Change Your Image
Babys-man
Reviews
Paul Simon: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song (2007)
What I saw was great!
I saw only about 10 - 15 minutes of this. I came in near the beginning of Alison Krauss doing "The Boxer". My first thought was: "Oh, no! Not a bluegrass version; what will they think of next". I stayed with it, though, and was heartily rewarded. In retrospect, bluegrass is a good choice for "The Boxer", and Krauss delivered. In particular, Krauss' fiddle during the bridge was very moving. My only complaint was that the song was done as a duet. The harmonies were beautiful but the singer in "The Boxer" is supposed to be so very lonely, and the second voice seems contrary to that theme. That's a very minor point, though.
Next came Lyle Lovett doing "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover ". Wow, what a horrible programming choice! Lovett did a great job, but the manipulation, deceit, and superficial emotions that are at the heart of "50 Ways .. " left me feeling disgusted. I remember when "50 Ways ... " first came out. It was hip, slick - seemed really sophisticated and clever. Coming right after "The Boxer", though, made it seem juvenile and prurient.
James Taylor and the Dixie Hummingbirds restored the mood with a genuine-sounding "Slip Slidin' Away". Great stuff! I really enjoy seeing talented performers working together - just thinking of how much they must be enjoying themselves makes my enjoyment all the greater.
I definitely will watch this all the way through, and probably increase my score - except this time I'll FF through "50 Ways ... "!
CMT Giants: Reba (2006)
Wow - what a line-up!
I gave this a 7 because I'm not a big fan of tribute shows.
What a great "who's who" of country music: Loretta Lynn, Dolly, Barbara Mandrell, Wynona, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Kelly Clarkson, Vince Gill, Keith Urban, et al.
I'm not a big fan of Reba's singing. She has a great voice, and certainly shows that she knows her way around a set of lyrics. A friend of mine said Reba "chews" her words - not a technical critique, but I know what she (my friend) means. I do truly enjoy Reba's acting and comedy. Her comedic timing isn't flawless, but it is very, very good.
Finally, when Reba was introduced to come up to speak, she received a standing ovation. That's to be expected - I believe I never have seen a tribute show where the guest of honor did *not* get a standing ovation. But I'm quite sure I never have heard such a *joyful* round of applause - it was marvelous! I cannot quite put my finger on it; I guess she just inspires such genuine devotion, but it was truly different from other similar occasions. It definitely was not just the case of people clapping because it was time to. They seemed genuinely to want to let Reba know that they adored her.