COVERING THE GREATS: I first ran across Carrie Rodriguez, years ago, on the album “Red Dog Tracks”, where she sung a number of duets with country legend Chip Taylor. It mixed toe-tapping country, Americana, pretty harmonies and romance. I fell in love, particularly, with a song called, “Big Moon Shinin'” — where the pair sung these sweet and shiver-inducing lyrics over soft guitar, with Taylor’s voice serving as the gruff balance to Rodriguez’s velvety slow-malt: Taylor: “I am a 12-year-old Macallan scotch, / On the third shelf of that barn / Waitin’ for you to just drink me up.” Rodriguez: “I’m some sweet words from the sky / Floatin’ down from a Van Zandt star / Waitin’ for you to think me up.” Now this world-class fiddler is taking up the topic of love again, but this time on her own, with an album of covers. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill release before the “real” album. Rodriguez has chosen to sing songs by a list of greats, including John Hiatt, Buddy and Julie Miller, Lucinda Williams, Richard Thompson, Gillian Welch, Merle Haggard, Townes van Zandt, and her father David. She’s helped out by a backing band and guests Doug Wamble and Bill Frisell. Rodriguez chooses to sing one of my favorite Lucinda tracks, “Steal Your Love”, off her 2001 album “Essence”. Listen below to a live version of Rodriguez singing at Old Town School of Folk Music on April 11, 2009 in Chicago. — Words by David D. Robbins Jr. (Art manipulated from musician’s press photos.)
Carrie Rodriguez “Steal Your Love” (Lucinda Williams cover)
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