Staunton - The face and sound of country music has changed dramatically over the past fifteen to twenty years.  Rather than  heartfelt ballads and somebody-did-me–wrong songs, country music in the new millennium has a more "pop" look and sound.  On Saturday, August 14, 2010, the audience at the Mockingbird was served a country music treat.  Listeners were transported into a classic country music experience.

First on the menu was the appetizer: The Judy Chops.  Sisters Molly and Sally Murphy anchor the vocals to most of the group’s songs along with the Reverend Bill Howard.  Molly possesses strong, soulful vocals while Sally compliments with a silky smooth voice.  This band exhibited the true classical country sound.  Their song list included originals as well as covers of some old favorites, including “Crazy” (made famous by Patsy Cline).  Also, the group performed a crowd stirring rendition of “Ol’ Dan Tucker.”

The main course: Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees.  Singing a mix of originals and covers (such as Johnny Cash and George Strait), this band epitomized the honky tonk sound.  Anna Matijasit's fiddle playing personified grace tempered with fire.  Charlie Bell was electrifying on the steel pedal and steel body resonator guitars.  Frontman Jim Waive was reminiscent of an old-school male country vocalist.  The crowd interaction fueled this local favorite so much that an encore was requested.

At night’s end, everyone had clapped their hands, stomped their feet, and hollered out at least once.  It was quite refreshing to hear a sound that reminded me of my childhood when I enjoyed country music.  Without a doubt, Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees and the Judy Chops are keeping the true classical country sound alive.

MySpace.com/TheJudyChops

JimWaive.com

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