Picture this. You are sitting around the living room after a good southern dinner on a Sunday evening. The family is gathered, the television is off, and each family member picks up an instrument and starts to play some good ol' classic country music. Well, that is the exact image I got right before I put in Patty Loveless' newest release "Sleepless Nights." However, that feeling didn't stay ar...
Too many cover albums fall into the comfortable paradigms of reserved, standard interpretations of oft-covered standards (Martina McBride, Timeless and recent Shanachie Records projects by Gene Watson and David Ball) and irreverent statements of artistic independence (Various Artists, Johnny Cash Remixed). Despite the proliferation of projects in these categories, most of the artistry of the [....
Too many cover albums fall into the comfortable paradigms of reserved, standard interpretations of oft-covered standards (Martina McBride, Timeless and recent Shanachie Records projects by Gene Watson and David Ball) and irreverent statements of artistic independence (Various Artists, Johnny Cash Remixed). Despite the proliferation of projects in these categories, most of the artistry of the [....
Big State Festival is officially done, at least for this year. Charlie Walker, co-owner of C3 Presents, cites "a lack of top tier talent" as the reason behind the festival's demise. John Gerome says starting in 2005, life for Patty Loveless took a hairpin turn. She lost her mother-in-law, brother, and mom, which spurred a [...]
Here's a song off the great new Patty Loveless album. She covers a bunch of classics, including this one by Gram Parsons. Twang alert for those allergic to it, but she is one of best in 'mainstream' Country, although she's pushed herself to the edges on her last few releases.
As terrific as this project looks on paper, the results aren't as satisfying as the elements might suggest. Loveless is in good voice, the songs are classics, and the arrangements suitably stripped of modern Nashville conventions, but the results are lacking in dynamic range and one-dimensional. Loveless has the tone and twang to effortlessly cast herself back (unlike, for example, Martina McBr...
Ticket for the American Songbook series at Lincoln Center go on sale for Friends of Lincoln Center today at 9am (check back later for the full schedule).