''Nobody Knows What You Do'' is an album by

John Hartford John Cowan Hartford (December 30, 1937 – June 4, 2001) was an American folk, country, and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive kno ...

, released in 1976.

Background

After recording the minimalist ''Mark Twang'', Hartford returned to the studio with a band. The new material leaned more toward country-rock than bluegrass, which he would continue with 1977's Dillard Hartford Dillard collaboration and ''All in the Name of Love''. The instrumental "John McLaughlin" is a tribute to the jazz/fusion guitarist. For the CD release (Flying Fish FF70028), the track "Joseph's Dream" has been replaced by a recording of the song "Get No Better". This recording is an alternative version to the one released on the Dillard Hartford Dillard release ''Glitter-Grass from the Nashwood Hollyville Strings''. There has been no definitive explanation for this substitution. Thus, this studio version of "Joseph's Dream" remains unreleased on CD. It was, however, released as a digital download.

Reception

Writing for

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, critic Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. called the album "highly eccentric" and wrote "Hartford's approach on Nobody Knows What You Do is just about as far out as Hartford ever ventured... tshouldn't be the first choice for a new Hartford devotee. It may not even appeal to fans of his more recent work. But for those who can't get enough of those heady days of the early- to mid-'70s when an artist could still go into the studio and make an album like this, Nobody Knows What You Do will speak to the inner hippie-hillbilly."

Track listing

All tracks composed by John Hartford; except where indicated # "You Don't Have to Do That" – 1:30 # "Didn't Want to Be Forgotten" – 2:13 # "In Tall Buildings" – 4:18 # "John McLaughlin" – 1:35 # "Granny Wontcha Smoke Some Marijuana" – 1:49 # "The False Hearted Tenor Waltz" – 2:58 # "Joseph's Dream" * – 3:57 # "Down" – 2:00 # "The Golden Globe Award" – 4:15 # "Sly Feel" – 4:27 # "Somewhere, My Love-We'll Meet Again Sweetheart" (

Lester Flatt Lester Raymond Flatt (June 19, 1914 – May 11, 1979) was an American bluegrass guitarist and mandolinist, best known for his collaboration with banjo picker Earl Scruggs in the duo Flatt and Scruggs. Flatt's career spanned multiple decades, ...

, Maurice Jarre,

Earl Scruggs Earl Eugene Scruggs (January 6, 1924 – March 28, 2012) was an American musician noted for popularizing a three-finger banjo picking style, now called "Scruggs style", which is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music. His three-fin ...

) – 2:35 # "Nobody Knows What You Do" – 3:53

Personnel

– banjo, guitar, fiddle, vocals, harmony vocals *

Sam Bush Charles Samuel Bush (born April 13, 1952) is an American mandolinist who is considered an originator of progressive bluegrass music. In 2020, he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame as a member of New Grass Revival. ...

– mandolin, vocals, harmony vocals * David Briggs – piano *Jim Colvard – guitar *Dalton Dillingham – bass *

Buddy Emmons Buddy Gene Emmons (January 27, 1937 – July 21, 2015) was an American musician who is widely regarded as the world's foremost pedal steel guitarist of his day. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1981. Affectionately known by ...

– dobro, pedal steel guitar * Roy M. "Junior" Husky – bass *

Kenny Malone Kenny Malone (August 4, 1938 – August 26, 2021) was an American drummer and percussionist. Life and career Malone was born in Denver, Colorado. From the 1970s onwards, he was a prominent session musician in folk, country and many other acoustic ...

– drums *

Benny Martin Benny Edward Martin (May 8, 1928 – March 13, 2001), was an American bluegrass fiddler who invented the eight-string fiddle. Throughout his musical career he performed with artists such as the Bluegrass Boys, Don Reno, the Smoky Mountain Boys ...

– fiddle, guitar, harmony vocals *Dale Sellers – guitar *

Mac Wiseman Malcolm Bell Wiseman (May 23, 1925 – February 24, 2019) was an American bluegrass and country singer. Early life He was born on May 23, 1925, in Crimora, Virginia. He attended school in New Hope, Virginia, and graduated from high school the ...

– vocals, harmony vocals

Production

*Michael Melford – producer *Claude Hill – engineer *John Hartford – liner notes

References

{{Authority control 1976 albums John Hartford albums