Personnel: John Moore (vocals, guitar, mandolin); Byron Berline (vocals, mandolin, fiddle, viola); Steve Spurgin (vocals, snare drum, percussion); Dan Crary (guitar); Skip Conover (dobro); John Hickman (banjo); Dennis Fetchet (fiddle); Bette Berline (pennywhistle); Billy Block (drums); Sasquatch (sound effects).
Recording information: Juniper Recording Studio, Burbank, CA.
California Traveler is an all-star bluegrass band featuring guitarist Dan Crary, banjoist John Hickman, and fiddler/vocalist Byron Berline. For this eponymous album, the trio has added mandolinist/vocalist John Moore and bassist/vocalist Steve Spurgin to the lineup, which adds depth and strength to the selection of originals -- which are mostly written by Spurgin and Berline -- and standards, such as Bill Monroe's "Uncle Pen." For traditional bluegrass that pushes at the borders just slightly, it's hard to beat California Traveler. ~ Thom Owens
Professional Reviews
Dirty Linen (Apr/May 93, p.71) - "...an album which is easy to recommend to old fans of [members Berline, Crary and Hickman] and to anyone interested in the ongoing evolution of bluegrass..."
