Emmylou Harris Album: “Profile: Best of Emmylou Harris”

Description :

Personnel: Emmylou Harris (vocals, guitar); Nicolette Larson (vocals); Albert Lee, Rodney Crowell (guitar, background vocals); James Burton, Brian Ahern, Bernie Leadon, Mike Auldridge, Rick Cunha (guitar); Hank Devito, Ben Keith (pedal steel guitar); Byron Berline (mandolin); Herb Pedersen (banjo, guitar, background vocals); Ricky Skaggs (fiddle); Mickey Raphael (harmonica); Emory Gordy (piano, bass); Glen D. Hardin, Bill Payne (piano); Ray Pohlman (bass); John Ware, Ron Tutt (drums); Fayssoux Starling, Dianne Brooks, Jonathan Edwards (background vocals). <p>Engineers include: Brian Ahern, Bradley Hartman, Donivan Cowart. <p>Recorded between 1974 & 1977. <p>This best-of collection features some of Emmylou Harris's best-loved 1970s material. In addition to Harris' charming singing style, and her tight band, great songs by the likes of Delbert McClinton, Buck Owens, Charlie and Ira Louvin, Chuck Berry, Dolly Parton, and others make PROFILE a real gem. <p>Harris' stunningly beautiful voice glides effortlessly over the many country ballads. Not surprisingly, most of these tunes are essentially laments; among them poignant renditions of "Sweet Dreams," "Making Believe," the exquisite "If I Could Only Win Your Love," "Too Far Gone," and others. For all those who want to do a little square dancing, Harris delivers a few uptempo country rockers including, "(You Never Can Tell) C'est La Vie" and "Two More Bottles of Wine." Produced by Harris's husband Paul Ahern, this is a superb compilation of the singer's early work, confirming her ability to bring insight and innovation to a genre often dominated by generic abilities.

For anyone who wants to know what all the fuss was about when Emmylou Harris burst on the country scene three decades ago, it's all here in this compilation, which brings together twelve of her greatest early tracks. Her distinctive voice, part reed, part silver, full of emotion, and her interpretive range--she could convince in the most soulful ballad as well as the most rollicking of rockabilly--are in plentiful evidence.

Harris also had impeccable taste in material, and this CD is also illustrative as a retrospective of the best of country that stretches all the way back to its origins with the Carter Family's "Hello Stranger." Other highlights are the strongly feminist "One of These Days," and sweet covers of Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams" and Kitty Wells' "Making Believe," but there really isn't a dud in the bunch. Highly recommended for all of us who need to remember what country music was like at its best.

This compilation includes three tracks from each of her first four albums, when her style was country-rock - very different from her music of the nineties and beyond. Apart from Hello stranger, all these tracks are available on the more recent double CD titled Anthology, which covers her whole career with Warner Reprise.

During these years (1975 to 1978), Emmylou had many hits on the American country charts including three solo number one hits, all cover versions and all included here. They were Together again (Buck Owens), Sweet dreams (Patsy Cline) and Two more bottles of wine (Delbert McClinton). Emmylou had many other big country hits with cover versions, including If I could only win your love (Louvin brothers) and You never can tell C'Est la vie (Chuck Berry).

Dolly Parton wrote To Daddy and recorded it for her 1976 album All I can do, but Emmylou heard it and recorded it herself. When Dolly heard Emmylou's version, she substituted another song for her own album, although Dolly's version was eventually released on a compilation CD many years later. Thus, Emmylou's version, included here, is the first one the public heard.

This is a great introduction to Emmylou's early music.

This is a wonderful piece of art that I have owned since 1978 and am ordering again to give as a gift for someone. It delivers all of the pleasing elements that I look for in vocal music; a lovely female singing voice, beautifully crafted harmonies and tight instrumentals. Of course, it doesen't hurt that the songs performed are well chosen for my taste! Thank you for this classic.

I have had an LP copy of this album since it came out, which was before CDs. I wore out two cassette tapes and then purchased two CDs of it. It was one of the first albums on which I found that I liked every song on it.

No doubt about it, Boulder To Birmingham is my favorite.

Not many have the staying power of Emmy Lou Harris. She is, quite simply, wonderful.