2007年VOA标准英语-Ricky Skaggs, Bruce Hornsby Duet Album Showcase

By Katherine Cole
Washington
07 June 2007
 

It's not surprising that in 1989, the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Recording¹ was won by a song on "Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Volume 2," by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. What is unusual is the song that received the honor was a re-working of Bruce Hornsby's pop hit "Valley Road," complete with Hornsby playing piano. Many bluegrass purists were horrified² by the choice, and a decade later, the subject still provokes arguments. But as VOA's Katherine Cole reports, not all traditionalists were outraged³.

In fact, that unusual choice set the groundwork for a new duet album from the unlikely pairing of Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby. It opens with "The Dreaded⁴ Spoon," a story that will be all too-familiar to those with friends who say "I'll just have a little taste of yours …."

Pianists are not usually a welcome addition to a bluegrass band. Most traditionalists insist that only acoustic⁵ guitars, mandolins, banjos, fiddles⁶ and bass⁷ appear, with the dobro getting grudging⁸ acceptance. But piano? No way!

Fortunately, Ricky Skaggs, who usually plays very traditional-style bluegrass, doesn't feel the same way. He says the idea for this duet record springs from a tribute album he recorded a few years ago called Big Mon, Ricky Skaggs And Friends Sing The Songs Of Bill Monroe.  Bruce Hornsby jumped at the chance to take part, and the two were so pleased with the end result that they decided⁹ to record a duet album one day. The result is simply titled Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby, and is a mix of new songs and old, some with vocals¹¹, and others, like "Stubb" are instrumentals.

The vocal¹⁰ tracks reflect the interplay that you hear in "Stubb." Some song find Ricky singing lead, and you'll hear Bruce Hornsby in front on others. The vocals include a reworking of Bruce Hornsby's big hit, "Mandolin Rain", that works so well you may forget what the original sounds like.

Making a good "duo" is harder than you'd think. Two people can be fans of each others work, but not work well together. The duo of Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby works, however, and works well because the country and bluegrass virtuoso¹² (Skaggs) brings out the best in the "unclassifiable" singer and piano player (Hornsby) and vice-versa. Their pairing consistently pays off, and there really isn't a weak song on the record. That's not to say there isn't one very odd one. It's the album closer when long-time country star John Anderson joins the pair for a rather surreal version of Rick James' signature song "Super Freak."

1 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

2 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

3 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

4 dreaded   

adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。
• He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》

5 acoustic   

adj.听觉的，声音的；(乐器)原声的

参考例句：

• The hall has a fine acoustic.这个大厅的传音效果很好。
• Animals use a whole rang of acoustic, visual,and chemical signals in their systems of communication.动物利用各种各样的听觉、视觉和化学信号来进行交流。

6 fiddles   

n.小提琴( fiddle的名词复数 )；欺诈；（需要运用手指功夫的）细巧活动；当第二把手v.伪造( fiddle的第三人称单数 )；篡改；骗取；修理或稍作改动

参考例句：

• He fiddles with his papers on the table. 他抚弄着桌子上那些报纸。 来自辞典例句
• The annual Smithsonian Festival of American Folk Life celebrates hands-hands plucking guitars and playing fiddles. 一年一度的美国民间的“史密斯索尼安节”是赞美人的双手的节日--弹拔吉他的手，演奏小提琴的手。 来自辞典例句

7 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

8 grudging   

adj.勉强的，吝啬的

参考例句：

• He felt a grudging respect for her talents as an organizer.他勉强地对她的组织才能表示尊重。
• After a pause he added"sir."in a dilatory,grudging way.停了一会他才慢吞吞地、勉勉强强地加了一声“先生”。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

11 vocals   

（乐曲中的）歌唱部份，声乐部份( vocal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Also look out for soaring vocals on The Right Man. 另外，也可留意一下《意中人》中的那高亢的唱腔。
• Lazy bass line, lazier drums, lush violins, great piano and incomparable vocals. 懒惰的低音线，较懒惰的鼓，饮小提琴，棒的钢琴和无比的声音。

12 virtuoso   

n.精于某种艺术或乐器的专家，行家里手

参考例句：

• He was gaining a reputation as a remarkable virtuoso.作为一位技艺非凡的大师，他声誉日隆。
• His father was a virtuoso horn player who belonged to the court orchestra.他的父亲是宫廷乐队中一个技巧精湛的圆号演奏家。