Springtime in the Rockies (Copper Creek, 2004)

With only one change in membership in over two decades, you expect the Patriots will deliver tight harmonies and instrumental work - and you won't be disappointed. They go back in time for several of the songs on this release, including the title cut, which dates back to Gene Autry, 1937.

They also borrow from the country side with a version of "Paul Bunyan Love" (Maddox Brothers) and "Streets of Baltimore." They demonstrate how they can drive a song with several cuts including "Eat At The Welcome Table" and an old Carter Family melody with more modern lyrics, "Winding Stream." While yodeling isn't a staple of most bluegrass groups, they manage to throw some of that in, too, on "Sparklin' Brown Eyes."

The Patriots show they can sing love songs as well as they can play driving bluegrass. Anchored by a solid bass, supported by topnotch instrumentalists and their great vocal harmonies, the only question they leave is why they are not heard from more often. As James Monroe would put it, "That's good playin' there."