Various Artists "ACROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE: THE SONGS OF JO CAROL PIERCE" (Deja Disc, 1993)
Actor-performance artist Jo Carol Pierce has been a longtime fixture on the alt-Texas landscape: the author of the stage pieces, Chippy and Bad Girls Upset By The Truth, longtime member of the "Lubbock Mafia," ex-wife of Jimmie Dale Gilmore and, as it turns out, one heck of a songwriter. Yup... this album is packed full of songs with lyrics that bite, clever turns of phrase and caustic concepts that'll make you turn your head... The trouble is, though, that on the musical side of things it's less enthralling. There's a lot of what I would consider subpar indie-rock and roots-rock on here, along with the twang that we all know and love so well. A few heavy-hitters pitch in, notably Joe Ely and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, but while Gilmore is in fine form, Ely was in a rut at the time, and even his contribution isn't terribly memorable. I remember this album causing a stir at my radio station when it first came out, but picking it up again years later, I have to admit I found it rough going... a bit grating and unpleasant to listen to, even. If you're interested in it purely from a storytelling and songcraft perspective, it might be worth checking out... But as an album you'd just want to listen to for pleasure... well, I have my doubts.

Various Artists "ANCHORED IN LOVE: A TRIBUTE TO JUNE CARTER CASH" (Dualtone Records, 2007)
(Produced by John Carter Cash)
An star-studded cast pays homage to the late, beloved doyenne of the Cash family... In keeping with the Carter/Cash legacy, there are several duets here, the best of which is Patty Loveless and Kris Kristofferson's stately intertwine on "Far Banks Of Jordan." Other album highlights include Rosanne Cash's sorrowful "Wings Of Angels," Brad Paisley's rock-solid rendition of "Keep On The Sunny Side" (Note to Brad: do more traditional stuff!! Could we get a whole album's worth someday?) and Billy Joe Shaver's irrefutably desolate "Kneeling Drunkard's Plea." Loretta Lynn, Ralph Stanley and Emmylou Harris weigh in as well, and doubtless many will be thrilled by Elvis Costello doing "Ring Of Fire..." Overall, a nice record, although in some ways it almost feels too soon for a tribute album to come out; so many fine June Carter reissues and the like have come out in the last few years, it feels like a record like this might get lost in the shuffle. Certainly worth checking out, especially for the fine gospel track by Mr. Paisley.

Garrison Keillor/Various Artists "A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK" (New Line Records, 2006)
The soundtrack to Robert Altman's curious film adaptation of the famed public radio series, A Prairie Home Companion... I have this whole kinda love-hate relationship with APHC... It's all because the two major NPR stations here in the SF Bay Area both play the show to death on Sundays, and many's the weekend where I've found myself with a sinkful of dishes to do and nothing to listen to but old Garrison and his guests. Well, hey, at least it's not Car Talk. The thing is, I almost always get sucked in -- Keillor's fusty, wheezing whisper and wry wit lure me in every time, and between the skits there are, of course, some dazzling musical moments. The in-house Guys All-Star Shoe Band have become a bit too set in their ways for me, but the excitement of hearing Americana icons such as Gillian Welch or John Prine, et. al. being broadcast into the heartland is, honestly, a thing of beauty. Whether or not you're too hip to hang with Keillor and his crowd, you have to admit, the man has done a great thing by keeping live radio alive, and he has consistently used his power and influence for good, championing countless folk/twang artists who otherwise would never reach even a fraction of his audience. This disc captures much of the flavor of the weekly broadcasts, but it's also kind of a curio, since it includes performances from actors such as Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin singing some of the songs and telling some of the jokes... There's not a lot of yakkin', either, just the standard show intro followed by a lot of music. Fans will love it. (And, wait... you say there's a movie, too? Now, how does that work??)

Various Artists "AVALON BLUES: A TRIBUTE TO MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT" (Vanguard Records, 2001)
A first-rate, heartfelt roots-folk tribute to the acoustic bluesman Mississippi John Hurt, who was one of the great rediscoveries of the '60s folk scene... Spearheaded by Peter Case, this is a captivating and effective album, with performances by some of the best roots musicians around -- folks such as Lucinda Williams, Dave Alvin, Ben Harper and Steve Earle, and even slumming indie popstars like Beck... The ever-naifish Victoria Williams chirps her way along, as well as Gillian Welch, who does an atypically goofy rendition of the gospel-tinged "Beulah Land". What marks this album is it's near-total lack of the stiff self-consciousness with which folkies have approached blues material in the last few decades -- these artists all "get" the easygoing, playful vibe that made Hurt such an appealing performer, lo those many years ago. Good stuff! Recommended!

Various Artists "THE BEST OF TIMES: TEXAS ARTISTS PERFORMING THE MUSIC OF SARA HICKMAN" (Sleeveless Records, 2011)
(Produced by Sarah Hickman)
A tribute to folk/pop songwriter Sara Hickman, who is well known for her charitable and philanthropic work. This 2-CD set is a benefit for the Theater Action Project, which helps support arts education in the Texas schools. On board are several folk and Americana heavy-hitters, including Marcia Ball, Edie Brickell, Shawn Colvin, The Flatlanders, Rhett Miller and Robert Earl Keen, along with a slew of others, dipping into the more indie and obscure end of the spectrum. High marks go to Willie Nelson for his gentle rendition of "Simply," which perfectly frames the sentiments of the song in an old-fashioned Tin Pan Alley aura; the same song closes the album in a hyper, popped-up dance version, courtesy of Brave Combo... I'll take Willie's version any day. Much of Hickman's ouvre is too pop-crossover for me, but I imagine that for many of her longtime fans, this collection will be a real treat. (For more info, check out Hickman's website...)

Various Artists "THE BOTTLE LET ME DOWN: SONGS FOR BUMPY WAGON RIDES" (Bloodshot, 2002)
A cute little set of countrified kiddie tunes, some old, some new, and some less suitable for little ears than others. Lots of high-power talent on here, including Rosie Flores, Kelly Hogan, Jim & Jennie, Rex Hobart, Robbie Fulks, The Waco Brothers, and the ever-popular Austin ensemble, the Cornell Hurd Band, whose "Don't Wipe Your Face On Your Shirt" is one of the album's highlights. Some of these songs really do connect on that super-goofy "kid" level, although others seems a bit too grown-up to me -- a little less melodic than what might be of interest to the under-8 crowd. Still, the songs that are fun are a gas, and if used properly this album should get the little people all charged up. Recommended.

Various Artists "CAUGHT IN THE WEBB: A TRIBUTE TO THE LEGENDARY WEBB PIERCE" (Audium Records, 2002)
An all-star tribute to my personal honkytonk hero, Webb Pierce. The level of talent assembled for this project is staggering, ranging from grizzled old-timers such as George Jones and Charley Pride to contemporary Top 40 stars Trent Summar, Dwight Yoakam and Pam Tillis. The twangcore crowd and '70s mavericks also get in their licks: Emmylou Harris delivers a plaintive reading of "Wondering," while Rosie Flores and Robbie Fulks cheerfully plow their way through a pair of Pierce's rock-era hits. It's difficult for anyone to match the charm and immediacy of Webb's original recordings, but high marks go to Dale Watson for his explosive version of "In The Jailhouse Now" and to Guy Clark, who hits the goofy mood of "Honk Tonk Song" right on the head. Willie Nelson is also in on the fun, which is appropriate since his 1982 duets LP was the last album Pierce recorded. Here, Nelson takes his time with a bittersweet, appropriately mournful version of "That's Me Without Out You," one of Pierce's weepiest and best ballads. With an all-star cast like this, and such great material to work from, this disc should open a few new ears to the Webb Pierce legend. Check this out, and be sure to pick up one of the great Webb reissues out there as well.

Various Artists "CONCERTS FOR A LANDMINE FREE WORLD" (Vanguard Records, 2001)
A worthy cause, if ever there was one. Landmines and other "anti-personnel devices" get scattered about like popcorn in the dozens of wars and feuds which simmer across the planet... The trouble is, like yard sale signs, no one ever bothers to clean the damn things up and they maim countless civilians, even year after the struggles are over. It's a big problem. The international community (especially the Europeans... god bless 'em!) are grappling with the logistical problems of how to disarm and dispose of all these leftover killer bombs, and there's a big push to ban them outright. So, this album? It's a bunch of the best alt.country types alive -- Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark, John Prine, Steve Earle and others -- gathered together and all on their best behavior to raise awareness and a little cash to help address the situation. Overall, this disc is a little sedate, but it's not very preachy, and there are no sub-par performances. (For more info on the landmine issue, check out the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation website.)

Various Artists "CRAZY HEART" (Soundtrack) (New West Records, 2010)
(Produced by T Bone Burnett)
I haven't seen the movie yet, but I love the soundtrack. Jeff Bridges, in character as Otis Blake, as a grizzled old, Willie-esque country rebel, perfectly taps into the low-key vibe of the indie-oriented Texas scene -- if you've told me his tracks had been recorded by someone like Tommy Alverson or Gary P. Nunn, I would have totally believed it. "Fallin' & Flyin'," his character's theme song, is a great tune: co-written by Gary Nicholson and the late Steve Bruton, it practically sings itself, it's the kind of country song that you'll be singing along with by the end of the first time you hear it (which is my personal standard for what makes a country song great...) There are also some oldies in the mix -- Buck Owens, Lightning Hopkins, The Louvin Brothers -- and when I first heard 'em I thought, uh-oh, is this going to be just another mish-mashy oldies-laden soundtrack? But the classic tracks help set up and perfectly compliment the new, original material... After a while, I just decided this was the mix-tape that Otis might have punched up on his tour bus, singing and drinking along as the power lines whiz by... Which brings me to my last point: I can personally attest that this is a great record to play while driving... So roll down the windows and crank 'er up... This is the real stuff.

Various Artists "DON'T LET THE BASTARDS GET YOU DOWN" (Jackpine Records, 2002)
A half indie-alt, half twangcore homage to 1960s/'70s outlaw songwriter Kris Kristofferson, with veteran altbilly rockers such as John Doe, Paul Burch, Kelly Hogan, Jon Langford and Chuck Prophet kicking in, along with more straight-ahead rock bands of various size and description. Kristofferson fans might also want to check out the more mopey, slowcore NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE collection, which was released at the same time, on a different label.

Various Artists "EDGES FROM THE POSTCARD 2" (P2 Records, 2000)

Various Artists "EDGES FROM THE POSTCARD, v.3" (Hayden's Ferry Records, 1999)

Various Artists "EDGES FROM THE POSTCARD, v.4" (Hayden's Ferry Records, 2002)

Various Artists "EVANGELINE MADE" (Vanguard Records, 2002)
An all-star country-folk tribute to cajun music, produced by Ann Savoy, of Beausoliel fame. The artists on here are pretty amazing -- Rodney Crowell, Linda Thompson, Maria McKee, Nick Lowe, Patty Griffin and others, all backed by a crackerjack cajun band fronted by Anne and Micheal Doucet, Steve Riley and others. Richard Thompson contributes a gorgeous version of "Les Flammes d'Enfer" and Crowell's take on "Bosco's Blues" is surprisingly soulful. If you're one of the many who normally find cajun and zydeco a bit too grating, you should think about picking this up: it's much smoother and less chanky-chank than the style normally sounds, and is pretty consistently good throughout.

Various Artists "THE EXECUTIONER'S LAST SONG" (Bloodshot Records, 2002)
One of the best Bloodshot albums of recent vintage, this disc features the semi-group called Pine Valley Cosmonauts -- Jon Langford and whoever he gets in as guest performers -- in a protracted examination of murder, vengence and the death penalty, a hot topic in Bloodshot's home state of Illinois, where state-sponsored executions have been put on hold, following a dramatic and horrifying rise in the 1980s and '90s. Personally, I like the album's political bent. I'm anti-capital punishment myself, opposed to the death penalty both because of the potential misapplication of justice, and also because I think that the political manipulation of public bloodlust and victim's grief is a grotesque and cynical exercise; every sheriff, police chief and district attorney who has "made" their own career on a capital case really oughta take a good, hard look in the mirror and see if they really like what they see. Musically, this is also a very strong record, with contributions from Neko Case, Freakwater, Steve Earle, Edith Frost and others... Definitely worth checking out.

Various Artists "EXPOSED ROOTS: THE BEST ALT.COUNTRY" (K-Tel Records, 1999)
Hey, laugh all you want, but lowly old K-Tel, the king of the "as seen on TV" labels really kicks some booty on these collections. Assembled with the help of the folks at No Depression magazine, the 2-CD "alt.country" set gathers some of the best material by some of the best '90s twangster outsiders. Heck, if it starts out with Lucinda Williams ("Passionate Kisses"), you know this record is going to be on the right track. Also included are Gillian Welch, The Gourds, Freakwater and Steve Earle, as well as some great selections by bands I was never that wowed by, such as Blue Mountain and Golden Smog, and nods to oldtimers like Johnny Cash and Gram Parsons. A couple of artists on here I will never be reconciled to, such as BR5-49 (who I think are utter hacks) and Alejandro Escovedo (whose appeal I just don't get), but when all is said and done, this is an impressive document of the times. The single CD companion COUNTRY LEGENDS collection, with a smattering of stuff by country greats including George Jones, Lefty Frizzell and Willie Nelson, isn't as compelling, but it's certainly no disservice to the style. One interesting entry is the inclusion of a track by Emmett Miller, a blackface minstrel performer from the Depression era who did smutty blues numbers similar to those done by Jimmie Davis and Jimmie Rodgers, early in their careers. Miller's work isn't exactly aimed at a P.C. audience, but its inclusion here shows a nice sense of country history... blemishes and all. Recommended!

Various Artists "THE EXECUTIONER'S LAST SONGS, v.2" (Bloodshot Records, 2003)
The first volume of this death-penalty-related series was so much fun that a bunch of folks wanted to chime in the second time around. This 2-CD set is a little less intense, and perhaps less focussed that the first, but a remarkable entourage of artists take part, ranging from Mark Eitzel, Rhett Miller and Dave Alvin to the usual Bloodshot/Chicago insurgent gang: Jon Langford, Sally Timms, Kelly Hogan, etc. The tone is generally lighter and more relaxed this time around, and includes outlaw ballads as well as odd covers such as Diane Izzo's version of "Strange Fruit" and Charlotte Greig's spin at the old British ballad, "Willie O'Winsbury." Not surprising Rex Hobart (who I think is a god) contribute's one of the most resonant songs on here: "(Two Days To Live) Forever To Burn," an original tune which may send a shiver down your spine. Sally Timms and Edith Frost also knock one out of the park with their version of "Long Black Veil" -- they oughta harmonize together more often!

Various Artists "FOR A LIFE OF SIN: A COMPILATION OF INSURGENT CHICAGO COUNTRY" (Bloodshot Records, 1994)
Various Artists "HELL-BENT VOL. 2: INSURGENT COUNTRY" (Bloodshot Records, 1995)
Various Artists "STRAIGHT OUTTA BOONE COUNTY" (Bloodshot Records, 1997)
These collections are good samplers of Bloodshot Records and the label's punk-flavored "insurgent country" ethos. They also show a lot of the style's weak points, mainly the over-abundance of trailer-trash stereotypes (which I find boring) along with the variable levels of country fluency. The rockers-go-country thing is all very well and fine, but I still like it when they can actually play the music. Still, these disc include all the major players on the label, and are a nice snapshot of what these folks were up to, back in the day.

Various Artists "FRISCO MABEL JOY REVISITED: FOR MICKEY NEWBURY" (Appleseed Records, 2000)
An ambitious and effective, delightful if somewhat dour tribute to songwriter Mickey Newbury, whose original versions of these songs had an aridity of their own... For the most part, these covers -- from the likes of Dave Alvin, Gary Heffern, Meredith Miller and Chuck Prophet, with guitar interludes by Bill Frisell -- capture the wistfulness and whimsy, as well as the utter self-importance of Newbury's work, and add something new as well... Nice record!

Various Artists "THE GRASS IS ALWAYS BLUER" (Nettwerk Records, 2004)
The Nettwerk label, once a bastion of grinding, blaring, '80s-style industrial music, has recently done a major about-face, delving deep into the current crop of mellow, melodic indiepop-Americana crossovers, and has become home to several of the genre's most promising new artists. The Be Good Tanyas, Shelley Campbell, Nathan, Oh Susannah and Old Crow Medicine Show represent the newly retooled label on this fine Americana sampler, which also pulls from several other sources to include stalwarts such as Iris Dement, Emmylou Harris, The Jayhawks, Rhonda Vincent, Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams, for a well-programmed sampler of the current wealth of rootsy singers out there today. Nice collection!

Various Artists "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUCK: A TEXAS SALUTE TO BUCK OWENS" (Texas Round-Up Records, 2002)
An all-star twagadelic tribute to the late Buck Owens, with musicians such as David Ball, Libbi Bosworth, Rodney Crowell, Cornell Hurd, Jim Lauderdale, The South Austin Jug Band and the Derailers (who backed Owens in his later years at his ginormous Bakersfield nightclub, the Crystal Palace...) About as rootsy and Buckalicious a compilation as you're likely to find!

Various Artists "HEARTWORN HIGHWAYS" (Shout Factory, 2006)
Meanwhile, back in Austin... and over in Nashville... things were really starting to cook! This is an amazing historical document, capturing the early years of the Americana scene as we know it. This disc is the soundtrack to a 1975 documentary film that caught giants such as Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle and John Haitt at the beginnings of their careers, compadres who formed the nexus of a scruffy singer-songwriter contingent that took its cues from the "outlaw" scene, as well as folkie friends like Townes Van Zandt and Steve Young, who had been kicking around a few years earlier. This actually includes the first recordings of Clark, Crowell, Haitt and Earle -- Guy being the most raspy and least eager to please, but each showing their own unique style, even this early on... (Amazing to think that Earle actually carried a tune like "Mercenary Song" around for more than a decade before putting it on wax!) Townes Van Zandt also adds a tune or two, and his densely-crafted, painfully earnest approach casts a long shadow on the others -- particularly on Earle. We're also treated to a few tunes from David Allen Coe, who was apparently slumming with the unsigned set, trying to build up his indie cred... Fans of any of these singers will want to check this album out and, more importantly, will want to see the film as well... Recommended.

Various Artists "HONKY TONK JUKE BOX SPECIAL" (Westwood International Records, 1996)
The cruder side of outlaw country, with naughty ditties such as Pinto Bennett's "Honky Tonk Asshole," Ken Carlyle's "Itty Bitty Titty Song," and other gems such as "Pukin' In The Parking Lot (We Ain't Leavin' Til We're Heavin')", "Coyote Ugly" and "It's Hard to Say I Love You (When You're Sittin' On My Face)." You kinda get the idea. Needless to say, this one's not suitable for younger listeners.

Various Artists "I LOVE: TOM T. HALL'S SONGS OF FOX HOLLOW" (CMHF/Red Beet Records, 2011)
(Produced by Eric Brace & Peter Cooper)
A sweet, goofy tribute to a sweet, goofy record by Tom T. Hall. Hall's 1974 album, Songs Of Fox Hollow, is one of the kookiest kids' records ever recorded, and this all-star homage brings its charms back to life. Released when Hall was still at the peak of his fame, Fox Hollow yielded the whimsical hit "I Love," but was also packed with songs about barnyard animals with lyrics that didn't anthropomorphize the critters or have them go on fairy tale adventures, but rather described them rather matter of factly: a fox that ran away from dogs, a runt chicken born with only one leg that learns to survive in the barnyard, a basset hound that wasn't particularly pretty but wound up "famous," onstage at a Johnny Cash concert. Hall lent an odd, pedestrian touch to his songs, a plainspoken tone with a bizarre self-assurance that his audience would still listen, even though he wasn't really saying anything too fantastic, and for some reason it all plays out perfectly, especially with little listeners in mind. This modern-day remake features some alt-country heavy-hitters: Gary Bennett, Elizabeth Cook, Patty Griffin, Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller among them, along with old-timers such as Bobby Bare and Tommy Cash, and even a couple of tracks featuring Duane Eddy(!) With steel guitar legend Lloyd Green anchoring the album, this one's a real winner, sweet in all the right ways and drenched in the oddball charm of the original album... Definitely worth checking out!

Various Artists "IT'LL COME TO YOU: THE SONGS OF JOHN HAITT" (Vanguard Records, 2003)
Singer-songwriter John Haitt is one of those terribly talented square-pegs who will never, ever get a fair shake in the fame factory... Everything about him, from his roots-rock songsmithing to his craggy countenance, is just a little too raspy for LA or Nashville to really latch onto. Still, he's got plenty of high-powered admirers among the performance elite, as readily seen in this great collection of songs drawn from a variety of albums. There's Rosanne Cash singing "This Is The Way We Make A Broken Heart," her ex-hubby Rodney Crowell singing "She Loves The Jerk" (the only good song off of one of his worst albums), Nick Lowe, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Miller... All with first-rate versions of Haitt originals. There are a couple of clunkers on here, particularly the hard-rockin' numbers by Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton, but on the whole, this is a fine, fun tribute to one of the best roots-rock composers of the post-hippie era. Recommended!

Various Artists "JAMIE OLDAKER'S MAD DOGS & OKIES" (Concord Records, 2005)
Drummer/producer Jamie Oldaker's name is hardly a household word, but a quick look at the lineup of performers on this disc will show you that the guy's got a lot of friends in high places. A tribute to the talent that springs forth from the state of Oklahoma, Mad Dogs & Okies features contributions from Ray Benson, Bonnie Bramlett, Vince Gill, Taj Mahal, Willis Alan Ramsay, Tony Joe White and others show that roots music -- the kind that blossomed under the radar in the 1970s -- is alive and well in the good old U. S. of A... True, Eric Clapton ain't from the Sooner State, but his association with J.J. Cale goes back a long, long way, and gives Clapton kind of honorary Okie status... Cale resurfaces as well, playing a solo track, and in a duet with Willie Nelson... Cale's laid-back Americana/blues vibe prevails, although two album highlights come from Ramsay's pen -- Clapton's dreamy version of "Positively" and Ramsay's own slow acoustic groove on "Sympathy For A Train" are the tracks I'd recommend the most... One mild disappointment is Richard Feldman's version of his own song, "Promises," a hit for Clapton back in '78 -- this version is fine as well, but it sounds so much like the Clapton single, you almost wonder what's the point. Anyway, this is a fine album, worth checking out if your a fan of old-school freeform radio, and remember back to the days when country-folk-blues-rock blends were in the aether all the time... You're doin' fine, Oklahoma!

Various Artists "JUST ONE MORE: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO LARRY BROWN" (Bloodshot Records, 2007)
An interesting concept for an album, and a swell set of tunes, this collection pays homage to author Larry Brown (1951-2004), one of the finest Southern exponents of "grit lit," who wrote stories about hard-living, ground-down plain folks, people who have serious flaws and plenty of rough edges. They're the same sort of protagonists that populate innumerable Americana and alt-country songs -- charmers, scoundrels, dudes who just like to hang out with their pals, weatherbeaten men and women who sometimes get blue, and who cling to the joys found in life's little surprises, taking comfort and making friends wherever they can... Literary analysis aside, this disc is a real doozy, filled with a bunch of powerful compelling songs... Standouts include Caroline Herring's mournful "Song For Fay," Cary Hudson's "Song In C," "Blue Car" by Greg Brown and "Robert Cole" by Brent Best. Vic Chesnutt, Jim Dickinson, Alejandro Escovedo and Robert Earl Keen are among the 'mericana heavyweights who pitch in, along with several folks from Brown's native Mississippi... The album ends with "Don't Let The Door" a scabrously obscene, utterly un-airable acoustic number with Brown himself on vocals, a fitting close to a set that his pals say is just the kind of mix that Brown would like to listen to while cruising along rural country roads. Definitely worth checking out!

Various Artists "KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE" (Amoeba Records, 1993)
An all-star twangcore tribute to the venerable Carter Family, featuring an early incarnation of Freakwater.

Various Artists "KEEP YOUR SOUL: A TRIBUTE TO DOUG SAHM" (Vanguard Records, 2008)
(Produced by Bill Bentley, Stephen Bowen, David Katznelson & Shawn Sahm)
A star-studded homage to the late, great Doug Sahm, one of the original heros of the indie/outlaw Texas scene. Sahm started out as a child prodigy, playing country music in the early 1950s, but he flipped when he heard R&B and was in the first wave of 'Fifties rock'n'rollers. He also absorbed a love of Tex-Mex border music, and brought all these passions to his work, making him a poster child for diversity in music, and his loose-limbed, genre-busting approach was decades ahead of the indie/indiebilly explorations of the last decade or so... Although it dips into music all Sahm's styles -- garage rock, the blues,country, Tex-Mex and psychedelic pop -- this disc tilts a little towards a more muscular, blues-based sound, evoking the sweaty nights playing in bars, rather than the cool licks recorded in studio booths. Dave Alvin, Alejandro Escovedo, Los Lobos, Delbert McClinton and Joe King Carrasco are among the old-timers who pay tribute here; while young'uns such as Sarah Borges, The Gourds and Sahm's son, Shawn Sahm, also join in the fun. I personally found this too blues-heavy for me, but folks who are more in the roots-rock, house-rockin' tip might dig it a lot.

Various Artists "LIFE GOES ON: MUSICIANS AGAINST CHILDHOOD CANCER" (Rural Rhythm Records, 2012)
An amazingly good bluegrass benefit album features a dazzling lineup of top talent from today's truegrass scene, tilting firmly towards the traditional end of the spectrum. Great fiddling, picking and high harmony singing from folks such as Blue Highway, The Grascals, The Johnson Mountain Boys, Doyle Lawson, JD Crowe, Rhonda Vincent, Sierra Hull, Paul Williams, Tony Rice, Bradley Walker and many, many more. A strong mix of secular and gospel material, and all of it as twangy and acoustic as you could want. All the profits from this collection are donated to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a worthy cause if ever there was one. Recommended!

Various Artists "LIGHT OF DAY: A TRIBUTE TO BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN" (Schoolhouse Records, 2003)
Nice album! I have to confess, I've never been a big fan of The Boss... Back in '78, a friend gave me a copy of The River, and I vaguely remember liking it, in an idle kind of way, though it didn't stay with me on my trip cross-country later that year... What lingering affection I may have had for Broose was later blown out of the water when he hit his bombastic "Born In The USA"-era MTV megafame phase -- he got filed away in the "way overplayed" category of my mind, along with Prince, Tina Turner, U2 and Michael Jackson... Numerous people over the years have tried to get me past my anti-Springsteenism, usually arguing that I'd be so totally blown away if I went to go see him play live... that the guy really put everything into his shows, etc. etc. But I never had the money, or the inclination, to see him rock the house down, so I've never really come into the fold. Still, even a Springsteen Scrooge like myself has to admit, this disc brings out the best in the man's work, with a fascinating parade of artists paying homage to his rootsy songwriting... For the Americana-inclined among us there are plenty of fine performances, with Joe Ely, Rosie Flores, Patty Griffin, Jason Ringenberg and Jennifer Glass lead the pack, alongside several old-school rockers like Cindy Bullens, Graham Parker and Elvis Costello, all in an acoustic/mournful mode... A few of the more rock-oriented tracks misfire, and while there are a few imitative growls, thankfully no one really goes for the full-on, over-the-top rocker howl that Bruce is known for, leaving the monster rock, stadium-bursting performances to Springsteen himself... This 2-CD set is a thoughtful, stylistically varied collection, with plenty of strong performances (and the ever-faithful fast forward button for the ones that don't suit your tastes...). Plus, this project is a benefit for two charitable organizations: The Parkinson's Disease Foundation and The Kristen Ann Carr Fund, which raises money to research and combat the group of soft-tissue cancers known collectively as sarcoma... All in all, this is a class act.

Various Artists "LONESOME, ON'RY AND MEAN" (Dualtone Records, 2003)
A well-produced and nicely varied tribute to the late Waylon Jennings. A few of these songs are a bit cumbersome, but others are a delight, particularly Norah Jones's spin at "Wurlitzer Prize," Dave Alvin's appropriately resonant version of "Amanda," and Guy Clark's take on "Good Hearted Woman." Also nice is a sweet version on "Waymore's Blues," done by the remnants of Buddy Holly's old band, the Crickets, an amiable and super-competent outfit who remain, curiously, unsigned and exiled on the periphery of the roots and oldies scene. The most glaring "which of these things is not like the other?" track is Henry Rollins' cowpunky stab at the title track, which, wisely enough, is buried at the end of the album, so roots fans don't have to fast forward past it. A nice tribute, though, definitely worth checking out, even if no one could do this material as well as Waylon did. He was the coolest of the cool.

Various Artists "MAKING SINGLES, DRINKING DOUBLES" (Bloodshot Records, 2002)
A swift set of singles-only rarities from the Bloodshot regulars... On board for the ride are JonBoy Langford, Kelly Hogan, Andre Williams, Moonshine Willy, the Meat Purveyors and others. For me, Rex Hobart's and Ryan Adams's numbers are the natural highlights; there are several predictably tongue-in-cheek rock and reggae covers, done up inna twangcore stylee.

Various Artists "THE MAN OF SOMEBODY'S DREAMS: A TRIBUTE TO CHRIS GAFFNEY" (Yep Roc, 2009)

Various Artists "THE MUSIC IS YOU: A TRIBUTE TO JOHN DENVER" (ATO Records, 2013)
A hipster-delic tribute to an unlikely icon, this album makes a surprisingly strong case for John Denver's continued relevance lo, these decades after his hippie-era heyday. With his back-to-nature, aw-shucks, wholesome-living image, Denver was an easy target for satire and derision back in the good old days, but in cover versions by artists such as Lucinda Williams, Old Crow Medicine Show, Emmylou Harris and Kathleen Edwards on the Americana side, and Train, Evan Dando and Blind Pilot on the indie-rock tip, Denver's songs emerge out of their 1970s shadows and reveal themselves to be pleasantly durable and resonant. Of course, not all the songs were written by Denver: Amos Lee delivers a nice rendition of "Some Days Are Diamonds," a great song composed by country auteur Dick Feller...) Album highlights include My Morning Jacket's ethereal, haunting version of "Leaving On A Jet Plane," as well as Mary Chapin Carpenter singing "I Guess He'd Rather Be In Colorado" and "Take Me To Tomorrow," covered by Dave Matthews, two performances I hardly expected to be drawn into... There are a few tracks on here that cleave too closely to the twee folkie sensibility that made John Denver a cultural caricature -- I actually like the original "Rocky Mountain High" a lot, but thought that Allen Stone's bland acoustic-soul version here and Brett Dennen's gooey impression of "Annie's Song" were both missed opportunities. Overall, though, this is a very strong, very rewarding record, one that could cause a few of us cynics to reassess our old opinions of the late, great John Denver.

Various Artists "NO DEPRESSION: WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE, v.2" (Dualtone Records, 2006)
A swell sampler of twangy tunes from various artists lauded in the pages of No Depression magazine... A very strong selection with Americana stalwarts such as Ryan Adams, Kieran Kane, Julie Miller and Billy Joe Shaver, along with left-of-center chart artists like Patty Loveless and Rosanne Cash, and less well-known names such as Jon Dee Graham's Resentments, or newcomers like the Drive-By Truckers. The pacing of this disc is excellent, as is the song selection: I first listened to it without looking at the track listing and was even lulled into liking a Drive-By Truckers tune(!) For a strong introduction to the genre, this disc really is ideal, each song is a gem, and they're woven together well. Nice, informative liner notes as well.

Various Artists "NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE: A TRIBUTE TO KRIS KRISTOFFERSON" (Incidental Music, 2002)
A melancholy, slowcore indie-alt homage to 1960s/'70s outlaw songwriter Kris Kristofferson, featuring modern artists such as Califone, Calexico, the Radar Brothers, Court & Spark, Grandaddy, and others. The overwhelming rock/lo-fi slant of this album makes it a bit of a fish-out-of-water curiosity. I suppose it's a good match, though, for Kristofferson's own overly-deliberate songwriting style. Don't expect much twang on this album, outside of a couple of tracks by Richard Buckner and SF Bay Area old-timey champs, the Crooked Jades. Kristofferson fans might also want to check out the more country-ish DON'T LET THE BASTARDS GET YOU DOWN collection, which was released at the same time, on a different label.

Various Artists "OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC: SONGBOOK, v.1" (Bloodshot Records, 2006)
A charming, earnest, open-mikey set from the graduates of Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music, a cultural institution apparently founded in 1957 and now about to celebrate its 50th anniversary... The strongest tracks on here are from well-known "ringers," folks like Danny Barnes (of the Bad Livers), Freakwater's Janet Bean, hillbilly smart-ass Robbie Fulks and Waco Brothers frontman Jon Langford... Most of the others I'm not familiar with, and some tracks are certainly better than others. Standouts include a barebones "Shady Grove" from a fellow named Colby Maddox, and "Salty Dog" by Rick Sherry... Dan Zanes also makes an appearance with a loosey-goosey version of "Drunken Sailor..." Many of the songs on here really are like listening to a friend of yours warbling away at a coffeehouse open-mic night, which is exactly as it should be: that's the whole point of folk music, right? As DIY as ya wanna be.

Various Artists "OUR SIDE OF TOWN: A RED HOUSE RECORDS 25th YEAR COLLECTION" (Red House Records, 2008)
My, how the time does fly. Twenty-five years gives this iconic indie-folk label a lot of great material to pick from, and they make the most of it with catchy tunes from Greg Brown, Cliff Eberhardt, Eliza Gilkyson, Lucy Kaplansky, Lynn Miles, The Wailin' Jennys and others... By and large this set sticks to a sleeker, pop-informed "adult alternative" template -- folk music that's all growed up and not still stuck in a coffeehouse ghetto. There are also a couple of charmingly dorky, heart-on-your-sleeve old-school folksongs, like John Gorka's "When You Sing" and "Old Dogs" by Bill Staines, that recall the folk world as it was when the label was founded, back in the early 1980s. It's probably the more modern stuff that will appeal to many listeners, as will some of the more modern artists, such as Ray Bonneville, who don't shy away from a more expansive sonic template and yet keep things just this side of the "rock" divide. A nice, strong sampler from one of the most vigorous, intelligent labels of the modern folk scene. Worth checking out! (By the way, if you're in my neck of the woods, in the SF Bay Area, you might want to check out the upcoming Red House anniversary show at the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse... Here's some info on the September 26th show: http://www.redhouserecords.com )

Various Artists "THE PILGRIM: A CELEBRATION OF KRIS KRISTOFFERSON" (American Roots Records, 2006)
A flat-out awesome album, one of the best tribute discs you'll ever hear. Undaunted by the release a couple of years earlier of two scraggy alt-country Kristofferson homages, the folks at American Roots have rounded up some major talent, including heavyweights such as Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Jessi Colter and Rosanne Cash, alongside younger artists like Shawn Camp, Bruce Robison, Kelly Willis and Todd Snider, all of whom show a strong affinity for Kristofferson's work. High marks go to rowdy gal Gretchen Wilson, who gets a plum role singing "Sunday Morning Comin' Down," and Russell Crowe who gives a surprisingly moving version of "Darby's Castle"; Waylon's boy, Shooter Jennings, acquits himself well on "The Silver Tongued Devil And I," and it's nice to hear raspy ol' Marshall Chapman ripping her way through "Jesus Was A Capricorn..." But really, it's hard to play favorites with this album... With the sole exception of a horrible track by "soul" singer Brian Knight, this disc is all killer, no filler from start to finish. Highly recommended!

Various Artists "POET: A TRIBUTE TO TOWNES VAN ZANDT" (Navarre Records, 2001)
I have to confess, I've never been a big fan of the late Townes Van Zandt, although I know a lot of you out there are... So, bear with me, and take what I say here with a grain of salt. One thing about this tribute album is that it certainly captures the somewhat overblown poetic pretensions of Van Zandt's work. It takes a remarkably graceful performer to overcome the belabored craftmanship of this writing: Guy Clark does it beautifully on "To Live Is To Fly"; Billy Joe Shaver and John Prine do alright on their respective tracks. The bulk of this album, though, is awkward and heavy-handed... that is, it follows pretty closely the template set down by Van Zandt himself. If you're into Townes to begin with, you should love this. It didn't rock my world, though.

Various Artists "POR VIDA: A TRIBUTE TO THE SONGS OF ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO" (Or Music, 2004)
This double-disc benefit album (to help cover mounting medical expenses) pays tribute to songwriters Alejandro Escovedo, the quirky, Texas-based rock-Americana songwriter who recently fell ill with hepatitis C... I have to confess, I've never been a fan of Escovedo's work -- it simply leaves me flat -- but the assembled talent on this collection is enough to turn anybody's head, so I felt obligated to check it out. What's that? Who's on it? Oh, just Lucinda Williams, Chris Stamey, The Jayhawks, Rosie Flores, Son Volt, John Cale, Lenny Kaye, John Dee Graham, Jon Langford, Jennifer Warnes (!), Cowboy Junkies and Calexico... to name a few. Escovedo's family members also pitch in, including jazz great Pete Escovedo (his dad), Shiela E. (his sister) and Javier Escovedo (his brother, who also used to be in the SF punk band, The Zeros...) Turns out I still don't like Alejandro's songwriting that much, but hearing it in new interpretations is kinda cool. High marks go to the craggy-voiced Bob Neuwirth for his spooky rendition of "Rosalie," and to the Jayhawks for the spacey Byrds-meet-Roy Montgomery vibe of "Last To Know." Those who enjoy eclectic music will find a lot to slurp up on this set.

Various Artists "PUTUMAYO PRESENTS: ACOUSTIC CAFE" (Putumayo Music, 2011)
A very mellow set of contemporary singer-songwriters, mostly of the wordy, confessional/coffeehouse-folkie variety... Features a few stalwarts such as Lucy Kaplansky (at her drowsy, Nanci Griffith-ish best...) and several newcomers such as Trevor Hall and the Sweet Remains, with highlight tracks from Sarah Jarosz and Justin Townes Earle. One eye-opener for me was a South African singer I hadn't heard of before, Gregory Alan Isakov, whose banjo-laced "Stable Song" was a sweet little earbender. As with many Putumayo collections, this will give you a good sense of the style, and several artists you might want to track down later.

Various Artists "PUTUMAYO PRESENTS: AMERICANA" (Putumayo Music, 2007)
Here's a swell set of mostly-mellow, acoustic-based Americana, drawing mostly on the folk and bluegrass/stringband side of the style, and leaving the rough-and-tumble bluesy stuff behind. Although Robert Earl Keen, Tim O'Brien, Old Crow Medicine Show and Alison Brown are all top-tier twangsters, outside of the coffeehouse confines of the folk scene, most of the artists on here are pretty obscure, which to my way of thinking is a real recommendation. This disc is full of pleasant surprises and artists you'll want to explore in greater depth, the very definition of a great compilation album. Standouts include longtime cult fave Chip Taylor, whose duets with Carrie Rodriguez have lit up several fine albums in the last few years, and "Sing A New Song" by Eliza Lynn -- a track that's actually unique to this album(!)... All in all, this is a disc that's got plenty of nice new stuff on it for potential twangfans to check out. Recommended.

Various Artists "QUIET ABOUT IT: A TRIBUTE TO JESSE WINCHESTER" (Mailboat Records, 2012)
An all-star tribute to '70s songwriter Jesse Winchester, including tracks by Jimmy Buffett, Rosanne Cash, Elvis Costello, Rodney Crowell, Vince Gill and Lucinda Williams and others...

Various Artists "RETURN OF THE GRIEVOUS ANGEL" (Almo Records, 1999)
(Produced by Emmylou Harris)
This groovy Gram Parsons tribute compilation has the distinction of having been produced by Emmylou Harris herself, making it the closest thing to an "official" tribute we're ever likely to see. For the most part, it's pretty solid: highlights include Lucinda Williams' cover of "Return Of The Grievous Angel," and Emmylou and Sheryl Crow are about as perfect a vocal matchup as you could desire. Evan Dando and Juliana Hatfield may surprise a lot of folks with their resonant version of "$1,000 Wedding", while postmod-pop icon Beck plays it surprisingly straight on a pedal steel-drenched rendition of "Sin City". There are, of course, disappointments, such as a lackluster Pretenders track, and a predictably insufferable performance by Wilco. Cowboy Junkies squander the inherent hillbilly bounciness of the original "Ooh Las Vegas" in favor of generic indierock/mopecore moodiness -- they score points for originality, though the results are melodically denuded, and lamentable. Several other tracks produce similarly indifferent results. Elvis Costello, on the other hand, is in his own special league, elevating Parsons' "Sleepless Nights" into the pop ballad stratosphere, one of several bright gems which make this collection worth your full attention.

Various Artists "THE ROUGH GUIDE TO AMERICANA" (Rough Guides, 2001)
The Rough Guide collection takes plenty of admirable chances, stepping further out of the twangcore canon, picking less obvious, scragglier bands such as Hazeldine, The Handsome Family, Western Electric and The Arlenes... Maybe it's because these were the songs they could get the rights to, but it's also nice to hear some alt-ier alt.country, along with the Neko Case, Townes Van Zandt and Gourds tunes... Nice set, definitely worth checking out.

Various Artists "SAIL AWAY: THE SONGS OF RANDY NEWMAN" (Sugar Hill Records, 2006)
Tribute albums are a tricky thing... More often than not, they raise the question of "why bother," since, if the honoree was so great to begin with, do we really need to hear a bunch of other folks tackle their work en masse? That's particularly true in the case of an artist as singular and singularly vexing as Randy Newman, the most potent bad-boy singer-songwriter of the 1970s, and scion of a three-generation musical dynasty that reached back to the early recesses of the Hollywood studio system. Newman was particularly notable for his scathing, taboo-breaking social satires aimed at the crew-cut legions of Nixon-era Southern rednecks; he took the elegant faux-Dixie musical motifs of Stephen Foster and grafted on some of the most scabrous and penetrating political lyrics of the era. Picking up the torch from Tom Lehrer and Phil Ochs, he brandished it as a weapon, jabbing the embers into the cyclops eye of American popular culture. Potentially, the Southern emphasis of Newman's early work lends itself to fruitful reinterpretation by country/bluegrass types who are willing to overlook the seeming slights to their culture, and appreciate his witty appropriations of country/folk musical modes... That's definitely the case with several songs on this twangy tribute disc, although other tracks fall wildly short of the mark. The songs that don't work are the ones that most nakedly simulate Newman's original recordings -- Tim O'Brien, Sonny Landreth and (sadly) The Duhks all make the fatal error of aping Newman's own intonation on songs such as "Sail Away," "Louisiana" and "Political Science." There was plenty of room for them to make these songs their own, but instead they slavishly copied the vocal inflections and phrasing that made these songs so compelling in the '70s, and come off as callow imitators. On the flipside, though, there are gems like Sam Bush's "Mr. President," which perfectly taps into the folkie broadside tradition that Newman was emulating, and Steve Earle's appropriately brash, in-your-face, punked-out reworking of "Rednecks," a performance that mercilessly pulls out every last strand of condemnation that Newman had lobbed at America, particularly at the hypocritical Yankee liberals who looked down their noses at the South while shunting the urban poor off into ghettos that were every bit as oppressive as the apartheid down South. Another welcome surprise is Bela Fleck's understated instrumental version of "Burn On," another one of my favorite Newman songs. Interestingly enough, no one wanted to tackle "Short People" or "I Love LA" -- heck, I would have settled for "Simon Smith And His Amazing Dancing Bear," instead of dumb old "You Can Leave Your Hat On..." But one thing I definitely agree with is that Randy Newman is one hell of a great songwriter, and hearing his songs again through this modern alt-twang filter is a fine reminder of just how good he really was.

Various Artists "SONGS FROM CHIPPY" (Hollywood Records, 1994)
An interesting, often compelling compilation album that was also the soundtrack for a theatre piece starring Jo Harvey Allen, and Jo Carol Pierce... Included on the ride are Joe Ely, Terry Allen, Butch Hancock, Robert Earl Keen, Wayne Hancock, who I believe made his debut on this album... Definitely worth checking out.

Various Artists "SWEET RELIEF: A BENEFIT FOR VICTORIA WILLIAMS" (Sony Records, 1993)
When Victoria Williams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, she found herself in that all-too-common position of many American artists: too broke to pay the medical bills, and no health insurance to make up the difference. But when you have friends and well-wishers such as Lou Reed, Matthew Sweet, Lucinda Williams, Pearl Jam and Giant Sand to help out with a benefit album, well... that's kind of nice. (Oh, and Mark Olson and the Jayhawks, too... let's not forget them.) Anyway, the songs are all written by Williams, which means they are idiosyncratic as can be, and often a bit difficult to cover, but there are plenty of magic moments. The results are variable, but certainly worth checking out.

Various Artists "TAKE ME HOME: A SAMPLER OF AMERICANA ARTISTS FOR PEACE" (Arden's Garden, 2006)
Peace hymns and protest songs have recently crept back into fashion in the folk world, as fury and sorrow over the Iraq War has bubbled up into the mainstream. Some of the artists on this collection have been at it for a while: Country Joe MacDonald evolved from an iconic '60s leftie firebrand into a tireless advocate for veteran's rights. Accordingly, here he records a tune called "Support The Troops"; other songs on this low-key set follow a similar path -- rather than fume at George Bush, per se, they extol peace as an abstract good. Some of the songs are quite lovely, some are quite sad... Along with veteran folkies such as MacDonald, Bob Brozman and Jesse Colin Young, there are plenty of relative unknowns, such as Dennis McGregor, whose reflective "Caught In Your War" opens the album and SF Bay Area local Shelly Austin chimes in with "I Wouldn't Lie To You." This disc probably won't win over anyone who's for the war or who doesn't like contemporary singer-songwriter folk, but for those listeners who are open to the message, it's a nice, thoughtful set. Worth checking out.

Various Artists "TEXAS SONGWRITERS -- RECORDED LIVE AT KERRVILLE" (Silverwolf Records, 2000)

Various Artists "TIMELESS" (Lost Highway Records, 2001)
Yet another reason for Lucinda Williams fans to look forward to that eventual compilation of her zillions of scattered, non-album tracks. Her version of Hank William's "Cold Cold Heart" is by far and away the best track on here -- a superior rendition of a haunting old song. The rest of these Hank covers have their ups and downs... it's interesting to hear modernized updates of Hank's rather sparse sound, although some tracks (I'm not naming names) slide off in the wrong direction. Oh, fine, then: I will name names! Could Sheryl Crow have been any screechier? I thought overstated city-kids-doing-warbly-hillbilly-yodelling performances like that went out in the early '80s... and it's not like she doesn't have the range or ability to sing this stuff with the proper feeling. Overall, though, this is an album a lot of folks will enjoy; other than the Lucinda track, it doesn't move me that much, but it's not offensive, either.

Various Artists "TO: KATE -- A BENEFIT FOR KATE'S SAKE" (Western Beat Records, 2005)
A mighty fine Christmas offering, with a humanitarian twist... Kate Kirk is a 3-year old Nashviller with a rare genetic disorder called Niemann-Pick Disease, Type A/B; her older sister Caroline also has the disease and doctors say it is too late to treat the 6-year old, but believe that a marrow transplant may help in Kate's case. Hence, this tribute album, which seeks to raise the money to pay for the operation. You may quibble about the person-by-person band-aid approach that a lack of a national health care plan has brought to so many lives (I have a friend here in the Bay Area that has a similar album out in his honor...), but it's hard to argue with the artistic successes of this disc... A lot of high-powered Americana types have pitched in on this one, including Joe Ely, John Prine, Buddy & Julie Miller, Jim Lauderdale, Raul Malo and Rosie Flores, and the tone of the album is surprisingly upbeat and life-affirming, considering the downbeat nature of the album's origin. Highlights include a duet between Steve Earle and Allison Moorer on his "Nothing But A Child," Jim Lauderdale's "Holly And Her Mistletoe" and a Guy Clark song covered by actor John Corbett, who has a promisingly gruff "old man" voice (and an album coming out soon...) This is a really nice record, with only a couple of songs that seem out of place (like a jarring rock song from Jason & The Scorchers... A welcome addition to the country Christmas canon, and a nice choice a holiday stocking stuffer. Recommended!

Various Artists "TOUCH MY HEART: A TRIBUTE TO JOHNNY PAYCHECK" (Sugar Hill Records, 2004)
(Produced by Robbie Fulks)

Various Artists "TRIBUTE TO STEVE GOODMAN" (Red Pajamas Records, 1985)
(Produced by Al Bunetta)
A lot of folks really loved folk-pop-twang songwriter Steve Goodman, as evidenced by this freewheeling tribute album featuring an impressive lineup of well-wishers honoring Goodman a few months after he passed away in late 1984, after a long struggle with leukemia. There are some familiar pairings, notably Goodman's great friend John Prine singing "Please Don't Bury Me" and "Souvenirs"; Arlo Guthrie crooning "City Of New Orleans"; Bonnie Raitt with "Angel From Montgomery" and David Bromberg hamming it up on "I Will Not Be Your Fool." Some of the songs were written by Goodman, others were in his repertoire, and others I guess were included just because they felt right for the time. Also in the lineup were Byron Berline, Jethro Burns, Fred Holstein, Bonnie Koloc and Richie Havens (among others) representing the cream of the folk-scene at the time... It's a little too folkie-gooey for me, though it's hard not to get a little choked up when you hear the emotion in Prine's voice as he takes the stage... Sadly, no one tried to cover "Talk Backwards" or "You Never Even Called Me By My Name," but you can't have everything, can you?

Various Artists "A TRIBUTE TO THE SOUNDTRACK OF ROBERT ALTMAN'S NASHVILLE" (Mint Records, 2002)
It's hardly surprising to find out that Carolyn Marks of the Corn Sisters is a big fan of the movie, Nashville, or that she could rope a bunch of like-minded folks into doing a twangcore tribute to the fabled Altman flick. But for all the insider-y wink-winking and rib nudging, this disc merely demonstrates the shortcomings of the warblier end of the twangcore crowd, rather than an understanding of what made the film so great. Robert Altman's 1975 masterpiece was notable both as a breakaway art film and as a well-timed jab at the pretensions of Music City, then at the height of the lofty and lucrative "countrypolitan" scene. It was a nasty bit of satire, remorselessly condescending yet dead-on in the details, the most remarkable of which was the music itself. Altman wrangled a few of his stars into writing their own material, and some, like Ronee Blakley, did a slam-bang job sending up the artsy overreaching of the countrypolitan songsmiths. Keith Carradine even got the last laugh when his sleazy soft-pop ballad, "I'm Easy," became an actual Top Ten hit. Unfortunately, Altman's artistic tightwire act seems a little lost on folks like Marks, who treat the film as an alt.country Rocky Horror Picture Show, worthy of rote imitation and as just another excuse to hoot and holler at the expense of the genre they profess to love. Altman's heartless lampooning of Hank Snow (through the character Haven Harcourt) is left unchanged in Dave Lang's ragged, sniggering renditions. Likewise, Dallas Good (of the Sadies) loses a golden opportunity while covering the Olivia Newton John parody, "Bluebird," which comes exactly as close to plausibility here as it did in the film; it would have been twice as funny to smooth out the song's rough edges and play the preposterous lyrics up to the hilt. Tellingly, one song that has been altered is Tolan McNeil's version of "Easy," in which he perfectly apes Carradine's vocal tone, but warps the phrasing to make the character sound like just another drawling hick. This is particularly ironic since Carradine's Jackson Browne-ish folk-rocker was the most talented, least affected of the film's musicians, yet its poorest excuse for a human being. But hipsters such as the Marks' crew could never leave an iconic '70s hit like "I'm Easy" untouched by their misplaced sense of irony: if anything deserves to be made fun of, it's that song! Thus they are undone by their own push towards irreverence -- when it comes to Altman's sneering send-up of country as an artform, these modern day twangsters are all giggles, snorts and stereotypes -- sadly, the same seems to be true about their grasp of Altman's insights into human nature. This half-baked homage is played so close to the vest that you might as well just get the original soundtrack, or better yet, rent the film and see what all the fuss was about.

Various Artists "TULARE DUST: A SONGWRITER'S TRIBUTE TO MERLE HAGGARD" (Hightone Records, 1994)
I think this may have been the first Merle Haggard tribute album of the 1990s -- it's certainly the best. Jam-packed with an all-star alt-country cast, the disc includes tracks by Dave Alvin, Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams, Iris Dement and John Doe, as well as several other eminently talented folks who are in the HighTone orbit. What's most striking about this record is its overall high calibre of performances -- most tribute albums are a bit lame; this one doesn't have a dull moment! In fact, never having been a diehard Merle fan, I'd even say that in a few instances these tribute tracks manage to sound more soulful and less stuffy than ol' Hag himself... HIGHLY recommended!

Various Artists "TWISTABLE TURNABLE MAN: A TRIBUTE TO THE SONGS OF SHEL SILVERSTEIN" (Sugar Hill Records, 2010)
(Produced by Bobby Bare, Jr.)

Various Artists "THE UNBROKEN CIRCLE: THE MUSICAL HERITAGE OF THE CARTER FAMILY" (Dualtone Records, 2004)
(Produced by John Carter Cash)
The various wings of the legendary Carter Family are joined by numerous eminent guest stars - George Jones, Willie Nelson, Ricky Skaggs and Emmylou Harris among them -- in paying homage to the legacy of the original Carter Family. Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash , Marty Stuart contribute from the family side of things, as do Joe and Janette Carter (who turn in one of the album's most resolutely rootsy, raspy, old-timey performances) and Rosanne Cash, whose plain-spoken vocals on "The Winding Stream" are an album highlight. Emmylou collaborates with the Peasall Sisters, who may finally be living up to their post- O Brother hype, on a sweet, understated version of "Sea Of Galilee"; other highlights include John Prine with a crackling electric accompaniment on "Bear Creek Blues" and Willie's sweet, sparse rendition of "You Are My Flower," as well as Sheryl Crow singing (what else?) "No Depression In Heaven" and the fine group harmonies that the White's throw on in their track with Ricky Skaggs. Heck, really, the whole album is quite good. Highly recommended!

Various Artists "UNDONE: A MUSICFEST TRIBUTE TO ROBERT EARL KEEN" (Thirty Tigers Records, 2009)

Various Artists "VIVA! TERLINGUA! NUEVO! -- SONGS OF LUCKENBACH, TEXAS" (Palo Duro Records, 2006)
Hell, yeah. This is a tasty live tribute to Jerry Jeff Walker's classic 1973 album Viva! Terlingua!, a landmark record that helped define the nascent Texas-based indie/outlaw scene. Three generations of true, blue Lone Star twangsters pitch in here, starting off with Gary P. Nunn and the Lost Gonzo Band (Jerry Jeff's old backup crew) and onto bearers of the flame such as Tommy Alverson, Ed Burleson, The Derailers, Cory Morrow, Jimmy LaFave and Two Tons Of Steel... If this sounds like something up your alley, you might want to scoop this one up -- apparently Jerry Jeff got wind of the project and took offense, filing for an injunction or somesuch after deciding it looked and sounded too much like his original Terlingua disc... Oh, well... I'm sure the lawyers will work it all out eventually; hopefully it won't get in the way of folks who just want to enjoy the music.

Various Artists "VOICES OF A GRATEFUL NATION, v.1" (Welcome Home Project, 2008)
An homage to the Iraq War soldiers and veterans returning home, featuring a slew of rootsy Texas musicians... This first volume features artists such as Band Of Heathens, Kevin Welch and Kieran Kane, Charlie Sexton, Jesse Dayton, Carolyn Wonderland and outlaw old-timer Rusty Weir, as well as a bunch of less well-known folks. Volume One bills itself as "Texas Rock, Blues And Folk..."

Various Artists "VOICES OF A GRATEFUL NATION, v.2" (Welcome Home Project, 2008)
...while Volume Two focusses on "Texas Country And Americana," with contributions from Ray Benson, Johnny Bush, Deryl Dodd, James Hand, Terri Hendrix, Walt Wilkins, Gary P. Nunn and even Charlie Louvin (although isn't he an Alabama boy?) Lots of class acts on this one.

Various Artists "WILL SING FOR FOOD: THE SONGS OF DWIGHT YOAKAM" (Mercury/Little Dog, 1998)
Pete Anderson, guitar player (and production wizard) for Dwight Yoakam's best efforts, organized this charity tribute album, with proceeds going to benefit the homeless (although I'm not sure which organizations were included; the CD doesn't say...) It's a nice album, though -- among the artists donating their time and talent are alt.hick and Top Country luminaries such as Kim Richey, Tim O'Brien, Sara Evans, David Ball, The Lonesome Strangers, The Blazers. Rhonda Vincent, and Bonnie Bramlett. Generally speaking, no one can do these songs as well as Dwight did the first time around, but these folks sure give it a go! Highlights include bluegrass neotraditionalist Rhonda Vincent pounding out "I Sang Dixie," and a typically sublime Gillian Welch/David Rawlings duet on "Miner's Prayer." Good stuff.

Various Artists "WAYLON JENNINGS, THE RED RIVER TRIBUTE COMPILATION" (Omaha Records, 2003)
A hometown homage to outlaw patriarch Waylon Jennings, recorded from a two-day tribute concert held in New Braunfels, Texas, with the elite of the contemporary and classic outlaw playing one great Waylon song after another. Artists include Jason Boland, Wade Brown, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Eleven Hundred Springs, Doug Moreland, The Red Dirt Rangers and many others, as well as old-timers and family folk such as Jessi Colter and Shooter Jennings, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Billy Joe Shaver and Jerry Jeff Walker. Wow.

Various Artists "WHY THE HELL NOT? THE SONGS OF KINKY FRIEDMAN" (Sustain Records, 2006)

Various Artists "WOODY GUTHRIE AT 100! LIVE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER" (Sony Legacy, 2013)
A concert CD/DVD set that coincides with a PBS special in honor of folk icon Woody Guthrie... The DVD includes over a half-dozen performances not included in the TV special with Americana newcomers such as Old Crow Medicine Show joining a slew of esteemed elders, including folks like Jackson Browne, Ry Cooder, Judy Collins and Donovan, bluegrassers Tim O'Brien and Tony Trischka backed by the Del McCoury band and roots-rocker John Mellencamp singing the good old "Do Re Mi." Highlights include Rosanne Cash with two soulful ballads, "I Ain't Got No Home" and "Pretty Boy Floyd" and a touching performance from Guthrie's longtime compatriot, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, an old-timer who's still hanging on and singing the great old songs as best he can. Elliot's impassioned rendition of the labor anthem, "1913 Massacre" forms a palpable link back to Guthrie's heyday and the historical context these early folk troubadours came from. A fitting tribute to one of the great American musical trailblazers.

Various Artists "YOU DON'T KNOW ME: REDISCOVERING EDDY ARNOLD" (Plowboy Records, 2013)

• More Alt-Country reviews... the Letter "A"

Hick Music Index