Best of Friends

The trio's senior member, Bob Gibson was a unique folk-pop stylist who popularized the 12-string guitar and inspired many of the major country-rock stars of the '60s and '70s, including The Byrds and The Eagles. On "Best of Friends," he contributes three original compositions, including the inspirational "Pilgrim Song," which addresses the 12-step recovery program for substance abusers. Gibson's strengths as an instrumental and vocal arranger are much in evidence, with his trademark 12-string, banjo and voice deftly underpinning Paxton (vocals, acoustic guitar), whose songs dominate the set, and Anne Hills (vocals, acoustic guitar), whose warm soprano provides the rich, lovely bond linking the three singers. The group also performs Anne's song, "While You Sleep."

The CD's material and the intimate mood of the performance are models of original folk music. Paxton, a GRAMMY nominee for 2002's "Looking for the Moon" CD on Appleseed, presents the Tom Lehreresque nightmare "One Million Lawyers," tributes to political martyrs and musical heroes, atmospheric Americana, environmental and sociological concerns, romantic ballads, good-time anthem "Bottle of Wine," and his signature "Ramblin' Boy." Gibson's "Let the Band Play Dixie" calls for social unity, and its quote from Abraham Lincoln could be the motto of this CD: "We are gathered not in anger but in celebration."