After six years of touring, recording and garnering a stack of awards, The Rarely Herd can be counted among the top acts in bluegrass music. Their newest release, "Coming of Age," is another notch on their belts, with a host of well-written tunes and solid performances.
There is a temporary change in the regular lineup for this album, with Don Wayne Reno subbing on banjo (and occasional guitar) for regular picker Calvin Leport. The rest of the band is intact, which means that the vocal prowess of The Rarely Herd is still present. Other guests include rising dobro player Rob Ickes and guitarist/producer/Don's brother Ronnie Reno. Stand-out songs include the Steve Wariner/Jim Weatherly ballad "When Will I Let Go" and bassist Jeff Weaver's "That Ain't No Way To Go," an uptempo number destined to be a classic.