The Coolest Country Compilation You'll Hear All Year
It took me a while to dig further into The Imus Ranch Record because I couldn't stop myself from playing the first track over and over and over - Patty Loveless' exquisite rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "Silver Springs." However, now that I've overcome that minor hurdle, I find myself hung up on several other tracks by the likes of Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Randy Travis and even Little Richard! (Sorry, I can't help it. I always have to put an exclamation point after Little Richard!)
Right now, my other two favorites are Raul Malo's tender reading of "Life Has Its Little Ups and Downs," that cool old Charlie Rich song about devotion in the midst of hard times. Buddy Miller joins him on guitar, which makes it even cooler. I'm also quite fond of Bekka Bramlett's "What Happened," a new song that rips my heart out. Essentially it's about being completely blindsided by a breakup and the raw hurt that goes along with it. Gretchen Wilson originally recorded it for this project, but Don Imus (the radio host who assembled the project) preferred Bramlett's demo instead. In a fitting conclusion, Loveless returns at the end of the album to sing harmony with Vince Gill on "A Satisfied Mind," which they recorded right after Porter Wagoner's funeral. It's a beautiful version and a reminder that an incredible song will live on long after its creator is gone.
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RedMaZ says:
This project has been in the works for a long time, even before Imus was fired from MSNBC. Overall it turned out well, mainly because it consisist of Americana/Roots artists. Too bad Big & Rich had to stink it up (didn’t care for Dwight’s Cover of “Give Back The Keys To My Heart”). Other than that, it was a good effort by all.
Steve from Boston says:
I think Dwight,Patty and Vince’s contributions are the highlights of this awesome compilation. VERY well done, and Imus has great taste in music!