The NGDB’s output during the mid/late 1980s, as those included on this two-on-one CD (1987, 1988 respectively) found them at their country best, and this is underlined by the boys Jeff Hanna (vocals, guitar), Bob Carpenter (keyboards, vocals), Jim Ibbotson (electric bass, acoustic, electric guitar, mandolin) and Jimmie Fadden (drums, harmonica, backing vocals, jaw harp) plus one or two additional slots on mandolin, acoustic guitar from founder member, John McEuen as Hold On produces one sparkling track after another. For material they drew from some of Nashville’s finest songwriters to go with the efforts of the band.
Multi-instrumentalist McEuen was about to go his own way as a solo act, and discover new avenues for his creative mind, the outcome of which is well worth searching out. It has been said he wasn’t too enamoured in the way the music was going as their music became more on some songs like a gentle version of The Eagles, and this is not said as derogative factor for the NGDB were resonating with a larger audience than ever before through both music and content.
Through the success of country hits “Fishin’ In the Dark” (#1) and “Baby’s Got A Hold On Me” and “Oh What A Love” coupled with the equally impressive Borderland flavoured “Joe Knows How To Live” and with featured accordion on the intro Bruce Springsteen’s “Angelyne”. Plus with Carpenter on lead vocals “Blue Ridge Mountain Girl” has a beautiful deft feel as strains of Dobro edge through the NGDB found a spot alongside Country Music’s New Traditionalist acts. Joining Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, Nanci Griffith, Steve Earle, KT Oslin, The O’Kanes, Foster & Lloyd, Sweethearts Of The Rodeo, Ricky Skaggs, and though a little more field, Texan Lyle Lovett to increase their popularity with mainstream Nashville. Something, other than through the critical acclaim for their triple album Will The Circle Be Unbroken they had rarely sampled; the legendary recording rich in pure organic goodness had country and bluegrass legends Roy Acuff, Mother Maybelle Carter, Jimmy Martin, Doc Watson and pickers Earl Scruggs, Roy Huskey, Norman Blake and others perform alongside members of the band. A finer place to start one's record collection I would be hard set to suggest.
Back to the albums in hand, and you have two fine illustrations of the talent throughout the band. On the second record multi-instrumentalist, former Eagles member Bernie Leadon is in the band (vocals, acoustic, electric, slide guitar, 5-string banjo, mandolin, mandocello, and though not as universally strong as the former, it does have its moments. As in cajun accordion warmed “Johnny O”, “Thunder And Lightnin’ and with some tasty slide across the intro Carpenter’s “A Lot Like Me” coupled with heartfelt pieces “Soldier Of Love”, “Living Without You” plus of course title-track “Workin’ Man (Nowhere To Go)”.
Maurice Hope