compendium
Spend Time On It: a compendium of Millie Jackson
I’m Begging You Please: a compendium of Esther Phillips
Jesus is the Best Thing: a compendium of Rev. James Cleveland
John Anderson: a compendium
My slow (then, fast) conversion to country music in the 80s has been one of the pivotal passages of my nearly 70 years. Having said that, I rarely listened to contemporary country as available on radio. Merle Haggard, Emmylou and Cash were my gateway drugs. The Big Exceptions were Ricky Skaggs and John Anderson.
I have been listening to Anderson (his latest, YEARS, is *****) a bit lately and have fallen in love all over again. So much to love. The most seductive smart ass country voice ever invented. The cool covers not just of country greats but The Stones, Dylan and Bruce as well. Ability to rock. Ability to make you laugh. Ability to make you cry buckets of tears. And his uncanny ability to sound old and modern at the same time.
Not only did he have, like Emmylou, impeccable taste when it came to choosing material but his own efforts with the pen were always compelling.
c90lounge 