COLIN LINDEN AND LUTHER DICKINSON
WITH THE TENNESSEE VALENTINES
AMOUR
STONY PLAIN RECORDS SPCD 1405
CARELESS LOVE (INST.)–DON’T LET GO–HONEST I DO–CARELESS LOVE (VOCAL)–CRAZY ARMS–FOR THE GOOD TIMES–LOVER PLEASE–WHAT AM I LIVING FOR–DEAREST DARLING–I FORGOT TO REMEMBER TO FORGET
Colin Linden and Luther Dickinson are two of the blues-roots genre’s best guitarists. Colin has played with Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and served as the musical director for the ABC-TV series, “Nashville,” while Luther Dickinson is a member of one of the “first families” of Mississippi Hill Country blues. For their collaboration on “Amour” for Stony Plain, the two guitar legends tackle ten classic love songs from the country/Americana playbook. Also, they recruited some of Nashville’s finest singers to bring the songs to life, and assembled a backing band, affectionately-dubbed “The Tennessee Valentines,” that consist of Dominic Davis on bass, Bryan Owings on drums, Fats Kaplin on accordion and fiddle, and Kevin McKendree on keys.
That ensemble leads off with an instrumental version of “Careless Love,” with Colin on electric dobro and Luther on electric guitar. That song is reprised a bit later as a vocal, courtesy of Rachael Davis. Other highlights for us included Rachael again on vocal for “Honest I Do,” with the fellows faithfully capturing that unmistakable Jimmy Reed lope, while Sam Palladio offers up a bluesy read of “Crazy Arms.”
Our favorite was easy. He wrote it, Clyde McPhatter hit with it in the Fifties, and now Billy Swan sings it for himself—“Lover Please” is set over a lively arrangement augmented by accordion from Fats and Rachael on the harmony vocal.
This set is described as a soundtrack for romance and romantics everywhere. Enjoy “Amour,” as presented by two roots-blues guitar titans, Colin Linden and Luther Dickinson! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues And Roots Alliance.
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