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Release Date: 06/05/2007
Because she rarely recorded under her own name, a tribute to the late
June Carter Cash by default also stands as a tribute to her genealogy: several of the songs among the dozen here were recorded by
June with her late husband,
Johnny Cash, or by
country music's legendary
Carter Family, from which
June sprang. In addition, the album was produced by
John Carter Cash, the only child of
Johnny and
June, and there are tracks by
Carlene Carter,
June's daughter from her first marriage (to
Carl Smith), and
Rosanne Cash,
Johnny Cash's daughter with his first wife. As producer,
John Carter Cash largely plays it predictable. There are few surprises and no truly offbeat rearrangements or radical interpretations. Folks who enjoyed the singing of
June Carter Cash will likely be quite satisfied with these loving, faithful covers. And they should be, because virtually all of the performances are flawless, honest, and inspired. Two duets lead things off:
Sheryl Crow and duet king
Willie Nelson give a spirited, if somewhat rote, reading to
"If I Were a Carpenter," the
Tim Hardin-penned classic, and
Carlene Carter and
Ronnie Dunn hoot it up on
"Jackson," the
Nancy Sinatra-
Lee Hazlewood hit -- both songs were longtime staples of
Johnny and
June's shows together. A handful of top-shelf
country artists, among them
Loretta Lynn (a tender
"Wildwood Flower"),
Brad Paisley (a straightforward, beautifully sung
"Keep on the Sunny Side"), and
bluegrass hero
Ralph Stanley (
"Will the Circle Be Unbroken," what else?), pay their respects with kind treatments, and
Emmylou Harris, who certainly learned a thing of two from
June, sends it off in style with
"Song to John," June's self-explanatory tribute of her own. It wouldn't be a tribute album if
Elvis Costello didn't turn up, and though his
"Ring of Fire" will never go down as the definitive version of that
Johnny Cash signature,
Costello brings his usual commitment -- and an autoharp,
June's favorite instrument -- to his no-frills version. Two of the more left-field approaches come via
Patty Loveless and
Kris Kristofferson, who bring a touch of drollness to
"Far Side Banks of Jordan," and
Billy Joe Shaver, who's exactly the right guy to give a bit of bite to
the Carter Family's
"Kneeling Drunkard's Plea." You've got to think that both
June and
Johnny would have loved this homage, whose release coincides with the publication of
John Carter Cash's same-titled biography of his mother.
~Jeff Tamarkin, All Music Guide
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