Reed's Roots (The Living Room Sessions)My Great Granddaddy, Henry Reed (April 28, 1884 - June 16, 1968) was a fiddler and banjo player who treasured music. He learned old tunes from mentors like Quince Dillion, who had been a fifer in the Civil War.  He never ventured far from his Glen Lyn, Virginia home, but he honed and preserved these tunes and gladly taught them to anyone who would visit. Late in his life, one such visitor was a graduate student from Duke University named Alan Jabbour.  The reel-to-reel recordings from those visits became an integral part of the American Folklife Collection at the Library of Congress.I never met my Great Granddaddy, who died when my Dad (Tim Reed) was just a teen, but his music deeply influenced my life.  My PaPaw (Grandfather: Gene Reed - April 6, 1929 - July 30, 2012) passed down many of these wonderful tunes to us.  We sat and played them almost every time we got together as a family.  At the end of a meal, PaPaw would disappear from the table only to reappear shortly and say,"Go in there and get the guitar and mandolin."  Of course, we did exactly as we were told because he already had his fiddle out and ready!   Since PaPaw was the one playing the fiddle, we each took up other instruments.  Dad played mandolin and also, at times, followed on the guitar. My brother (Alan Reed) and I learned by playing along with them.  I’ve traveled much further than my Great Granddaddy ever did.  I’ve written and played a lot of music.  But no matter how far I’ve roamed, I still come back to these roots.  This CD is a tribute to my Great Granddaddy, who kept these tunes alive, to my PaPaw and my Dad, who taught them to me and my brother, and to Dr. Alan Jabbour, who shared these tunes with the world (http://www.loc.gov/collection/henry-reed-fiddle-tunes/).  Now, in these “living room sessions”, my Dad, Brother and I have the honor of sharing them with you… along with a few originals.TRACKS1."Over the Waterfall"This tune of Great Granddaddy Henry Reed has made its way around the world and into the repertories of thousands of musicians. It seems fitting to start our"Living Room Sessions" with this favorite.2."Down in the Willow Garden"Just as the lyrics of this traditional Appalachian murder ballad have varied greatly over the years, Dad's mandolin rendition varies every time we play it. This was a favorite of my PaPaw Gene Reed.3."Irish Washerwoman"Although this tune is normally played as a traditional Irish jig, we like to give it a folksy bluegrass feel.4."Ducks on the Pond"Always a favorite from Great Granddaddy Henry Reed's Collection. Every time we get together and play it, I imagine him fiddlin' it for Alan Jabbour back in the 1960's. I've loved this tune from the first time I heard it.5."Folding Down The Sheets"Great Granddaddy Henry Reed said he learned this tune as a young boy from"Old Man Quince Dillion", a fifer from the Civil War. I think both of them would enjoy our version of this unique tune.6."Rocky Mountain Goat"Great Grandaddy Henry Reed played this tune on 3 occasions for Alan Jabbour. Just as he did for Alan, we also have inserted the 3rd strain that is unique to only him. This 3rd strain, that leaps up dramatically to a high D, is between the traditional 1st and 2nd strains .7."Shady Grove"This is truly a classic instrumental tune from Great Granddaddy Henry Reed's Collection. It was also my Great Uncle Neal Reed's favorite tune.8."Hog Eyed Man"Dad adds his unique 1st strain to this traditional old time breakdown. I love what it adds to this already robust tune. Without fail, every time Dad finishes playing this tune, my brother Alan will say"Let me try that on the mandolin.........that's a good tune".9."Tim Reed's Warm Up"Every time we sit down together to play, Dad starts out with what he calls a"simple finger loosening" tune that he wrote. I can't vouch for"simple" but I can say… the name is very fitting. 10."When You're Gone" I wrote this with the late Reed Nielsen in honor of my PaPaw Reed. Looking forward to that day when we all get to Heaven and back together again. What a day of rejoicing that will be! 11."Without You" I wrote this at a crossroads in my life; a prayer and deep realization that I am nothing without Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. HE really does add meaning to the miles. 12."Shallow End" I wrote this very recently. I often relate most to the disciple Peter, in so far as,"walking on water just before I drown". We've got a Savior who can pull us out of deep water and yet, so often, we let the world try to drown us in the"shallow end".