IndexCountryReleases05

CD
1. Woodstock
2. Everybody's Rockin'
3. Find A Heart

DVD
Exclusiv Performances Featuring:
1. Radio
2. Comin' To Your City
3. Wild West Show
4. Love Train
5. Lost In This Moment
6. Between Raising Hell And Amazing Grace
7. Big Time
8. Just Got Started Lovin' You (James Otto)
9. Holy Water
10. 8th Of November
11. Jalapeňo
12. Loud
13. Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)
14. Rollin' (The Ballad Of Big & Rich)

1. Sing
2. Walls
3. Angel Dream
4. Times Like These
5. These Days
6. Sadly, Beautiful
7. All I Want Is You
8. Jesus
9. Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)
10. Grow Old With Me

1. I'm Alive
(With Dave Matthews)
2. Way Down Here
3. Boats
4. Everybody Wants To Go To Heven
(With The Wailers)
5. Down The Road
(With Mac McAnally)
6. Spirit Of A Storm
7. Ten With A Two
8. The Life
9. Key's In The Conch Shell
10. Nowhere To Go, Nowhere To Be
11. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven
All Day)
(With Willie Nelson)

When Big Kenny and John Rich released
"Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace"
they moved from being the leaders of the
Muzik Mafia to being bona fide stars. That is
why this collection is bit of a step backwards.
Oh it is entertaining enough and if you are
new to Big & Rich, it is a great way to get to
know them. Come on guys let's have
something new. I know that this is for the
fans but even journalists can be fans.

I have to say upfront that I like Glen Campbell.
In fact, I was sitting next to Glen and his wife,
Kim at the Americana Convention launch of
this CD and the documentary about the
making of the CD. There has been an
attempt to do to Glen what Rick Rubin did to
Johnny Cash. However, unlike Rick's
stripped down sound, co-producer, Julian
Raymond has opted for the "kitchen sink"
approach that marked many of Glen's early
hit records when he was recording Jimmy
Webb songs. For me the stand out cuts on
this CD are Paul Westerberg's "Sadly,
Beautiful," U2's "All I Want Is You" and John
Lennon/Yoko Ono's "Grow Old With Me."

It seems like ever since Buddy Cannon got to
be Kenny's producer that the result gets
better and better. The production stripped
down so you can hear the words. There is
none of the rock and roll that you associate
with a Kenny Chesney concert. This is one
very beautiful CD that is reminiscent of
another one of my favorites, Jimmy Buffett. In
fact, in Dan Fogelberg and Tim Weisberg's
words, they could be "twins sons of different
mothers." Favorites? Well how about the
whole album.

KRISTY LEE COOK

"WHY WAIT"

ARISTA 88697-33393-2

PRODUCED BY BRETT JAMES
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: LUKE WOOTEN

KEVIN COSTNER & MODERN WEST

"UNTOLD TRUTHS"

UNIVERSAL SOUTH B0012143-02

PRODUCED BY TEDDY MORGAN & JOHN COINMAN

BILLY CURRINGTON

"LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING"

MERCURY B0009550-02

PRODUCED BY CARSON CHAMBERLAIN AND
BILLY CURRINGTON

1. 15 Minutes Of Shame
2. Why Wait
3. Like My Mother Does
4. Hoping To Find
5. Baby Believe
6. Not Tonight
7. Plant The Seed
8. I Think Too Much
9. Homesick
10. God Bless The USA

1. Long Hot Night
2. 99 Miles An Hour
3. Hey Man What About You?
4. Superman 14
5. Don't Lock'em Away (Song For Molly)
6. Down In Nogales
7. Every Intention
8. 5 Minutes From America
9. The Sun Will Rise Again
10. Backyard
11. Leland Iowa
12. Gotta Get Away (Song For Bud)

1. Swimmin' In Sunshine
2. Life & Love And The Meaning Of
3. Every Reason Not To Go
4. Don't
5. People Are Crazy
6. Everything
7. Walk On
8. No One Has Eyes Like You
9. That's How Country Boys Roll
10. I Shall Return
11. Heal Me

Another alumna from "American Idol." Oh
how program has a lot to answer for turning
Country music into a pop music warble fest.
This young lady didn't even make it to the
finals and so Nashville has to pick up AI's
cast offs. I grant you that elements of Country
music's audience hasn't got a clue. If it had,
how could it vote Carrie Underwood CMA's
Female Singer of the Year ahead of real
Country singers. Kristy Lee made have her
15 minutes of fame but she will get nowhere
with this lightweight collection that makes her
sound like a hundred other singers.

There was a time when every singer wanted
to act and that to a certain degree still exists
but in recent years actors have wanted to
show off their vocal chops. In most cases
they soon crawl back to their acting. Now we
have Oscar winner, Kevin Costner returning
to "his first love" and he not bad. I do love that
line in "Long Hot Night"..."Listening To The
Wobble Of The Ceiling Fan." That is pure
Kristofferson, In particular I would like to
congratulate the producers for knowing how
to produce drums. Please teach your
colleagues in Nashville! The best actor
turned singer CD since Bruce Willis.

When you think about today's Country stars,
Billy may not immediately come to the front of
the line. However, he has consistently
released solid material. Billy is at his best on
ballads and mid-tempo songs and there are
some excellent ones on this CD including
"Every Reason Not To Go." But it is the Bobby
Braddock/Troy Jones' "People Are Crazy,"
which is in the style of Tom T. Hall that
stands out.

BRAD PAISLEY

"PLAY: THE GUITAR ALBUM"

ARISTA 88697-26908-2

PRODUCED BY FRANK ROGERS
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: BRIAN DAVIS WILLIS

TAYLOR SWIFT

"FEARLESS"

BIG MACHINE BMRATS0200

PRODUCED BY NATHAN CHAPMAN AND
TAYLOR SWIFT
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: SCOTT BORCHETTA

BLAKE SHELTON

"STARTIN' FIRES"

WARNER BROS. 512911-2

PRODUCED BY SCOTT HENDRICKS
* PRODUCED BY BRENT ROWAN
** PRODUCED BY BOBBY BRADDOCK

1. Huckleberry Jam
2. Turf's Up
3. Start A Band
(Duet With Keith Urban)
4. Kim
5. Departure
6. Come On In
(Featuring Buck Owens)
7. Kentucky Jelly
8. Playing With Fire
9. More Than Just This Song
(Featuring Steve Wariner)
10. Les Is More
11. Pre-Cluster Cluster Pluck Prequel (Prelude)
12. Cluster Pluck
(Featuring James Burton, Vince Gill, Albert Lee,
John Jorgenson, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert and
Stev Wariner)
13. Cliffs Of Rock City
14, Let The Good Times Roll
(Featuring B.B. King)
15. What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Special Bonus Track:
16. Waitin' On A Woman
(With Andy Griffith)

1. Fearless
2. Fifteen
3. Love Story
4. Hey Stephen
5. White Horse
6. You Belong With Me
7. Breathe
8. Tell Me Why
9. You're Not Sorry
10. The Way I Love You
11. Forever & Always
12. The Best Day
13. Change
Enhanced Content:
1. "Love Story" Music Video
2. "Change" Music Video

1. Green
2. Good At Startin' Fires
3. She Wouldn't Be Gone
4. I'll Just Hold On
5. 100 Miles
6. Never Lovin' You
7. Country Strong
8. Home Sweet Home
9. This Is Gonna Take All Night *
10. Here I Am
11. Bare Skin Rug
(Featuring Miranda Lambert)

Several years ago I put to Brad the
conundrum: "I am an angel and the good
Lord has said 'Brad, you are very talented.
You write, you sing and you play guitar. Well
you can only have one talent...what would it
be?" Without blinking, Brad said that he
would want to play guitar. This then is the
album and it is magical!!! I have declared it
MY ALBUM OF THE YEAR and further more, it
has moved into my TOP 5 ALBUMS OF ALL
TIME!!!!! Any one of the cuts could be Grammy
nominated, CMA or ACM nominated but my
faves are "Turf's Up" in the style of Duane
Eddy/Johnny & The Hurricanes," "Les Is
More" on which he sounds more Les Paul
than Les himself and a supercharged
version of "Let the Good Times Roll" with B.B.
King. Brad is no longer just a guitar player, he
is a guitar master!!

This is a great album for those to whom
lovesick teenage songs appeals. Judging by
her sales to date that has been quite a few.
However, there is not an ounce of Country
music here and rather than say anything
nasty, I will leave it alone and hope that as
Taylor gets older, her experience of life
translates into more mature songs. It was
Waylon who said don't write Country songs
until you are over 40, been in prison at least
once and divorced at least once. I'm sure it
will be a big hit and sell millions.

Blake always puts out albums that are a cut
above and this latest effort is definitely a cut
above. Most of the CD is produced by Scott
Hendricks who is one of the best. I
particularly liked the duet with girl friend
Miranda Lambert. It's probably a bit too risqué
to be released as a single but on it Miranda
sounds just like June Carter Cash. Love
those lines "we ain't got nobody and we ain't
even kin." This is a first rate Country and i do
mean Country album.

RANDY HOUSER

"ANYTHING GOES"

UNIVERSAL SOUTH B0011699-02

PRODUCED BY MARK WRIGHT AND
CLIFF AUDRETCH, III

BUDDY JEWELL

"COUNTRY ENOUGH"

DIAMOND DUST MLJM-0103

NO PRODUCER LISTED

TOBY KEITH

"THAT DON'T MAKE ME A BAD GUY"

SHOW DOG SDN-022

PRODUCED BY TOBY KEITH

1. Boots On
2. Anything Goes
3. Wild Wild West
4. Back To God
5. Something Real
6. My Kind Of Country
7. Strange
8. Lie
9. Paycheck Man
10. How Many Times
11. I'll Sleep

1. Country Enough
2. The Southern Side Of Heaven
3. The Wheels Turn Slow (The Caterpillar Song)
4. Need A Little Country
5. This Ain't Mexico!
6. What This Country's Comin' To
7. Second Chance Of A Lifetime
8. The Ones I Love The Most
9. That Summer Girl
10. She Loves This Town
11. No Grease, No Gravy
12. Hillbilly Water
13. Leavin' Louisiana (For The Last Time)

1. That Don't Make me A Bad Guy
2. Creole Woman
3. God Love Her
4. Lost You Anyway
5. Missing Me Some You
6. Hurt A Lot Worse When You Go
7. Time That It Would Take
8. You Already Love Me
9. She Never Cried In Front Of Me
10. Cabo San Lucas
11. I Got It For You Girl

Randy co-wrote "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk"
and he has a similar style to co-writer, Jamey
Johnson and for that matter, he is not a
million miles from Trace Adkins. However,
his vocal range is similar to Ronnie Dunn.
The title track has become a favorite of David
Letterman and Randy performed it on Dave's
TV show. Randy is someone that I'd like to
see become a fixture on the Country music
scene because there is something of the
old-time Honky Tonk singer with enough of
the rockier edge to make him a product of the
21st century.

Buddy Jewell was the first winner on
"Nashville Star" and to date, he is the only
one to make an ongoing impact in Country
music. I happened to be connected to him on
Plaxo Pulse and as a result, he sent me his
brand new CD and man is it good. Let there
be no doubt that Buddy is Country through
and through. He is not only a first rate singer,
he is also an excellent songwriter. This is a
keeper!!!!!

Toby's songwriting teaming with Bobby
Pinson is producing some great material.
"She Never Cried In Front Of Me" has already
become a #1 Country hit. One of the
important facts about Toby since he left all
the novelty songs behind him is that he is a
damn fine Country and I do mean Country
singers and almost as importantly, one of the
few genuine Country producers in Nashville.
This an excellent CD.

STEPHEN DALE

"LONGSHOT"

STEPHEN DALE MUSIC SD003

PRODUCED BY KIMO FORREST AND GORDON
DILLINGHAM
* PRODUCED BY MIKE HINES
** PRODUCED BY RODNEY MILLS AND JAN SMITH

THE LOST TRAILERS

"HOLLER BACK"

BNA 88697-09259-2

PRODUCED BY BRETT BEAVERS
* PRODUCED BY STOKES NIELSON AND
RYDER LEE
*** PRODUCED BY BLAKE CHANCEY, STOKES
NIELSON AND RYDER LEE
**** PRODUCED BY BLAKE CHANCEY

DEANNE MOORE

"NEVER TOO LATE"

DEANNE MOORE NO CAT #

PRODUCED BY GARY LEACH

1. Five Minutes **
2. Everything's A Thing
3. She'll Be Mad Today
4. Things That Never Happened
5. Longer Road
6. Girls Look Better (In A Cowboy Hat) **
7. Driving My Truck
8. Cowboy In Texas
9. Where Country Feels At Home
10. You Shine Your Light
11. Tired Of Leaving **
12. Three Drinks Behind
13. You Tore Me Up **
14. Longshot *

1. Holler Back
2. How 'Bout You Don't
3. Blacktop Road *
4. Country Folks (Livin' Loud) *
5. Things You Don't Grow Out Of
6. Hey Baby **
7. The Rest Of Us *
8. All This Love ***
9. Summer Of Love **
10. Gravy **

1. How You Say Goodbye
2. Never Too Late
3. Cowboy Talkin'
4. Don't Kiss Me
5. Fool For Love
6. I Need A Wife
7. Better Off Alone
8. Spring Chicken
9. Love Is A Game
10. I Ain't Through
11. Wrote That In Blue
12. Mama's Green Eyes

Stephen needs to watch his phrasing; this is
not Cole Porter. In fact he should concentrate
less on the songwriting and more on his
singing. He should also change producers
as they are doing him no favors.

A surprisingly good if predictable album with
surprisingly bad photographs (especially the
back cover one). I just wish Nashville writers
would stop writing the same chord
progression with different lyrics. I believe we
have heard "How 'Bout You Don't" so many
times before. The stand out cut is without
doubt "All This Love" (which had appeared on
"The Lost Trailers" CD) which was written by
band member Stokes Nielson along with
stellar writers Gary Nicholson, Paul
Overstreet and Jon Randall

I had the pleasure of interviewing DeAnne
earlier this year during CRS. She had
released this CD with a different (and better)
cover. DeAnne has a good voice but being on
an indie label it is a matter of conjecture
whether she will remain an actor who sings
or a singer who acts. Someone needs to take
her to the next level and put some songs
from marquee writers in front of her. At this
stage she is a better singer than songwriter
and needs to concentrate on that.

CRAIG MORGAN

"THAT'S WHY"

BNA AWAITING CAT #

PRODUCED BY CRAIG MORGAN AND
PHIL O'DONNELL

OFFICIAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK

"BILLY: THE EARLY YEARS"

ARISTA AWAITING CAT #

VARIOUS PRODUCERS

KELLIE PICKLER

"KELLIE PICKLER"

BNA19 AWAITING CAT #

PRODUCED BY CHRIS LINDSEY

1. Love Remembers
2. Lookin' Back With You
3. That's Why
4. Sticks
5. God Must Really Love Me
6. Summer Sundown
7. Every Red Light
8. It Took A Woman
9. Planet Her
10. Ordinary Angels

1. Over The Next Hill
(Brooks & Dunn and Mac Powell from Third Day)
2. Low
(Sara Evans)
3. Look At Me
(Alan Jackson)
4. Shelter Me
(China Edelman)
5. Ruth's Prayer
(Patty Griffin)
6. Heavenly Day
(Brandon Heath)
7. The Great Wild Beyond
(Gregory Page)
8. Amazing Love
(Michael W. Smith and Melinda Doolittle)
9. In Dreams
(Roy Orbison)
10. What A Friend We Have In Jesus
(Brad Paisley)
11. Almost Persuaded
(Josh Turner)
12. Just As I Am
(Sierra Hull with All-Star choir featuring John
Cowan, Harry Stinson, Ronnie Bowman, Ronnie
McCoury and John Wesley Ryles)

1. Don't You Know You're Beautiful
2. I'm Your Woman
3. Rocks Instead Of Rice
4. Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You
5. Lucky Girl
6. One Last Time
7. Best Days Of Your Life
8. Somebody To Love Me
9. Makin' Me Fall In Love Again
10. Going Out Of Style

This is Craig's first outing for BNA having
departed from Broken Bow but it really is
business as usual with Craig writing most of
the material and he and Phil O'Donnell
producing. Craig is the master of the ballad
and sounds his most Country when he does.
I particularly like "Summer Sundown" which
reminds me of Gordon Lightfoot and "Every
Red Light" which I could hear being sung by
John Anderson. However, it is the CD closer
"Ordinary Angels" that has that wow factor
and I'm sure is going to find itself used
outside of the CD. This alone turns the CD
from OK to excellent.

This the soundtrack from the movie about
evangelist Billy Graham's early life.

Kellie is another alumnus from "American
Idol" and so it doesn't take rocket science to
tell she is more Pop than Country. In many
ways, Kellie is what Taylor Swift will become
in four or five years. I know that Kellie is cute
and smiles pretty for the cameras and in fact
can sing well but someone needs to do her a
favor and put her in the studio with the likes of
Buddy Cannon and with a bunch of real
Country songs. I once said give me a
beautiful 20 something female singer who
can be the next Dolly Parton and you have a
star. Suggestion to Joe Galante...Kellie could
be that someone.

DARIUS RUCKER

"LEARN TO LIVE"

CAPITOL 09463 85506 2

PRODUCED BY FRANK ROGERS

CRYSTAL SHAWANDA

"DAWN OF A NEW DAY"

RCA 88697-06762-2

PRODUCED BY SCOTT HENDRICKS FOR SCOTT
HENDRICKS PRODUCTIONS

JESSICA SIMPSON

"DO YOU KNOW"

EPIC/COLUMBIA 88697-21746-2

PRODUCED BY JOHN SHANKS & BRETT JAMES

1. Forever Road
2. All I Want
3. Don't Think I Don't Think About It
4. Learn To Live
5. If I Had Wings
6. History In The Making
7. Alright
8. It Won't Be Like This For Long
9. Drinkin' And Dialin'
10. I Hope They Get To Me In Time
11. While I Still Got The Time
12. Be Wary Of A Woman

1. Evolution
2. My Roots Are Showing
3. Tender Side
4. Baby You're Back
5. Dawn Of A New Day
6. You Can Let Go
7. I Need A Man
8. What Do I Have To Do
9. Your Cheatin' Heart
10. Try
11. You Can't Take It Back

1. Come On Over
2. Remember That
3. Pray Out Loud
4. You're My Sunday
5. Sipping On History
6. Still Beautiful
7. Still Don't Stop Me
8. When I Loved You Like That
9. Might As Well Be Making Love
10. Man Enough
11. Do You Know
(With Dolly Parton)

I must be honest. When I heard that Darius
was playing the Opry and that he had hit the
top of the Country charts, I was not pleased.
Now don't get me wrong, I really like Hootie &
The Blowfish but Country? Shortly after, I
found out that Frank Rogers had produced
the CD and Frank is one of my favorite
producers. Boy was I ever wrong. This is
probably more Country than most of the
Nashville releases you hear in a year. Then I
heard "If I Had Wings" and "I Hope They Get
To Me In Time" and I was blown away. Is
Darius the new Charley Pride? No, he is the
first Darius Rucker. Forget Hootie etc.. Could
Darius be to Country music what Barack is to
the country?

Oh wow!!!! This girl is fabulous. With a voice
somewhere between Tanya Tucker, Janis
Joplin and Gretchen Wilson, she could be the
next big thing. She could also go down in the
record books as the most successful
Canadian native recording artist of all time.
The CD is produced by Scott Hendricks and
that spells quality just by itself. However, the
material chosen is also a cut above although
I am not madly enthusiastic about the
reading of "My Cheatin' Heart." Crystal is
managed by the legendary Doc McGhee and
he has a wonderful ear for talent. Enough
said.

Well all the correct instruments are there and
there is even a duet with Dolly but try ash she
might, Jessica is not a Country singer. It's not
all her fault. Her co-writers need to go and
listen to Bill Anderson, Loretta Lynn, Bob
McDill and a host of real writers of Country
songs. These are just Pop songs given a
sort of Country twist. The producers are not
any better. Go and listen to some real
Country product like via Buddy Cannon or
Scott Hendricks. Stick to Pop music...you are
really good at it and unique.

LEE ANN WOMACK

"CALL ME CRAZY"

MCA B0006025-02

PRODUCED BY TONY BROWN FOR TBE

ELI YOUNG BAND

"JET BLACK & JEALOUS"

UNIVERSAL SOUTH B0011794-02

PRODUCED BY MIKE WRUCKE
* PRODUCED BY MIKE WRUCKE, ERIK HERBST &
JJ LESTER
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: FRANKLIDDELL

HANK WILLIAMS

"THE UNRELEASED RECORDINGS"

TIME LIFE 80031-D

VARIOUS PRODUCERS

1. Last Call
2. Either Way
3. Solitary Thinkin'
4. New Again
5. I Found It In You
6. Have You Seen That Girl
7. The Bees
8. I Think I Know
9. If These Walls Could Talk
10. Everything But Quits
(Duet With George Strait)
11. The King Of Broken Hearts
12. The Story Of My Life

1. When It Rains
2. Always The Love Songs
3. Radio Waves
4. Enough Is Enough
5. Famous
6. Throw And Go
7. Guinevere
8. Get In The Car And Drive
9. Jet Black And Jealous
10. Mystery In The Making
11. How Should I Know
12. Home

DISC ONE:
1. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
2. Dust On The Bible
3. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
4. I Heard My Savior Calling Me
5. Precious Lord, Take My Hand
6. Hey, Good Lookin'
7. On Top Of Old Smoky
8. I Can't Tell My Heart That
9. I Dreamed That The Great Judgment Morning
10. Next Sunday Darling Is My Birthday
11. At The First Fall Of Snow
12. Dear John
13. The Blind Child's Prayer
14. I'll Have A New Life
15. On The Banks Of The Pontchartrain
16. Low And Lonely
17. Drifting Too Far From The Shore
18. I'm Gonna Sing

DISC TWO:
1. I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)
2. Seaman's Blues
3. The Prodigal Son
4. Cherokee Boogie
5. Where He Leads Me
6. From Jerusalem To Jericho
7. Cool Water
8. I've Got My One-Way Ticket To The Sky
9. Searching For A Soldier's Grave
10. California Zephyr
11. Softly And Tenderly
12. Just When I Needed You
13. Gathering Flowers For The Master's Bouquet
14. Why Should We Try Any More
15. The Old Country Church
16. May You Never Be Alone
17. When The Fire Comes Down
18. Lonely Tombs

DISC THREE:
1. Pictures From Life's Other Side
2. I'll Fly Away
3. Cold, Cold Heart
4. Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
5. When God Dips His Love In My Heart
6. Thy Burdens Are Greater Than Mine
7. When The Saints Go Marchin' In
8. I'll Sail My Ship Alone
9. Wedding Bells
10. Mind Your Own Business
11. You Blotted My Happy Schooldays
12. Where The Soul Never Dies
13. Pins And Needles (In My Heart)
14. Tennessee Border
15. There's Nothing As Sweet As My Baby
16. Wait For The Light To Shine
17. If I Didn't Love You
18. The Pale Horse And His Rider

It is so good to have Lee Ann back. She is
still one of the best Country and I do mean
Country singers and has sadly been
overlooked in recent years with the advent of
Pop divas. With the redoubtable Tony Brown
at the helm, Lee Ann has a CD that is
impeccable. Look out for Keith Urban singing
backup on "The Bees" and George Strait who
duets with Lee Ann on "Everything But Quits."
The latter showing how good a co-writer Lee
Ann has become.

Mike Eli and James Young front the band.
They remind a lot of Alabama and the Eli
Young Band is definitely one to watch. In fact
they could be one of the major new acts to
surface this year. Like Alabama, they have
great harmonies and write very good songs.
Just when you think that the Carolinas are
producing all the new acts, Texas come an
does it again. I expect big things from these
guys. The CD is a keeper and the band gets
my star in the making award.

How can one criticize perfection? You can't so
I won't. Just buy this collection and start your
Country music education.