I love these credits: “Golden Delicious would like to extend our greatest thanks, appreciation and love to everyone who shared live experiences with us as some of the most kick-ass times we’ve ever had.” This live bluegrass alt country CD embodies their spit kicking gratitude.

In essence, the recording of this Portland, Oregon show is alive, fun and exudes the kind of spontaneous joy that both the artist and the audience share here on disc for all of us to enjoy.

The band boasts a lineup complete with washboard, banjo and fiddle players. I always wondered what the difference was between a fiddle and a violin. I guess it is like the difference between a harmonica and a harp. Just as Sonny Boy Williamson never played no harmonica, the fiddle player, Ms. Hord, on this recording ain’t playin’ no violin here.

A track by track listing and critique is somewhat fruitless here because this is the kind of music you feel (wait-is there any other kind?). Some of the tracks are uptempo. Some are story numbers. All the tracks give me the feeling I had when I visited the Gospel tent at the New Orleans Jazz Festival a few years ago: it’s very uplifting and powerful celebration music.

My personal favorite on the CD is “Alabama Carmody”. It is a bit more uptempo guitar based, and the band is really chugging and rolling along in a real hootenanny style.

Man, I feel like square dancing after this one. What else can I add? The performances are strong. These guys and gals can play their instruments. Fans of alt country, bluegrass and traditional country a la Carter Family will enjoy this.

Available from www.cavitysearchrecords.com and very likely from the independent distributor www.milesofmusic.com.