Martin Haerle became obsessed with American country music during his childhood in Germany during World War II, eventually moving out to Nashville by the time he was twenty and climbing the ranks of the legendary Starday Records. His passion for traditional American music led him to founding CMH Records in 1975 with 'Dueling Banjos' composer Arthur Smith. Over the years they signed a superstar list of bluegrass artists, accumulating numerous Grammy nods and roots music critical acclaim.
Sadly Haerle passed away in 1990, passing the company into the capable hands of his son David. One of David's first actions as President was the creation of the 'Pickin' On' series of albums which take popular recordings and rework them in a bluegrass style performed by the excellent roster of session artists and musicians CMH has accrued over the years. The series has covered a wide range of bands over the years from Aerothsmith to Coldplay to the Beatles, and in the case of today's Best Song Ever- Led Zeppelin.
The roots style grips naturally with the blues based thunder of Zep. Yowling fiddles and squealing slide step in for the howls of Robert Plant, washboards and muted mandolins chop out the ballistic Bonham beats, and a whole slew of acoustic guitars, banjos and dobros build up the propulsive leads and rhythms crafted by Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones.
Under the control of CMH's pickers and pluckers riff-ready roarers like 'Black Dog' become woozy-bloozy slow burners, 'Whole Lotta Love' beats down with the dry heat of the Alabama sun, and 'Rock and Roll' turns into an excellent Dukes of Hazzard chase song. The songs simultaneously gain new life in the style transition, while having their traditional bones emphasized and strengthened.
