Before I dive into my favourite cover versions, I wanted to list four of my favourite female singers who have been important to me over the last twenty years.
Number 85 - Late Night Grand Hotel by Nanci Griffith
Nancy used to be my number one favourite singer songwriter. I first came across her listening to Terry Wogan's early morning radio show. Her self penned albums from the 1980's are absolute classics. As is the 1991 album from which my selection is the title song. However, those albums which followed are nowhere near as good, and that is probably why I listen to them so rarely. And the early albums are now alongside similar classics from twenty plus years ago. I do not own her short debut album (not one song on there that I wanted), but the following sixteen are probably more than any other artist in my collection. Listening to excerpts from her last three albums have not been encouraging. But from 1995 to 2001, I went to see five Nanci Griffith concerts. The second of those at The Royal Albert Hall was absolutely top drawer. I think that sometimes you grow out of an artist. A few of my female country singers are now far too country for my taste. But I shall always go back to Nanci's classics, and think of my early morning drives to site
.
Number 86 - This Girl Is Taking Bets by Thea Gilmore
Anyone who knows me would have always expected Thea to be on the list. And this time I have to thank Johnny Walker for playing this song on his early evening show. So eight albums later, (I passed on her debut album and her Christmas collection) her stand out track is still the same. That is not to say there is nothing else to enjoy on these recordings. In fact, some of her latest releases have garnered critical acclaim. So why no real success? I think that you have to go back to her wonderful 2003 album Avalanche for her strongest set of songs. She has always written great words, but I feel that she has yet to repeat the melodies she attached on her earlier work, and these have become a little repetitive. But the two concerts I attended at The Stables in Milton Keynes were full of energy and well received. I have just noticed she has a live album out, so this is now on order.
Number 87 - Doesn't Have To Be This Way - by Alison Krauss and Union Station
Pushing top spot in my list of favourite singers is Alison Krauss. She released her first album at the age of sixteen in 1987, already with Union Station as her backing band. She had earlier joined the band as fiddle player at the invitation of their then leader John Pennel. I don't have any of her early recordings, but there is a very good compilation of songs from 1987 to 1994 called "Now That I've Found You". It includes new material with the title track being my introduction to her music. I have all the albums she has recorded since, from "So Long So Wrong" in 1997 (which includes the fabulous "There is a Reason"), "Forget About It" and it's stand out title track in 1999, "New Favourite" in 2001 to "Lonely Runs Both Ways in 2004 from which my selection is taken. Her music just gets better and better.
Her only album since 2004 has been the collaboration with Robert Plant in 2007 on the critically acclaimed, but to me very ordinary album "Raising Sand". So it's been a long time to wait for a new solo album, (as always with Union Station) but "Paper Airplane" is due in April. And hopefully a tour. Whilst on the subject of the band, their instrumental tracks can be outstanding. There are also the occasional vocals from Dan Tyminski or Ron Block. The 2002 live album includes the brilliant "I am a Man of Constant Sorrow", Dan having sung the George Clooney part in the film "O Brother Where Art Though". Alison and Dan had contributed other songs for the soundtrack. Finally I have to mention Jerry Douglas who joined the band in 1998. The greatest Dobro player in the world. Just listen to his contribution on my chosen song, only surpassed by Alison's own haunting violin solo. The song itself is written by Robert Lee Castleman who has contributed another three for this album, together with the 2002 Grammy Award winning "The Lucky One", "Forget About It" and "Let Me Touch You For A While". All recorded by Alison Krauss and Union Station.
Number 88 - Building a Mystery by Sarah McLachlan
Sarah just creeps ahead of Alison Krauss as my favourite female singer, mainly because she writes nearly all her own material, unlike Alison. Again it was thanks to Radio 2 for playing her single "Sweet Surrender" from her classic 1997 album"Surfacing" that I first became a fan. This album (from which is taken my chosen song) and it's predecessor from 1994 "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" are the best she has made, and I never tire of playing them in their entirety. An earlier album "Solace" from 1991 also has some great tracks. I have also bought all every album from then on (except Wintersong) and whilst pretty good, have never quite reached the dizzy heights of those earlier classics.
In 2004, Sarah toured the UK, and I could not make up my mind whether to see her at The Royal Albert Hall or Cambridge Corn Exchange a week later. In the end I went to both, and I was so glad I did. They were excellent concerts. Her live album "Mirrorball" is possibly my favourite live album, but then Thea's is only on order. It was hard to choose one track. "Angel" will be the favourite of a lot of her fans, and "Sweet Surrender" is also on the album "Surfacing" from which my choice is taken. All in all, one superb recording.
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