Rex Flottman review
Walnut Valley Association
Kelly and Donna Mulhollan are Still on the Hill, a folk duo who in recent times have been turning their talents toward reviving the history of their beloved Arkansas Ozarks. Their latest project is titled after the historic town of Cane Hill, Arkansas. Cane Hill could have been any small town with its own history, people and events and when tied together the songs tell a story that deserves to be remembered.
The Cane Hill project consists of 12 tracks, all but 1 of which were written by Still on the Hill. The lone song, Goodbye My Honey, I’m Gone was written by Cane Hill native Booth Campbell. Booth was a singer and banjo player around the Ozarks who passed away in 1956 at the age of 84. The CD tells a story that will put you on Main Street in the early 1920’s. It will introduce you to some of the town’s residents like Cousin Annie who was famous for her cooking with apples, ol’ Doc Bean and his right hand man, Joseph Stevens. Any small town in America has its own tails to tell and Still on the Hill have done a masterful job telling Cane Hill’s story. With most recordings there will be a track or two that stand out and catch our attention for one reason or the other. I found Cane Hill breaks that pattern, all of the songs are winners. The songs are well written and they stand well alone on the quality of which they were crafted but they also fit perfectly together to enhance each track to make up the whole of the project.
Still on the Hill’s Cane Hill is not to be passed up. Anyone interested in true honest to goodness folk songs should make a permanent location for this recording in their collection. It should be part of the curriculum for vocal music classes and porch pickers everywhere. If you’re a folk singer, folk music lover, a history buff or maybe you or your ancestors have a connection to one of the small communities in the Ozarks or maybe the Appalachians, this music will pull at your heart strings – Enjoy the journey back in time, courtesy of Still on the Hill.