When veteran country singer/songwriter Jim set out to explore bluegrass a few years ago, he didn’t just unplug the amps and buy a banjo. Instead, he approached the genre with the same level of craftsmanship that has always distinguished his more electrified work. Despite its status as Jim’s third new album within the last year, he holds to those high standards on The Bluegrass Diaries. The stripped-down acoustic arrangements are entirely appropriate to the trim economy, gentle humor and emotional directness in these songs.