‘Boone Creek’ Returns With Unearthed Tracks, First Vinyl Reissue In Nearly 50 Years

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Boone Creek, the self-titled 1977 debut from the boundary-pushing supergroup of future bluegrass luminaries Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Wes Golding and Terry Baucom, is being reissued by Craft Recordings and HighTone Records on June 26.

A preview track/first single from the project, Boone Creek’s soul-stirring take on the Flat & Scruggs bluegrass classic, “I’m Gonna Settle Down,” is available to stream now. The track showcases the dazzling musicianship and fiery chemistry of the band’s four bluegrass masters.

Boone Creek is making its cd and streaming debut with the reissue, which includes four recently unearthed bonus tracks salvaged from the long-lost session tapes—left-field performances that show the band pushing the form into truly uncharted territory. The project is also being reissued on vinyl for the first time.

In 1976, Skaggs and Douglas were fresh off of their tenure with bluegrass powerhouse J.D. Crowe & the New South when they joined forces with songwriter Golding and Baucom to create a daring new sound that honored bluegrass tradition while boldly expanding its possibilities. As they pulled from jam-band looseness, timeless pop craft, and even the sunlit soft-rock textures of the 1970s, Boone Creek incorporated electric guitar, drums, piano, horns and synthesizers into their arrangements.

When Boone Creek first presented their debut to Rounder, the label deemed portions of the material “too commercial,” prompting the band to go back and record more material in a more traditional bluegrass vein. The resulting album combined songs from these two sets of sessions for a diverse project that extends far beyond the then-accepted boundaries of bluegrass music.

In the years following the album’s release, the master tapes of the unreleased songs disappeared, but nearly five decades later, the tapes were tracked down, although they were moldy and badly damaged. Through intense restoration efforts, four songs that never made the original LP were rescued, revealing an even bolder, more experimental side of Boone Creek that feels decades ahead of its time. Those tracks include the freewheeling “Hitchhiking to California” and horn-laced “Dream Song,” which drifts into a subtly psychedelic haze – two standouts on a landmark album and lost cornerstone of the progressive bluegrass movement.that feels strikingly modern even decades later.

“It’s been over 50 years since Boone Creek made these recordings and it’s great to hear them remastered,” says Skaggs. “They sound better than ever, and I never thought the previously unreleased cuts would see the light of day. A big thanks to my bandmate, brother Jerry Douglas, for assisting in the remastering process – great job!”

“We hope you again enjoy Boone Creek’s freshman effort along with a glimpse back into the ’70s, where the personalities and young dreams of a band gone on safari were never to be completed,” adds Douglas. “This effort formed who we are individually today, unfortunately losing Terry in December of 2023. We thank everyone involved for their tenacity and forward thinking in bringing this remastered lost treasure back into the light.”

Prior to disbanding, Boone Creek put out just one more album, One Way Track, a 1978 LP that marked the first release from the then-newly launched Sugar Hill Records. During their brief lifespan, the band cycled through a number of bass players, including country legend Vince Gill (who contributes a harmony vocal part on “Misty Wind,” one of the newly recovered tracks).

Lorie Hollabaugh
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