In the history of country music, one of the most admired and compelling acts was the Louvin Brothers, a duo from Alabama that recorded from the late 1940s through the early 1960s. The team split in 1963, each going separately to forge new careers as solo artists. Ira Louvin’s career was tragically cut short when he was killed in an auto accident on Father’s Day in 1965. Charlie Louvin continued as a solo and recorded a string of popular country recordings for Capitol.

In 1992, Charlie Louvin made the decision to return to the duet format of the Louvin Brothers. The move has been billed as a “Louvin Brothers Music Celebration.” To the delight of his many fans, Charlie has teamed up with mandolin player/tenor singer Charles Whitstein (of Whitstein Brothers fame) to achieve this stunning musical re-creation. Old fans can’t believe their ears and young ones are getting a lesson in where country harmony came from.

Hoping That You’re Hoping features the debut recordings of Louvin & Whitstein on an excellent collection of Louvin Brothers-styled material. In fact, half of the songs recall earlier Louvin triumphs such as “When I Stop Dreaming,” “Don’t Laugh,” and “I Love You Best Of All.” A significant feature of this release is that several songs that the Louvin Brothers wrote in the 1950s, but never recorded, are finally given that special Louvin treatment. These include “You’ll Forget,” “Love and Wealth,” and the beautiful “Stormy Horizons.”