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January 01, 2011

The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers A Tribute - Various [1997]


"Jimmie Rodgers of course is one of the guiding lights of the twentieth century whose way with song has always been an inspiration to those of us who have followed the path. A blazing star whose sound was and remains the raw essence of individuality in a sea of conformity, par excellence with no equal...His message is all between the lines and he delivers it like nectar that can drill through steel. He gets somehow into the mystery of life and death without saying too much, has some kind of uncanny ability to translate it...We don't salute ourselves in making this record but we point you back there so you can feel it for yourself and see how far off the path we've come. Times change and don't change. The nature of humanity has stayed the same. Jimmie is at the heart of it all with a seriousness and humor that is befuddling, notwithstanding that infamous blue yodel that defies conjecture. His is the voice in the wilderness of your head...only in turning up the volume can we determine our own destiny."

 - Bob Dylan

Dreaming with tears in my eyes - Bono salutes himself; stick with it, it gets much better from here on in
Any old time - Alison Krauss swings
Waiting for a train - Dickey Betts and wins
Somewhere down below the Mason Dixon line - Mary Chapin Carpenter heads South
Miss the Mississippi and you - David Ball sure is sad and weary
My blue-eyed Jane - Bob Dylan reads between the lines and gets to the heart of things
Peach pickin' time down in Georgia - Willie Nelson, the old goat
In the jailhouse now - Steve Earle, and he should know
Blue Yodel #9 - Jerry Garcia, David Grisman & John Kahn nail it, like nectar that can drill through steel
Hobo Bill's last ride - Iris DeMent's voice defies conjecture
Gambling bar room blues - John Mellencamp does good, times change
Mule skinner blues - Van Morrison is baffling and most likely befuddled
Why should I be lonely - Aaron Neville is the voice, turn it up
T for Texas - Dwight Yoakam shows that T is also for Tedious and Trite, ah well.

Oddi wrth y brawd

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