Standard disclaimer:  I am one person with one opinion.  Your mileage may vary, of course.

Here are the titles in alphabetical order -- no rankings; I've included slight commentary on some of the titles:

• BALSAM RANGE - "Trains I Missed" (Mountain Home) : The third release from a fine North Carolina band comprised of five veteran musicians.
  
  
• BIG COUNTRY BLUEGRASS - "The Boys In Hats And Ties" (Rebel) 
  
  
• AUDIE BLAYLOCK & REDLINE - "Cryin' Heart Blues" (Rural Rhythm)
  
  
• THE BOXCARS - "The Boxcars" (Mountain Home) :  The debut recording from a group who hasn't really done a whole lot of touring yet, but will be super-busy during the 2011 festival season.  Band members include IBMA Mandolin Player of the Year, Adam Steffey and multi-instrumentalist, Ron Stewart.
  
  
• J.D. CROWE, DOYLE LAWSON, & PAUL WILLIAMS - "Old Friends Get Together" (Mountain Home) : If you like the Jimmy Martin style of BG gospel music, you're bound to love this great recording from three former Sunny Mountain Boys (although they didn't all work with the band at the same time).  Top-notch.  
  
  
• DAILEY & VINCENT - "Dailey & Vincent Sing The Statler Brothers" (Cracker Barrel) : It's no secret that I've been a big fan of the Statler Brothers since I was about 10 years old, so any time a Statler tune is covered in the BG world, I'm interested.  D&V are just about the hottest things going in BG right now, and they're also big admirers of the Statler Brothers (obviously).  While I can't say I enjoy the D&V versions of the Statlers' music MORE than the Statlers' original versions, I certainly think it's great that this CD might have made some folks who were less familiar with the Statlers aware of their many years of fine music.
  
  
• JOE DIFFIE - "Homecoming : The Bluegrass Album" (Rounder) : Back when I still listened to commercial country music, Joe Diffie was starting to have some good chart success, but I knew he'd earlier been in a BG band called "Special Edition."  After a great country career, Diffie is back making BG music, and it just sounds right.
  
  
• BILL EMERSON & SWEET DIXIE - "Southern" (Rural Rhythm) 
  
  
• FRED ETHERIDGE WITH NICK ANDERSON & MARK DOYLE - "Pickin' & Singin'" (no label) : Fred Etheridge was a first-rate flat picker from eastern CT who lost his battle with cancer in October.  In June, he had released this CD featuring his guitar playing & songwriting (along with two other CT musicians), and it's a great way for him to be remembered.  RIP, Fred.
  
  
• JIMMY GAUDREAU - "Pieces And Bits" (Goose Creek Music) : This BG great hails from the teeny "BG Mecca" of Rhode Island, and this all-instrumental recording is his latest.  Among the tunes on the CD is a tribute by Gaudreau to two of his mentors from the early days -- New England BG Pioneers, Fred Pike & Sam Tidwell.  Very nice.
  
  
• STEVE GULLEY & TIM STAFFORD - "Dogwood Winter" (Rural Rhythm) : A great CD of original tunes from two guys who don't normally work together, but clearly work well together.
  
  
• KATHY KALLICK BAND - "Between The Hollow And The High-Rise" (Live Oak Records) : It's always great to hear this California singer, and former bandleader of the Good Ol' Persons.
  
  
• TIM MARTIN - "Bluegrass Fiddle" (Patuxent Music) : Another all-instrumental CD, but the featured instrument this time around is the fiddle (hence the CD's title).     
  
  
• JOE MULLINS & THE RADIO RAMBLERS - "Rambler's Call" (Rebel)
  
  
• OLD TIME BLUEGRASS SINGERS - "Plastic Heart" (Open Road) : The sophomore CD from a New England group featuring Tolland's Dick Bowden, Robert & Lillian Fraker from western MASS, New Jersey's Terry McGill, and bona fide BG Pioneer, Herb Applin.  A review of the CD in the December 2010 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine says the disc is Bluegrass "how it should be done."  That's some pretty high praise for a great CD.
  
  
• PATUXENT PARTNERS - "Seven Or Eleven" (Patuxent Music) : Music that's raw and full of emotion from the Washington D.C. area.
  
• LOU REID & CAROLINA - "Sounds Like Heaven To Me" (Rural Rhythm Christian) : The first all-gospel recording from a fine band doesn't disappoint.
  
  
• RICH IN TRADITION - "Black Mountain Special" (Mountain Roads Recordings) : Great traditional BG, no doubt about it.
   
• JUNIOR SISK & RAMBLERS CHOICE - "Heartaches And Dreams" (Rebel)
  
  
• SPECIAL CONSENSUS - "35" (Compass Records) : A fine Chicago-based band started by banjo picker, Greg Cahill, celebrates 35 years with a great CD featuring current and older versions of the band.
  
  
• SPINNEY BROTHERS - "Side By Side" (no label) :  The fifth recording we've received at WHUS by this band from Nova Scotia featuring brothers Allan & Rick.  This CD includes the Spinneys' great mix of BG and traditional country music; a special treat for us at WHUS was when the band stopped by and played live in our studio back in May.   
  
  
• LARRY STEPHENSON - "20th Anniversary" (Pinecastle) : An award-winner for Larry Stephenson, who celebrated his 20th anniversary recording for Pinecastle Records with folks like Dailey & Vincent, Ricky Skaggs, Dudley Connell, and others.  
  
  
• WAYNE TAYLOR & APPALOOSA - "Out In The Middle Of Nowhere" (no label) : The second recording from this fine band fronted by former U.S. Navy Bluegrass band, Country Current, bandleader, Wayne Taylor.  A terrific mix of originals and classic BG tunes.  
  
  
• VARIOUS ARTISTS - "Look To The Light : Songs Of Faith From The Pen Of Rick Lang" (Rural Rhythm Christian) : New Hampshire songwriter Rick Lang wanted to make a CD to celebrate his faith.  While you don't hear Rick singing a note on the project, fine BG musicians such as Russell Moore, Dale Ann Bradley, Junior Sisk, Barry Scott, Jesse Brock, Roger Williams, John Miller, and other make great interpreters.  This CD has even "given birth" to a new band who plans to tour a bit in 2011 called BlueStar.  
  
  
• VOLUME FIVE - "Down In A Cell" (Mountain Fever Records) : The debut recording from a promising new band.

I look forward to hearing whatever BG gems may show themselves in 2011, including what I'm sure will be a great recording from Rounder Records featuring Charlie Sizemore in February, as well as the new project from Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers, and, of course, the second CD from the Gibson Brothers on Compass Records, and...

Happy New Year!

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