While this third volume couldn't possibly be the ground-breaking release that was 1972's initial "Circle," it wears the legacy well. Thirty years down-the-line, the Dirt Band are no longer the eager young turks of 1972, nor is this sort of inter-generational tribute to roots a new concept. In the decades since the first "Circle," what was once novel is now more commonplace, and though the familiarity doesn't lessen the quality or value of the music, it does lessen its impact.

In addition to the Dirt Band, the first "Circle" is reprised in the playing and singing of Jimmy Martin, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson and Vassar Clements. Notably missing are Roy Acuff, Merle Travis and Mother Maybelle, though the latter two are celebrated in song -- Travis by Doc Watson's recitation of "I Am a Pilgrim," and Carter by Johnny Cash's newly-penned "Tears in the Holston River."

The historical resonance that's been lost to the passing of legends is renewed by several family gatherings, including performances from Del, Robbie and Ronnie McCoury, Doc and Richard Watson, John and Jonathan McCuen (the former of whom only recently returned after an extended absence from the Dirt Band's lineup), Jeff and Jaime Hanna, and Jimmy and Ray Martin. The passing of the torch, first from Nashville's pioneers to a new generation, and now from that generation to it's children, shows the Circle to really be a link in a chain.

The "new blood" on this volume features established stars like Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, Vince Gill, Dwight Yoakam and Tom Petty. A few lesser-known (but no less talented) artists, Iris Dement and songwriter Matraca Berg, are joined by legends Taj Mahal, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. It's a fine lineup of talent, but their careers (often built directly in opposition to the Nashvillization of country music), not to mention their familiarity with the first two "Circle" volumes, lend this set a somewhat self-conscious air.

Dwight Yoakam's tilled similar soil on his solo albums, consequently his contributions sound as much like Dwight Yoakam as they do back-to-the-roots "Circle" inventions (not that this is a bad thing, of course). Petty is mostly superfluous duetting with Willie Nelson on "Goodnight Irene," but Berg, who's best known for her songwriting (e.g., Deana Carter's "Strawberry Wine), gets a chance to show off a rootsy side that's only sporadically made it onto her solo efforts. Her duet with Emmylou Harris (on Berg's own "Oh Cumberland") is a highlight, as are Vince Gill's gospel "All Prayed Up" and Taj Mahal's "Fishin' Blues."

In a year that's seen a deluxe reissue of the first "Circle" album, volume three can't help but pale slightly in comparison. But taken on its own, this is a fine album of singing and song, one that heeds (if not really expands upon) the first set's principles.

It's easy to criticize WTCBU 3 as paling versus the original, but that's kind of like some old-fart neighbor telling a teenage grandson "You ain't the man your grandpa was...". It's pretentious to make that kind of comparison.....this album is more like a brand new BMW versus a 30-year-old classic. Can you look at it and see the purity of the bloodline? In this case, you bet your rear you can....

This album has in spades what both prior Circles were known for: an informal jam atmosphere, hot licks and tight harmonies, and super-clean recording acoustics. In the process, it also throws in countless subtle details to support the "bloodline" analogy. Johnny Cash singing his own ballad about Mother Maybelle...the matriarch and his mother-in-law. The late June Carter Cash dueting with Earl Scruggs. The sons of Jeff Hanna and John McEuen dueting with their fathers on supporting strings, Doc Watson digging deep into the folk archive with his grandson Richard, versus 30 years ago when he was playing with his son, the late Merle Watson. Taj Mahal, bringing a previously unrepresented view of The South into this history book.

Sure you can dis it for following the same formula as the prior two Circles. But fact is, that's not a bad formula to follow. This is a great album of American Music, made by American musicians. Buy It.

My life-long love affair with rock 'n' roll began in 1964 when I was eleven and bought MEET THE BEATLES. My love affair with bluegrss music, however, was nurtured by the 1972 release of the classic WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN. Three decades later, the awe and excitement is still there for volume three.

With the idea of putting together an album filled with guest star artists is no longer unique, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (with banjo wizard John McEuen back in tow) do a stellar job of bringing together a multi-generational array of talent. Earl Scruggs, Jimmy Martin and Doc Watson are on hand from the original project. In addition, June Carter Cash provides lead vocals and autoharp on the "Mother" Maybelle Carter classic "Diamonds in the Rough."

Of the artists new to the WTCBU project, Del McCoury and his sons Robbie and Ronnie and Alison Krauss are the only real bluegrass artists. The others are primarily country artists, like Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam and Vince Gill. Consequently, some of the songs (like the Willie Nelson/Tom Petty duet on the Leadbelly standard "Goodnight Irene" and Taj Mahal's "Fishin' Blues") can't really be considered bluegrass. It appears that for this third volume, the NGDB took a cue from the O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack and instead of confining song selection exclusively to bluegrass, they chose songs that might better be described as Americana.

While volume three may not have matched the impossibly high standards set by the original volume, it isn't far behind. Every song is pure joy, and I hope there are a couple more volumes in the series yet to come. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

This latest edition in the "Circle" series is a masterpiece, different in feel from the original work, but at least equal in it's brilliance.

Some of the difference undoubtedly comes because the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is older, and more assured, than the group of long-haired hippy freaks who engaged with the Blue Grass and Old Time greats in the first album. In that set, there was always an underlying feeling of awe -- understandable and appropriate, given who they were then and the people they were playing with.

This time out, the Band meets their guests as equals. The results are luminous. The entire album manages to generate great excitement while maintaining a relaxed, comfortable feeling. It's still muisic for the ages -- but it's made by a group of mature people who are confident in their abilities.

As I re-read the above, it sounds like this might be a slightly pretentious album. It's not at all. It's as if you were invited to the most wonderful party in the workld....and you are sitting on the front porch with the finest pickers and singers who ever existed.

There are too many brilliant individual performances to list them all: Iris Dement's re-recording of "Mama's Opry" (first heard on her "Infamous Angel" album) is breathtaking. Johnny Cash's tribute to Maybelle and Sarah Carter, "Tears in the Holston River," is incredibly moving. Other great performances here include the immortal Doc Watson, Taj Mahal, and Willie Nelson. And don't miss the hidden "Bonus" -- a partial take of The Band's "The Weight" that is tacked on after the last track, Rand Scrugg's quietly capitivating solo version of "Farther Along."

Do not miss this music!

This CD is about as good as Volume 1 and certainly better than Volume 2. Everybody but Senator Robert Byrd seems to be singing on this CD-- I suspect the venerable senator from West Virginia would have played the fiddle, had he been asked. Sadly some of the greats from Volume 1 have left the Circle-- Roy Acuff and most notably Mother Maybelle. The Band does the next best thing to having her, however. From a Howard Finster type portrait of Maybelle on the CD cover to her daughter June Carter Cash's singing in a voice eerily like her mother's an A. P. Carter song "Diamonds in the Rough" to Randy Scruggs' beautiful solo of the bluegrass hymn "Farther Along" played on Maybelle's guitar, her spirit is felt everywhere on this album. Finally Maybelle's son-in-law Johnny Cash has written a moving tribute to her and her sister-in-law Sara, "Tears in the Holston River." This song alone is well worth the price of this CD. It puts chills on my spine each time I listen to it-- which is often. Mr. Cash achieves here the very best in country songwriting. He takes a simple idea and expresses it in words so beautiful they rise to the level of poetry. For example, "I saw crystal tear shaped droplets/Silver beads of love sparkling in the river's tide./And I'll just bet they turned to diamonds/For the love that was behind them./There were tears in the Holston River/When Mother Maybelle and Sara Carter died."

Country music doesn't get better than this.