DESCRIPTION:
I have always like this song, "Sawmill Road" that was written and released in 1992 by Diamond Rio a country band founded in the 1980s'. The Diamond Rio writes most of their own material often featuring Christian themes. Perhaps they are best known for the fact that their first release "Meet in the Middle" went to number one on the Billboard charts. The original 6 members of the band still perform together. Diamond Rio features a number of instruments in their band including mandolin and banjo so I thought it would be interesting to try it on the mandocello.

1942 Gibson K-5 style mandocello fitted with D'Addario J78 strings and played with a Wegen TS-100 pick.

Sawmill Road written by Sam Hogin/Jim McBride/Dan Truman
ME AND BILLY JOE AND MARY BETH
WERE RAISED UP ON THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
MADE A SOLEMN VOW THAT WE'D ALWAYS BE CLOSE
AND NEVER WANDER FAR FROM SAWMILL ROAD
AS THE YEARS WENT BY, THE WORLD BEGAN TO CHANGE
ONE BY ONE WE OUTGREW THOSE CHILDHOOD GAMES
MOMMA COOKED AND CLEANED AND WORRIED ABOUT OUR SOULS
WE GOT INTO BEER AND CARS AND ROCK AND ROLL

CHORUS: WE KNEW JESUS WAS THE ANSWER, AND ELVIS WAS THE KING
"BLUE SUEDE SHOES" AND "ROCK OF AGES" WERE THE SONGS WE LEARNED TO SING,
OUR INNOCENCE WENT OUT OF STYLE AND WE JUST WATCHED IT GO
OUR YESTERDAY GOT LEFT BENEATH, THE DUST OF SAWMILL RD

BILLY JOE WENT TO SAIGON FOR UNCLE SAM
NOW I GO TO SEE HIM, HE DON'T KNOW WHO I AM
ONCE A YEAR I GET A CARD FROM MARY BETH
SHE'S WITH HUSBAND NUMBER FOUR SOMEWHERE OUT WEST
I STILL LIVE IN THIS OLD HOUSE WHERE WE WERE RAISED
ON THIS DIRT ROAD THE COUNTY NEVER PAVED
NOW, I WATCH MY KIDS AND WORRY ABOUT THEIR SOULS
AND PRAY THEY'LL NEVER WANDER FAR FROM SAWMILL ROAD

CHORUS....

ME AND BILLY JOE AND MARY BETH
WERE RAISED UP ON THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS......

I own no rights to this song but suggest that the copyright disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allows fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. This video was made solely for the purpose of study, review, critical analysis or education purposes.