causing the loss of a love is a familiar theme. Josie and Dale evoke the classic country duo style in “Sweetest Waste of Time” and Josie, Dale and Rick form a three part harmony in the Alison Kraus classic “Foolish Heart” embellished with Dale’s lead guitar. Rock Ridge has reformed better than ever with strong vocal balance, instrumental leads that enhance the songs and an appealing traditional vibe.