The late 1800's and the early 1900's were a time of growth and prosperity for the Midwest. With the introduction of radio, musical styles merged and grew replacing the old with astounding speed. AURAL TRADITIONS captures that time presenting a slice of the musical pie that entertained, enlivened and strengthened the people of the rural Midwest between the 1860's and the 1930's.

The songs range from well known numbers like the Carter Family's classics Life's Railway to Heaven and Keep On The Sunnyside Of Life, Jimmy Rogers's Traveling Blues, Albert E. Brumely's I'll Fly Away to obscure gems such as When Katie Comes Down By The Gate (learned from Lawrence Royer, a 96 year old man from rural Bader, IL whose mother had been taught the song in the local one room schoolhouse in 1884).

Steeped in the roots styles of music that were such a big part of the heritage of the region, Vallillo performed on a variety of vintage instruments, a 1936 "Angelus" wood bodied dobro, a 1940's Gibson Southern Jumbo guitar, a mid 30's Kalamazoo Mandolin, and a 1880's era hammer dulcimer bringing this music to life with an authentic accuracy.

"This is a Classic of the Genre."
                                    - Kerrville Kronikles

"Vivid, original story songs... delivered in his crisp, expressive tenor... accompanied on this fine recording by some of Nashville's best."
                                    - Dirty Linen

Anyone who has ever listened to late night radio (or sat behind the board at 3:00 am wondering if anyone was listening) will relate to the title track, Best Of All Possible Worlds, a tribute to an old late night radio show of the same name. Then there's the Walnut Fiddle, the story of Homer Bedenbender and his aged home made instrument. The lazy slide guitar and harmonica of Hot Day paint a flawless picture of a steamy August afternoon in the Mississippi Valley while Driving Into The Storm captures that flash point of anger and frustration where driving face first into the lightning seems like the only sane choice. And to shift gears, there's the bottleneck slide version of Amazing Grace - played on a turn of the century $2.00 Sears and Roebuck guitar which takes that classic gospel song in a whole new direction.

Co-produced with Grammy nominee Rich Adler at Suite 2000 in Nashville, The Best Of All Possible Worlds features some of the best acoustic players in the business: Folks like the late Roy Huskey Jr. on bass, Kenny Malone on drums, Andrea Zohn on fiddle, Deanie Richardson on mandolin, David Schnaufer on dulcimer, Ron Ickes on dobro and Jim Hoke on harmonica.