The concept here is nothing short of brilliant and, as is usual with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, the picking and singing are outstanding. Skaggs wanted to introduce the music of the founding fathers of bluegrass to his fans and, hopefully, a new generation, so he and his band covered a dozen classic songs first recorded by Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys during the years 1946-1947. The period represents an important snapshot because Monroe's band of that era included singer/guitarist Lester Flatts, banjo player Earl Scruggs, fiddler Chubby Wise and bassist Howard Watts. Skaggs and his crew treat the music with the respect it deserves. Among the gems given new life are "Toy Heart," "Remember the Cross," "Bluegrass Breakdown" and "Why Did You Wander." And Scruggs, the only surviving member of the pioneering band, guests on "Goin' Back to Old Kentucky." —Ken Tucker