Laurie McClain making sweet sounds

I just got a couple of great CDs in the mail. Both are by Laurie McClain a Nashville based singer songwriter who hails originally from California . Her latest album and the one she is currently promoting is called The Trumpet Vine – A Tribute to Kate Wolf. A laudable idea for a project too and a brave move musically. Kate Wolf is held in such high regard in music circles and so many wonderful people have already paid their own tribute to her by singer her wonderful songs.

But Laurie takes the project on and has made a little jewel of an album with 13 of Kate's songs as well as an extra track with lyrics by Kate that Laurie put her own music to. It is a lovely tribute to the late singer and despite the resemblance between Laurie and other singers like Nancy Griffith and Iris Dement she still has put her own mark on these classic songs. My own favorite Across the Great Divide is on the album an Laurie does it justice as she does with others like Eyes of a Painter, Like a River and Here in California . She is joined on the album by some of Nashville 's best like Stuart Duncan and Bryan Sutton. The simple production sits beautifully behind her sweet voice and I am sure Kate would not complain about her songs being done is this way.

The other album that Laurie sent me is an earlier release called The Child Behind My Eyes and again, mainly because of her sweet voice is reminiscent of a younger Nancy Griffith. But here Laurie sings mostly her own songs and proves herself not just a fine singer but an extremely strong songwriter to boot. In fact this album is on my CD player more this week than any other. Songs like The Beginning of Love and Only Four are gems and Lightning Bugs is a fun little song you might well hear from the likes of my hero Guy Clark.

Laurie has a couple of live shows coming up that I might try to get to which include;

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10
CHARLES & MYRTLE'S COFFEEHOUSE
CHATTANOOGA , TN
WITH JODIE MANROSS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 31
ANN ARBOR FOLK FESTIVAL

So head over to Laurie's website and check out all her stuff. I don't think you will leave without a smile.

http://www.lauriemcclain.com/