One of the CDs I came home with after my weeks at Kaufman Kamp was the new tribute to Butch Baldassari: The Road Home. Butch, who passed away in January after a valiant battle with cancer, worked with, inspired, helped out, befriended, taught, and set an example for many, many musicians over the years. His friend Brian “Doc” Hull helped assemble the tracks on this wonderful CD from artists such as Ricky Skaggs, Tim O’Brien, Sam Bush, David Grisman, Roland White, Butch’s own Nashville Mandolin Ensemble, and many more.
The Road Home: A Tribute to Butch Baldassari
Not only is it inspiring to see how many wonderful musicians donated their music, but the music itself is great! At least two tracks were written specifically for Butch: Don Stiernberg’s “Western Red” and the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble’s “Butch’s Bounce Back.” The rest, be they original or traditional, make a lovely musical program that you’ll find yourself returning to again and again.