This year marks the 20th Year Celebration of PORTFOLIO, originally released in 2002, and available for the first time for digital downloads and streaming. Produced by RONNIE RENO, PORTFOLIO is a snapshot of the career of RONNIE RENO dating back to his days as a youngster with Bluegrass legends RENO & SMILEY, moving on to another Bluegrass legend duo the OSBORNE BROTHERS, then many years with Country legend MERLE HAGGARD and finally a family gathering with THE RENO BROTHERS.
By early 2000 RONNIE RENO built a distinguished career in the Bluegrass and Country music world. The son of first-generation pioneer DON RENO, he played mandolin with RENO & SMILEY, guitar, bass and harmony vocals with the OSBORNE BROTHERS, guitar and harmony vocals with MERLE HAGGARD and with his brothers DALE RENO (mandolin) and DON WAYNE RENO (banjo).
The songs on this reflection-collection reach as far back to the hits with RENO & SMILEY "I'm Using My Bible For A Roadmap" and "I Know You're Married But I Love You Still", and includes RENO’S best-known composition, "Boogie Grass Band," a number one hit for CONWAY TWITTY.
RONNIE RENO’S smooth, laid-back approach fits beautifully with all the songs selected on this special and very personal album. The album strength lies in the interpretations of Reno’s own distinctive songs like “I Need That Shoulder (After All)”. PORTFOLIO is a wonderful distillation of RONNIE RENO’S career during this highly successful period in his life.
“Portfolio came about because I was thinking back about some of the highlights of my career and wanted to put it to music. My dad was the first part of my journey while being with Don Reno and Red Smiley. So, I picked a couple of songs from their great catalog to record. The journey continues with The Osborne Brothers while thinking about my time singing with them featuring the great harmonies. Moving on to my time with Merle Haggard, for 8 years I recorded many songs singing harmony with he and Bonnie. September In Miami was a song Merle wrote for me which I recorded on my first solo album in 1974. Finally, the Reno Brothers Band (Dale, Don Wayne and I) who as a family band toured together for many years. I was also able to put Boogie Grass Band on this project which is a Country hit song in 1978 I wrote for Conway Twitty . Hope you enjoy the great songs and can take this musical journey with me. Many thanks for all the great years” - Ronnie Reno
SONGS:
1. I’M USING MY BIBLE FOR A ROADMAP
2. I KNOW YOU’RE MARRIED BUT I LOVE YOU STILL
3. HIGHWAY OF LOVE
4. SEPTEMBER IN MIAMI
5. FREIGHT TRAIN BOOGIE
6. LISTENING TO THE RAIN
7. WILD BILL CHEATHAM
8. TRAVELIN’
9. BOOGIE GRASS BAND
10. SWEETHEART SLAYER
11. AMERICAN TRILOGY
12. KNEEL DOWN
13. I NEED THE SHOULDER (AFTER ALL)
14. PAIN OF LOVING YOU
PORTFOLIO is available commercially wherever digital downloads are available including iTunes and Amazon and streaming on Spotify and Pandora.
