"I like this a lot!"  Phil Hodgen, KBOO/KWHT

"She does well with this chestnut!"  Gene Roberts  KDHX

"Wonderful voice!"  Ed Stiner  WJFC/WCTU/WLIK

"I like this gal's voice!  Very good!"  Carroll Parham  KCLW

"Chrystal takes 'Smoke" a step further!  Stonewall must be awful proud!"  Bob Newton  WDAP

"This old warhorse fits nicely in this arrangement.  I look forward to hearing more from Chrystal!  Charles Hedley  Coastal FM

"What a voice!  Reminds me of Dolly.  Great job!"  Tony Burke  WMMT

"A good effort, worthy of air play!"  unknown

"Nice to hear those classics done the bluegrass way."  Billy Dunbar  KKRF/KGRA/Live365.com

"Chrystal is on her way to becoming a great singer.  She really makes you believe in what she is singing."  Ronnie Moretz  WMMY

"Ms. Sawyer is new to be but would surely love to hear more of her work!  She's a better vocalist than some of the top female singers.  Also, a nice rendition of an old favorite song!"  JR Hornyak WVOA
 

"I love this song and Chrystal is really fine!"  Maurizio Faulisi  Radio Rock FM

"Hot band & sweet vocal!  Well done!  I want to hear more!"  Dan Bieman  CKNX

"Nice fresh sound without sounding like AKUS, and awesome pickers."  Larry Roberts  WGCS

"Strong level voice.  Great story."  Al Shusterman  KCBL

"I am thrilled to hear her do this Stonewall Jackson classic in her own special way."  Ted Clark  JRR International Shortwave

"Very good track."  Rein Wortelboer  Radio Venray

"Sounds like a young Dolly Parton."  Unknown

"High quality.  Heartfelt singing & music."  Graham Hassall  Radio Nightingale

"I like this one!  Fine song, singing, and great band!"  Paul Morris  WXKQ

"Chrystal is a gem of a vocalist.  Excellent project.  My big discovery last year.  Cranked this one!"  Joe Wills  WBZC

"A good song.  Can't miss with Chrystal's delivery."  Janice McLaughlin  WMUB

"Snappy sound with a clear and distinct vocal sound somewhat reminiscent of a larger than life Tennessee lady.  Nice debut to my ear.  Will receive regular air play."  Howard Bonner  CFRC

"Nice ensemble playing makes this an above average work."  Steve Winters  WSHU

"Good rendition of an old traditional C & W ditty.  Great band!"  Bill Knowlton  WCNY/WUNY/WJNY

"Pardon the comparison, but is that you Dolly?  A brilliant voice, Chrystal, and what a backing lineup.  Well done!"  Maurice Kurtz  Valley FM

"Sounds like a young Dolly.  Great old standard."  Carl Solander  WOJB/WTIP

"Nice vocals and tempo."  Ross Harvey  CKUT

"A very pretty bluegrass song by Chrystal.  Excellent musicians."  Dave Mohr  WCAZ

"Very good song."  Dominique Lemarechal  Radio RCF Rivages

"Good song."  Bill Reno  WMMT

"Great female harmony singing.  Miss Sawyer has a great voice!"  Bob Dunn  WDBX

"An interesting version of this classic song.  Chrystal sings with a vibrato in her voice that is precious.  She has a good future!"  Mario Wildner  Radio Dresden

"This is a very good song, and very well done.  We have aired this already."  Jim Taylor

"Good job!  How about that backup band!"  Wilson Moore  CHMA

"Love Chrystal's voice."  Sandra Quamm  KSER

"Great execution of this familiar tune.  Chrystal sings with emphasis and emotion."  Rich Baker  WOSU

"Good job!"  David Snyder  WRIX

"A pleasant voice that is enhanced by the outstanding supporting cast.  Excellent instrumentation.  I look forward to listening to other songs off this CD."  Wayne Bledsoe  KUMR

Chrystal sings both lead and harmony on three cuts arranged with trios on 
choruses (Pathway of Teardrops, Another Lonesome Morning, Build My Mansion Next Door to Jesus). Clay Jones even adds bass vocals to the “Get Up John” quartet.

Raised in Julian, N.C., Chrystal took to music from a very early age. 
Cutting her teeth on the seminal artists of traditional bluegrass, she sang 
at fiddler’s contests, in her high school choir, was a member of the U.S. 
chorus during her junior year. In the 1990s, Chrystal first became 
acquainted with and “struck” by the music of The Cox Family. "Another 
Lonesome Morning” and “Pardon Me” were both previously recorded by them. For her debut album, she chose songs that represent many of her influences, from Bill Monroe to A.P. Carter, Jimmie Rodgers to Dolly Parton, Webb Pierce to Jim & Jesse. Written by Alan Rose, “Smoke Along the Track” is getting some good national airplay from its inclusion of Prime Cuts of Bluegrass, Volume 73.

Chrystal varies her tempos nicely, and the enchanting repertoire shows an 
affinity for both secular and sacred material that covers many musical 
moods. While many of her songs are familiar and previously recorded by Dolly or Emmylou, this mountain songbird and her bluegrass elite manage to put their own unique stamp on them. Take “Muleskinner Blues,” for example. A crisp sound jumping right from the speakers and the song’s expert execution offer plenty to enjoy. I never tire of the timeless “I'll Be All Smiles Tonight,” especially when Ronnie Stewart is bowing and Randy Kohrs is sliding. We thank this up-and-comer for her evocative renditions of favorite songs. Remember the name “Chrystal Sawyer.”  We’re guaranteed to be hearing more about her. (Joe Ross)

By Nigel Tuffman, 12/13/2004

The cover photo of Chrystal is very reminiscent of a young Loretta Lynn. The voice revealed within is very reminiscent of a young Dolly Parton – clear and delicate. Chrystal alludes to some of her influences in the liner notes, including Dolly, Emmylou Harris, and the Cox family, and the sound of her voice attests to their impact on her style.

Chrystal is backed here by some of the best musicians around. Beginning with the opening notes of “Muleskinner Blues” these guys lay down a GROOVE that must have made it great fun for her to sing over. There is perfectly cookin’rhythm along with inspired, inventive solos throughout from Scott Vestal on banjo, Adam Steffey on mandolin, Clay Jones on guitar, Ron Stewart and Jim Van Cleve on fiddles, Randy Kohrs on Dobro, and Zak McLamb on bass. Steve Gulley is here too on harmony vocals. Chrystal puts her own slightly unique stamp on this opening cut. The overall effect reminds me a lot of Dolly’s recent bluegrass recordings.

The singing here is good, though it may be a little too sweet for the taste of many bluegrass fans. The music is right on, and the harmony vocals are nailed. The songs here are nothing new – they’re all covers, with more than half having been recorded by Dolly Parton or Emmylou Harris. That’s my biggest complaint here – the music is well done, but there’s really no new material. “Muleskinner Blues,” “Walls of Time,” “I’ll Be All Smiles Tonight,” “Smoke Along the Track,” and some others have all been recorded too much (in this reviewer’s opinion) to put them all on one release. 

The recording (at Scott Vestal’s Digital Underground studio,) production, and packaging are top-notch. If only every newcomer would put so much effort into their first release.

Overall, this is a good CD - good singing and very good music. Chrystal’s fans and those who appreciate familiar tunes well-done will likely be thrilled with this CD. And it’s a recording that Chrystal should be proud of.

CHRYSTAL SAWYER IS A TALENTED VOCALIST WHO HAS AMASSED A HOST OF SUPER PICKERS(i.e.,RON STEWART,ADAM STEFFEY,SCOTT VESTAL,RANDY KOHRS,AND OTHERS)FOR THIS DEBUT RECORDING PROJECT.

CO-PRODUCED BY CHRYSTAL AND GUITARIST CLAY JONES,THE CONTENTS OFFER AN ATTRACTIVE PACKAGE OF BLUEGRASS AND COUNTRY FAVORITES THAT ARE AN IDEAL MATCH FOR HER DAZZLING LEAD VOCALS.
 

CHRYSTAL'S INFLUENCES EXTEND ACROSS THE MUSICAL SPECTRUM FROM GOSPEL DIVA DOTTIE RAMBO TO DOLLY PARTON AND EMMYLOU HARRIS,AND SHE SHINES BRILLIANTLY ON INTERPRETATIONS OF "WALLS OF TIME,"PATHWAY OF TEARDROPS," "ANOTHER LONESOME MORNING," "PARDON ME," AND SEVEN OTHERS.

IN PRACTICALLY EVERY ASPECT,CHRYSTAL SAWYER HAS CONFIRMED THAT SHE IS INDEED ONE OF BLUEGRASS MUSIC'S MOST PROMISING TALENTS.
(RUNNING DOG RECORDS,225 KENNEDY FARM ROAD.,TRINITY,NC 27370,http://www.chrystalsawyer.com/.) 
 

REVIEWED BY:  LES McINTYRE

Hailing from Liberty,NC, Chrystal Sawyer has released her self titled cd debut co-produced with Clay Jones of Mountain Heart,Sawyer has created a fresh new sound to traditional bluegrass songs.The 11 tracks here are composed of classics pulled from such writers as Bill Monroe,Jimmie Rodgers,Dolly Parton, and A.P. Carter.

From the opening lines of the album's first track,"Mule Skinner Blues," the listener knows they are in for a treat.Smooth vocals and crisp,clean picking reign throughout the disc.Sawyer sings "Walls Of Time","John The Baptist" and "Smoke Along The Track" with as much ambition and gusto as the record's opening number.

 Parton's "When Someone Wants To Leave" is as good and grassier than the original and Sawyer shows her respect for Dottie Rambo's songwriting with a good rendition of "Build My Mansion Next Door To Jesus." Also a fan of the Cox Family,Sawyer does two songs previously recorded by them,"Another Lonesome Morning" and "Pardon Me."

Sawyer's  voice will undoubtly be compared to Suzanne Cox' or a young Dolly Partons.' This voice lends a purity to songs such as "If I Could Be There" and the classic,"I'll Be All Smiles Tonight."

When Chrystal slowly sings"....they know not what I'd suffered,for they found no change in me," you can hear the heartache in her voice, giving a particularly good rendering of this song.

Steve Gulley of Mountain Heart sings beautifully on "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight," and throughout the cd. Adam Steffey plays mandolin,Clay Jones plays guitar and Jimmy Van Cleve plays fiddle,all of Mountain Heart.Zak McLamb,formerly of New Vintage plays upright bass,Randy Kohrs plays reso guitar, Ron Stewart  played fiddle on seven of the tracks.And legend Scott Vestal played banjo as well as recorded the project. 

If you didn't know better,you would think this is Chrystal's second or third recording.It is all wonderfully produced,played and sung.This young lady has a bright future in bluegrass. Chrystal Sawyer's debut is highly recommended.

Shannon Bullins/NCBluegrassFans