A dignitaries' invitation list included the British ambassador to South Africa, specifically to mark an old imperial connexion; there was rather less Christian relish for a decision also to extend a pew to Calvinia's mayor, Jac Strauss, regarded as having a rather backwoodsy kind of disposition.(58)

"Yesteryear we were seen as a backwoodsy place, but we're becoming much more sophisticated.

Mustering up his inner Neil Young, Beck delivers mighty vocals to go with his muscular guitar strums on "Country Down.'' In the guise of a world-weary recluse who lives just a mile outside of town, Beck shrugs, "What's the use in being found?/When you can lose yourself in some good ground.'' Pedal steel guitar, saloon piano playing and bluesy harmonica add to the backwoodsy feel.

On the backwoodsy "Barbara Allen,'' Sweet Willie (aka an incessantly whiny Armstrong singing solo) is dying from a broken heart, while the listener might die from sheer boredom.

Martin - who is a master of "claw-hammer" banjo playing (a style of playing that involves striking the strings with the thumb and one finger) and the Steep Canyon Rangers play as a cohesive unit, making "Rare Bird Alert" an exuberant celebration of bluegrass music, without coming off as stuffy, scholarly or too backwoodsy for the casual listener.