Posted on: November 13, 2020 Posted by: Kim Muncie Comments: 0

If the oaky-toned melodies of an Appalachian bluegrass sound are what you’ve been craving this autumn, you’re going to enjoy what James Reams has to offer in the new documentary Like a Flowing River: A Bluegrass Passage, which is currently available on Amazon Prime Video and attracting some warm reactions from critics and fans alike. While strictly a documentary and not a concert film, Like a Flowing River features interviews and live footage the same while staying focused on the biography of its star player – often as seen through the eyes of his peers in the bluegrass underground. A high-caliber independent artist who has seen a little bit of everything in his time, Reams doesn’t disappoint in this documentary as a focused and sincere player with a heart dedicated to celebrating his genre’s best values.  

Like a Flowing River: A Bluegrass Passage doesn’t just cover the pleasant moments in the long odyssey of a musician; the concepts of both mortality and legacy are a constant theme in the film (and, admittedly, an apparent in Reams’ life), as they have shaped some of the most critical turning points in his career to date. In the process of talking about losing his significant other to cancer nine years ago, he discusses how the loss was far greater than just a mere lover, but in fact a complete inspiration and occasional writing partner in and outside of the studio. His influence and consistency among rivals and contemporaries the same is always of a lesser importance than the acknowledgement of what has actually made his music, which is rather telling of just how much depth he has a songwriter and artistic force to begin with. 

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Reams-James-Flowing-Bluegrass-Passage/dp/B08731C65W

Of course, it’s always interesting to hear what other figures from around an industry think about a pillar among the foundations of a generation, and in this department, Like a Flowing River doesn’t let us down by any measurement. There’s nothing overly showbiz-centric about the way the story of Reams’ life unfolds here, but at the same time I think his fans should be warned that we’re getting into a lot more detail on the man than we are the music in this instance. You could make the argument that it’s only in taking this path that we’re able to appreciate the complexities of his artistry, and after seeing this documentary, I for one would have to agree with you. 

It’s been an incredibly long road so far for James Reams and the Barnstormers, and though some would say that he’s nearing a point in his career where he doesn’t need to be quite as ambitious as he was some 25 years ago, I’m very optimistic about the sort of sound we can expect him to continue producing in the years ahead. The biggest takeaway from Like a Flowing River: A Bluegrass Passage is that Reams is a man who will live and die by the legacy of the music he loves so very much, and for my money, he’s already made himself quite an icon among legends simply in sharing this inspiring story with us on film. 

Kim Muncie 

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