Vince Gill's The Key Is a Keeper
I spent most of the holidays housesitting for a friend, and since I don't have an iPod, I decided to bring over a few CDs. So I grabbed an empty carrier and ... hey, where are my CDs anyway? Oh yeah, over there in the corner. Since nearly all of my new music is on my computer, I hardly ever rummage through the "old stuff." However, I found a couple of country keepers in my dusty CD collection:
Vince Gill's The Key (1998)
This sounds like country music through and through. It's almost a duets album with guests like Patty Loveless, Alison Krauss and Shelby Lynne lending their harmonies.
Dixie Chicks' Wide Open Spaces (1998) and Fly (1999)
It's been years since I've listened to these but I remembered every word to every song. "Cowboy Take Me Away" is a country classic and "Sin Wagon" is still a hoot.
Steve Wariner's Ultimate Collection (2000)
One of my favorite singers from the 1980s. It's so easy to wake up with "The Weekend," "Small Town Girl," "You Can Dream of Me," "Some Fools Never Learn" and so on.
Lyle Lovett's Anthology, Vol. 1: Cowboy Man (2001)
He packs more words into his songs than anyone else in my music collection, yet he makes them all count. If extensive vocabulary turns you on, you can't resist this one.
The Mavericks (2003)
I can't help but dance when this music plays, even if it's just around my friend's kitchen. I was a big fan in the 1990s, but this one's as exuberant as anything they've done.
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
peppersprout says:
Fantastic collection of music, Mr. Shelburne! … without a doubt, the joy of listenin’ to such amazin’ sweet sounds made your housesittin’ task much more pleasurable than it could’ve been! … :D
BTW, Raul Malo is comin’ out with new self-penned music in the early part of March - but then you probably already knew that! … LOL … :D
Leeann says:
I like your way of thinkin’, Mr. Shelburne!
TxAgg says:
Steve Wariner sings with such soul. There is something almost haunting about some of his songs (Your Memory). Just true country heart and soul.
Dan M. says:
Sweet set of albums. More posts like this one, please.
Ross G. says:
“Sin Wagon” isn’t on the Wide Open Spaces CD. It’s on the Fly CD.
RedMaZ says:
Thanks to Graig for keeping this blog site somewhat balanced.
Kenny says:
I think Vince Gill’s “The Key” is really his best album to date. I like the jazz-country arrangement of “If You Ever Have Forever In Mind”, but “The Key To Life” really takes the cake. It is a simple song, but with every listen, I still discover new layers and meanings.
Kevin says:
I agree Kenny. “If You Ever Have Forever In Mind” is one of my favorite songs of all time.
J.R. Journey says:
Yes, very nice list. If it weren’t for you, Mr. Craig Shelburne, I would have given up reading this blog a long time ago …
countryiscool says:
Hey RedMaZ,
I was channel flippin’ with the remote and got into the 900#channels and found the Americana channel on TV- just
audio, no vids, but now I can at least catch some of the artists you keep naming, or ones I see on these blogs to
see if I like any of them. Alison Krauss was on when I
found it, already familiar with HER, but sometime this
week when I’m home, I’ll leave it on awhile & be sure to
check some of the names/songs-let you know what I think.
I like many of the current mainstream artists, but since
I can’t listen on my computer, I will listen from the TV.
RedMaZ says:
That’s wonderful countryiscool. This to me shows you have an open mind and are at least willing to check other new music. I’ve never once claimed Americana music is for everyone. It’s not, but it deserves to be recognized as a driving force in todays music scene. With it’s vast variety, I’m sure there will be something you’ll like. If not…that’s okay too. The most important part is that you now know about it. Let me know when you can, and thanks.
Eddie says:
Craig, I’m probably misquoting (or at least paraphrasing) him, but I believe Mr. Gill said when he made The Key that his aim was “to make an album so country that it makes Alan Jackson sound like the Spice Girls.”
countryiscool says:
RedMaZ,
I’ve only gotten to listen to a few artists on the Americana channel.
Randy Rogers Band, “Down and Out,”
Will Hoge, “Dirty Little War,
Mark Olson, “Poor Michaels’s Boat,”
Michelle Shocked, “Secret to a Long Life,” and
Jim Lauderdale/The Dream Players, “Honeysuckle Pie.”
I tend to like the men singers/bands better, but I liked the above artists, JL a little less, Michelle more. I’m not sure where Patti Loveless, Kathy Mattea, or Pam Tillis fit in, in terms of traditional vs Americana vs Roots. I also liked Dolly’s “Dagger Through the heart.”
btw, I found out one of my relatives (using my computer periodically) made a few comments in my name instead of her own. Apparently she doesn’t read ALL the blogs. I have always said I like mainstream pop country but would check out what you suggested too. I can’t remember what other blog she commented but if it’s contrary to what I am posting now, it wasn’t me. I will keep listening and let you know what I think. Thanks!
terry forrester says:
i am looking for some country singers who would sing my songs. like ronnie milsap;vince gill;aand ect. thank you