The folks at Sugar Hill say “Best of the South” is “a collection of songs that exude the very essence of the South.”

The singer-songwriters “continue the tradition of deep Southern storytelling,” the label says.

But Greg Trooper is from New Jersey. Grey DeLisle is a Southern Californian.

And The Duhks hail from Canada.

No matter, Sugar Hill says, they “show the vast and varied influences that Southern music has had on artists from all over the U.S. and beyond.”

There’s some great material on here.

Terry Allen’s “The Great Joe Bob (A Regional Tragedy)” tells the tale of a Texas high school football star gone bad.

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And The Duhks rockin’ version of the traditional “Death Came A Knockin’ ” is such a happy song that you want to jump up and open the door. Death suddenly sounds cool.

But don’t expect to find much – if any – bluegrass here, despite the fact that Sugar Hill is a major bluegrass album.

Scott Miller’s “Dear Sarah” and “Ciderville Saturday Night” are more Appalachian than bluegrass. But the sound is close.

Also in the close-but-not-quite category are Dolly Parton’s “Little Sparrow,” The Gibson Brothers’ “Dreams That End Like This” and Tim O’Brien’s “Family History.”

Again, it’s a good album.

But it’s not bluegrass.