Jann Browne started out as a singer with Asleep At The Wheel, then set off on her own path as a rootsy, hard country singer with an Emmylou-like vibe. Her major label years were brief but beautiful, and her indie albums also call out to roots music fans. Here's a quick look at her work...
Jann Browne "Tell Me Why" (Curb, 1990)
(Produced by Steve Fishell)
Jann Browne set off on her solo career with this doozy of a disc, backed by several hotshot pickers along the lines of Albert Lee and James Burton (alumni of the Emmylou Harris Hot Band), and John Jorgenson as well. Browne racked up two Top 20 hits with this one, and although that was her official commercial peak, she's been making great music ever since. Recommended!
Jann Browne "It Only Hurts When I Laugh" (Curb, 1991)
(Produced by Steve Fishell)
Here's a hidden gem: a remarkably rootsy commercial offering from a gal with an appealing but imperfect voice. Alt-country hillbilly filly Rosie Flores is the closest comparison I could come up with, with a fleck of that old Emmylou tone in there as well... and hey, if you like Rosie, you oughta love this album! The title track is pretty darn fun, and the rest of the album holds up as well... Apparently, Browne started out as the "girl" singer in the Asleep At The Wheel band in the early '80s; she had a couple of songs hit the lower rungs of the charts, but none of them were from this album. At any rate, this one's worth searching for...!
Jann Browne "Count Me In" (Cross Three, 1995)
Jann Browne "Missed Me By A Mile" (Plan B, 2001)
Jann Browne "Buckin' Around: A Tribute To The Legendary Buck Owens" (Plan B, 2007)
