REVIEWS
"Melinda Mullins’ mission to continue the legacy of her father’s timeless songs takes a huge leap forward with The Johnny Mullins Collection: Volume One. The late Johnny Mullins was the Springfield Public Schools janitor who gained national attention when nominated for a Grammy Award. The album, produced by Jim Rea, features 18 of Johnny’s songs with Melinda’s voice up front, surrounded by a bevy of Ozarks musicians. The tracklist begins with Melinda’s take on the Grammy-nominated “Blue Kentucky Girl”—following an introduction from Johnny himself, and includes numbers Melinda found in shoe boxes stuffed with his writings. Johnny’s writing moves between simple songs of country life to the deeply moving political number (“I Dreamed I Saw America On Her Knees”), with which the collection closes. With Rea’s polished production—Bo Brown is credited on two numbers—the album stays true to Johnny’s old-time country style and showcases the area’s immense talent. This album is a must-listen for fans of Ozarks country: for the history, for the legacy, for the music."
—Brett Johnston, 417 Magazine, June 12, 2017
“Melinda Mullins' showcase of the Johnny Mullins Collection is one of the happiest hours of music you will ever experience. Johnny's songs are small understated bits of true genius. And Melinda's warm and endearing performance of these songs, laced together with the stories and anecdotes that only she can tell, are like going to Sunrise Service at the First Church of American Music”
—Bob Walkenhorst, The Rainmakers
“There is something for everyone in the songs of the Johnny Mullins Collection. From folk, bluegrass and gospel, to good ol’ country music with a boost of rock-a-billy. The stories that Johnny Mullins shares through his songs ignite joy, laughter, heartache, personal memories of home, loved ones, a father’s advice; and when they are delivered by the grace and vocal sweetness of Johnny’s daughter, Melinda Mullins, the world is connected one song at a time to the purity of all that is good in Ozark music. An evening shared with the spirit of Johnny Mullins brought to life by Melinda Mullins is not one that is soon forgotten.”
—Kasey Rausch, Co-Host River Trade Radio, KKFI FM
”If you are interested in the art of song writing, a country music fan or a lover of GOOD music in general, then you should know about the Johnny Mullins Collection. Johnny Mullins was an elementary school janitor and Grammy nominated songwriter from Springfield, Missouri who wrote songs for Porter Wagoner, Loretta Lynn and the likes. He never moved to Nashville even when Nashville begged him too. He kept his job and wrote his songs... hundreds of them! His daughter is now trying to go through the shoe boxes full of cassettes that he left and the pages and pages of lyrics to preserve and archive them. I got to see her perform a set of these songs with her friend and guitarist, Bo Brown this weekend [Folk Alliance International Music Fair 2015] and it was divine. Her voice is so sweet that when combined with her dad's heartfelt, simple but wise lyrics it just works its way right into your heart. Thank you for doing what you're doing, Melinda Mullins! It's so important!”
—Kim McLaws, Kansas City, MO
“The Layton Hollow Gals duo (Melinda "Moon" Mullins and Betsey "Biscuit" Graves) deliver a heartfelt live music history of the songwriting of Melinda's Dad, Johnny Mullins. I confess to not having known much about Johnny Mullins, but now have my appetite whetted. What an interesting man he was, working as an elementary school custodian during the day, and exploding with poetry and songs any time, day and night. His sweet music and human insight have made it into his daughter. I encourage you to take a listen!”
—Mike Paget, Green Guitar Folk House, Lenexa, KS
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