Emmylou Harris Album: “At the Ryman”

On this magical live album, Emmylou and the Nash Ramblers pay tribute to the very old (Stephen Foster), the new (Steve Earle, John Fogerty and Bruce Springsteen) and bluegrass legend Bill Monroe, with covers of three of his songs. Of course, the album is a seamless blend of the old and the new.

The music goes from uptempo country rock like Earle's Guitar Town, to lovely yodelling as on Cattle Call, the Tex Owens song. There is also the lovely lilting country pop of Guess Things Happen That Way, the sensitive treatment of Springsteen's Mansion On The Hill and the thrilling instrumental Scotland, the first of the Monroe numbers.

Emmylou talks a bit more between songs here than on her other brilliant live album, the great Spyboy. The playing is superb throughout, as in the buoyant Montana Cowgirl, the slow and melancholy ballad like Strangers (first recorded by the Everly Brothers), and the propulsive Lodi, the old Creedence hit.

A highlight of At The Ryman is the soul stirring Calling My Children Home, just Emmylou and the male backing vocals. This one reminds me of the biblical expression about Rachel weeping for her children, because they're there no more. Next, there is the most beautiful guitar picking on If I Could Be There, a tender love song.

Walls Of Time and Get Up John are both energetic Monroe compositions, performed with feeling and gusto. The medley of Hard Life and Abraham, Martin and John is done in a more folkie style and her voice really soars here. The album concludes with the rhythmic train song, Smoke Along The Track.

At The Ryman is a triumph of excellent material interpreted with expertise and feeling. The CD booklet contains background notes by Emmylou on this performance plus photographs and information on her and the members of the Nash Ramblers.

There has been nonsense perpetuated in the media about someone like Kathy Lee Gifford being "America's Sweetheart", but we know who's REALLY earned the title now don't we? `Nuff said. On this live concert CD recorded at Nashville's Ryman Theater, Emmylou and the steeped in bluegrass Nash Ramblers, in the great American tradition, dig out nuggets from the cultural stew and make them fresh, relevant, and their own, while blowing away cobwebs of preconceived genres. Hence Stephen Foster's 1850 classic, "Hard Times" sounds just right next door to Bruce Springsteen's 1982 "Mansion On The Hill". Along the way there are songs by Steve Earle, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Everly Brothers, Nancy Griffith, several by bluegrass titan Bill Monroe, as well as various 1940s and 1950s country songs that I had not known, but was pleased to make their acquaintance. The acoustic guitar, standup bass, dobro, and fiddle work well with the filigree of Harris' silvery smoky soprano voice which as always is a remarkable harmony instrument itself. There probably wasn't a dry eye in the house after she and the boys unload two heartbreakers in a row: the acappella "Calling My Children Home", and the melancholy dobro tune "If I Could Be There". To top it off, in the finest country tradition, they all ride off into the sunset with "...a little train music" ("Smoke Along The Track"). Kathy Lee Gifford, tsk, yea right.

I'm not an educated acoustic country/bluegrass guy, but I like this a lot! I'll briefly mention a very minor drawback to this outstanding album: Nanci Griffith's "It's a Hard Live Wherever You Go" is, for me, a bit preachy. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful preachy song. If there's such a thing as a good "preachy" song, then I guess this is it. I wish many more albums had such admirable defects!

The album is a joyful listen. Lately, the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack has drawn millions of listeners to the beauty of acoustic country/folk music. This album, recorded ten years before O Brother, reveals the heart and soul of that music as perhaps no one save Ricky Skaggs could reveal it. There are two astounding high points amid much great music: "Walls of Time" is an unbelievably fierce and, at the same time, beautifully spiritual explosion of bluegrass virtuosity; "Get Up, John" follows it and rides the crest of a wild wave of flashing sound that tears me apart.

Emmylou has released three commercial live recordings. Each one is great; I can't choose a favorite. But "At the Ryman" reveals a truly essential aspect of Ms. Harris' artistry. I rate this 4.5 stars, but NOTE THAT I round it up to five, instead of down to four! BUY AT THE RYMAN! YOU WON'T GO WRONG. Ms. Harris is a woefully underappreciated artist, and At the Ryman is one of her most important recordings!

Equally deserving of commendation are, of course, the players in the Nash Ramblers: Larry Atamanuik, Sam Bush, Al Perkins, Jon Randall Stewart, and the late Roy Huskey, Jr.

My CD collection boasts 22 titles by Emmylou Harris, which is not nearly her entire output, but I am slowly working on acquiring the rest of her amazing catalogue. While not every one of her albums is a favorite, she consistently has produced more stunning albums than almost any other artist I can name.

Naming a favorite is tricky. I am partial to her early Warner Brothers / Reprise material, but truth be told, there is only one or two albums in her whole output (so far) that I haven't much cared for (Wrecking Ball and Spyboy being the only two albums that I have been unable to warm to at all). My favorites include Blue Kentucky Girl, Cowgirls Prayer, Elite Hotel, Quarter Moon, Luxury Liner, Roses in the Snow, Light of the Stable and the two Trio albums with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt. Near misses (meaning I don't absolutely love every single track on the album, but did enjoy much they had to offer) were Brand New Dance, Last Date, Cimarron, Bluebird, Last Date and Red Dirt Girl.

When I do think of my favorites, of course I think of the albums I find myself playing over and over. And for the past few years, the Emmylou Harris album I listen to more than any other is At the Ryman with the Nashville Ramblers.

Like most of her other albums, the quality and musicianship of At the Ryman is remarkably consistent throughout the entire CD. While there is not a weak track on the whole album, the standouts are more than usually exceptional. Mansion on the Hill, I Guess Things Happen That Way, Half As Much and Cattle Call are all wonderful. But the two best tracks to me are Like Strangers, one of the most gorgeous love songs ever written, and the remarkable medley, It's A Hard Life Wherever You Go / Abraham, Martin & John. These two cuts may just be my two favorite ELH tracks ever. At least, they're my current favorites, and have been for a while.

If you are unfamiliar with Emmylou, I caution you to go slowly when deciding what to buy. Her voice is always lovely, but her style tends to shift (the mark of a true genius) between several different genres. While I prefer her country, bluegrass and folk-flavored albums, others may prefer her forays into rock & roll and country /rock. If I had purchased Spyboy or Wrecking Ball as my first ELH album, I may not have purchased a second. And then I would be missing out on some incredible music.

If my house were burning down. I would grab my wife, my guitar, and my Emmylou at the Ryman CD !!!