CMT Blog: Archive

Jonatha Brooke will begin her spring tour on Friday (March 20) and she's bringing her new buddy -- Woody Guthrie. Their partnership started a few years ago when Woody's daughter, Nora, opened her late father's archive of notebooks, brimming with lots of folk lyrics and assorted scribbled lines. At first, Brooke was just going to cherry-pick a few words to write a song for a tribute concert but she ultimately became overwhelmed with the bounty of material. Piece by piece, Brooke crafted the poetry into lyrics, even when the words were written during different parts of Guthrie's life; then she added her own melodies. With Nora's blessing, the labor of love turned into the 2008 album, The Works. The incredible thing is, The Works works beautifully within the scope of Brooke's own long career as a singer-songwriter. She included two of her own compositions on the album, yet they fit so seamlessly that I had to look at the liner notes to figure out which ones they were.

Like Billy Bragg & Wilco's similar effort, Mermaid Avenue from 1998, The Works illustrates that the late folk hero wasn't shy about his romantic notions. "All You Gotta Do Is Touch Me" and "My Flowers Grow Green" are flirtatious, while "Sweetest Angel" can make even the jaded folks (like me) say, "Awwwww." To be honest, it took me a few listens to click with the album because it's just so ... optimistic. But now that I've let my guard down, I'm smitten by the whole record. Teamed with co-producer Bob Clearmountain and a gathering of top-notch musicians, Brooke captured the live vibe that folk singers thrive upon. And if she can replicate that elusive spark on tour, you can bet the spirit of the famed folk singer will be right there on stage, too.