Tony Ellis' Dixie Banner is closer to traditional, 19th century string music than 20th-century bluegrass, and it's all the more distinctive and worthwhile as a result.
Ellis' three-finger style enlivens the old-timey aspects of these original songs, creating an exceptionally musical blend of different traditional musics. In addition to being a fine banjoist,
Ellis is also an accomplished fiddle player, and several tracks here demonstrate his skills, and help give the album added weight. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine