SCOTT AINSLIE
The Last Shot Got Him/Cattail Music

Brattleboro, Vermont-native Scott Ainslie is a country bluesman of the highest order. Armed with only his superb voice and a 1930s era Gibson L-50 archtop acoustic, Ainslie deftly weavs his way through these fourteen tracks that include one original (“Late Last Night”) along with outstanding renditions of songs by Mississippi John Hurt, Robert Johnson, Irving Berlin, Oliver Wallace & Ned Washington, Reverend Gary Davis, Fats Waller, and Yip Harburg & Harold Arlen.

At times on The Last Shot Got Him, Ainslie’s sound will remind listeners of the great acoustic bluesman, Keb’ Mo’. But make no mistake, Ainslie is his own man and makes no concession of trying to emulate Keb’ Mo’. It is only their style and delivery that parallels one another’s.

Ainslie has a love for the song crafting of Mississippi John Hurt, and it is these songs that he chooses to cover most frequently. On the album opener, Ainslie enlists a fretless gourd banjo to recreate the vibe and humor of Hurt’s “The First Shot Missed Him.” Other standouts include the masterfully picked and sung “Avalon Blues,” the high steppin’ jaunt of “Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me,” the uplifting “Sally Whiskey,” the sweetly executed “Honey, Right Away,” the sunny “Monday Morning Blues,” the expressive “Late Last Night,” and the beautifully performed “Over The Rainbow.”

Scott Ainslie is a veteran touring pro who is frequently found performing in venues up and down the East Coast. With a warm, affable persona, and a wealth of musical knowledge, I highly recommend checking him out when he comes to a town near you. You won’t be sorry.

–Brian M. Owens
   Blues Music Magazine, Issue Number Seven