In the excellent opening song, "Back to the Well" (written by Lorraine Jordan & Dixie Hall), the daughters of bluegrass sing about having a story they must tell, and thanking their mothers for paving the way for them. The title track, on Prime Cuts of Bluegrass' Volume 80, achieved the top three position among reporting DJs who listened to that volume. This album project, produced by Lorraine Jordan and Dale Perry, is the sophomore release from an assemblage of 18 women in the bluegrass community. The first release, "Daughters of Bluegrass," hit the streets in 2005 on the CMH label and struck gold with a nomination for IBMA's Recorded Event of the Year Award. 

The 42-minute "Back to the Well" album will certainly be met with similar accolades for its mellifluous music from Lorraine Jordan, Gena Britt, Mindy Rakestraw, Frances Mooney, Donica Christensen, Jeanette Williams, Valerie Smith, Becky Buller, Beth Lawrence, Julie Elkins, Angela Oudean, Michelle Nixon, Dale Ann Bradley, Heather Berry, Megan McCormick, and Vicki Simmons. Besides showcasing the superb songwriting abilities of Dixie Hall and Louisa Branscomb, there are also original offerings penned by Buller, Jordan, and Nixon. The contributors for each song are listed, and a paragraph of biographical information is provided for each of the 18 women involved. Bluegrass music continues to grow, and the featured artists are a testament to the wide-ranging interest in the music - the women hail from North Carolina, Virginia, Missouri, Minnesota, Kentucky, New York, and other states. Of course, there are plenty of fine women bluegrass musicians further west too. 

 "Back to the Well" has many brilliant moments that revolve around sweetly wistful remembrances such as "Fools Gold," as well as some spirited numbers like "Prisoner Song" and "Grass Angels" that provide plenty of opportunities for the pickers to display their solid chops and understanding of the genre. Both traditional and contemporay stylings are included. Sparer settings are chosen to lend immediacy to story songs like "Never Made it Home" and "Pocket Knives & Fiddle Tunes," while a robust old-time flavor is imparted to Buller's "Come on Down the Mountain." This reviewer imagined hearing a few of the more thoughtful or tranquil numbers embellished with the resophonic guitar of perhaps Sally Van Meter, Cindy Cashdollar or another woman of similar caliber. One song example is Timothy Tew's (Gena Britt's husband and Dobro-player in her band) song, "Still Feel the Nails," that is very pleasantly arranged with guitar and fiddle fills but could've used perhaps a tad more. I did enjoy hearing Heather Berry's autoharp in the mix of the "Picture of Jesus." 

Throughout this very enjoyable project, the vocals are expressive, winsome and warm. And the instrumental work displays clarity, freshness and vigor. For their next release, planned in 2008 on Blue Circle Records, I'll boldly recommend that these bluegrass descendants offer up some more fast and fiery barn-burners to really shake things up. the challenge, of course, being to do so without compromising their alluring femininity. (Joe Ross)