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Rounder’s Cream of the Crop series
debuts with Claire Lynch CD
By Paulette Isaacs
With her second album after a 5-year hiatus from music,
Claire Lynch’s Crowd Favorites is the first release from
Rounder’s Cream of the Crop series. This series features
anthologies of various groups’ highlight songs and instrumentals
from their Rounder years and possibly some new releases.
The Claire Lynch Band
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Claire Lynch’s successful career spans over two decades.
Her first release with group, Front Porch String Band, was on
the Rebel Records label in 1981. Since then, Claire and The Claire
Lynch Band has spent 10 years on the Rounder label with five CD
releases (not counting Crowd Favorites) thus far including Friends
for a Lifetime, Moonlighter, Silver and Gold, Love Light, and
New Day. Two of these albums were Bluegrass Grammy nominations
for Best Bluegrass Album. In addition, Claire was voted Female
Vocalist of the Year in 1997 by the International Bluegrass Music
Association (IBMA). “She has been a finalist for the IBMA’s
Female Vocalist of the Year award seven times, a first-rung harmony
vocalist in Nashville’s Music Row studios, an accomplished
songwriter with seven years experience as a contract writer on
Music Row, a protegee of highly successful writer and publisher
Paul Craft and Music City producers like Tony Brown, and an acclaimed
bandleader,” writes Randy Pitts in the Crowd Favorites liner
notes.
With that kind of resume and her distinctly entertaining live
shows, there is no doubt that Claire Lynch is an impeccable performer,
singer, songwriter, and musician. Her vocals seem effortless and
heartfelt, and they cannot be mistaken for anyone else’s.
Lynch’s dynamic delivery of lyrics ranges from delicate to
flat-out traditional bluegrass style. She is quite adept at various
styles of singing, and her beautiful harmony singing has graced
recordings by Emmy Lou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Kathy Mattea, Patty
Loveless, and Dolly Parton. Claire Lynch “has also written
or co-written songs recorded by Loveless, Mattea, Stephanie Davis,
Pierce Pettis, The Seldom Scene, and Irene Kelly, among many others”
(liner notes from Crowd Favorites).
Beginning with the two songs from her Friends for a Lifetime album
that appear on Crowd Favorites, is one of this writer’s favorites:
“Your Presence is My Favorite Gift” written by Hershey
Reeves. This is a lovely song thanking God for all of His many
blessings, but in particular the gift of His presence that Christians
experience daily. Secondly, is the song “Friends for a Lifetime
(Song for Kegan),” which is a mother’s “conversation”
with her child regarding life and the prayer that the two will
always be friends. The chorus is: “All our days will spin
ahead. Maybe time will prove it’s kind. After all is done
and said, say we’ll be friends for a lifetime.” Claire
herself is the writer of this song along with Susan Stewart.
The album Moonlighter offers the Chris Stuart-penned “Thibodaux.”
This song’s Cajun style captures the listener’s attention
right off. This is great song with some humor interjected, not
to mention great fiddle work by the late Randy Howard.
Silver and Gold gives us three songs, two of which are co-written
by Claire Lynch. “If Wishes Were Horses” written by
Gretchen Peters has, according to Claire’s notes about the
songs in the Crowd Favorites booklet, “In my ongoing search
for interesting, up-tempo bluegrass songs, I came across ‘Wishes’
from Gretchen Peters. What a catch! Over the years, this song
has drawn bluegrass chart action, appeared on other Rounder compilation
CDs, and has continued to be one of our most-requested songs.”
Co-written with Irene Kelley, “Silver and Gold” is an
instant classic love song. Comparing the inevitable hard times
of marriage to the fire that refines the precious metals of silver
and gold, shows that coming through these times can make relationships
stronger than ever. “Sweetheart, Darlin’ of Mine,”
co-written with Pamela Brown, captures Claire Lynch’s crysal-clear
vocals and her range. The lyrics are simple, yet very inspiring
to couples whose prayers were answered in finding the love that
fills their heart and soul.
From Lovelight, the bluesy “Jealousy” (written by Claire
Lynch and Irene Kelley) uses a literary term, personification,
to give this sometimes all-consuming vice attibutes of human action
and characteristics. The chorus’ lines are defining: “Jealousy,
oh jealousy, what a devil you must be. With your chains around
my heart, how will I break free? Oh, jealousy.” For those
women married to men who are the strong/silent type, you may particularly
identify with the song by Jennifer Kimball and Claire called,
“He Don’t Like to Talk About It.” The second verse
reveals what you already know: “What he feels, he keeps it
in his own hip pocket. That’s the deal, and I just have to
take or leave it. But in my heart, I know he loves me; he just
don’t like to talk about it.” The love a woman has for
a man can overcome this barrier in her heart.
From her 2006 release, New Day, Claire has chosen “Train
Long Gone” (writer: Dennis Linde) and “Fallin’
In Love” (writer: Henry Hipkens). “Train Long Gone”
was at the top of the bluegrass charts in 2006. The swing-feel
to “Fallin’ In Love” has a very charming sound
and the band’s delivery is an enjoyable listening experience.
According to the liner notes, Claire’s years with The Front
Porch String Band produced songs that Claire chose for her current
group, The Claire Lynch Band, to record new for this project.
Those include the song co-written by Mark Fair entitled, “Hills
of Alabam’” and Don Oja’s “Kennesaw Line.”
The familiar “Wabash Cannonball” is an extended version
of the song, giving the musicians in the band apt opportunity
to give their musical interpretation of this classic. This FPSB-rendition
is, according to Lynch, credited from the inspiration the band
derived from Dan Crary’s influence: “I really must credit
Dan Crary for inspiring us back in the Front Porch String Band
days. We heard his souped-up arrangements of standard songs and
were encouraged to do the same” (from her notes in the booklet
of the album). “The Day that Lester Died,” which had
previously been recorded on Mark Newton’s Follow Me Back
to the Fold, was written by Claire Lynch after the news given
to her that the legendary Lester Flatt passed away.
The artists on Crowd Favorites are too numerous to mention in
this article, but be assured they are as top-notch as Ms. Lynch.
Her current group consists of long-time friends, Missy Raines
and Jim Hurst, and also fiddler/mandolinist, newcomer to The Claire
Lynch Band, Jason Thomas.
For more information on Claire’s current and past recordings,
please visit www.rounder.com
and www.clairelynch.com
This and other reviewed CDs may be purchased or ordered through
our friends at Appalachian Music Shoppe on the 105 Extension in
Boone. They are located in the Carriage Square shopping center.
You may call 828-263-0051 for more information.
Local musicians are invited to send in your materials for a review
by Paulette Isaacs. They may be mailed to 286 Phillip Road, Elk
Park, NC 28622. Sorry, materials cannot be returned. For more
information, you may email dpisaacs@localnet.com.
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