Soundtracking: CD Review - Alison Krauss - A Hundred Miles or More

SOUNDTRACKING Soundtracking is a weekly column featuring indie and alternative music, published every Tuesday by Laura Cushing on Gather.com.  As an official Gather Music Correspondent, I'm pleased to bring my knowledge of indie and alternative music to the community. Soundtracking will feature some of the best up-and-coming bands in indie music today. Soundtracking will feature interviews, CD reviews, music playlists and mp3 downloads, and music discussions.

This Week on Soundtracking- CD review: Alison Krauss - A Hundred Miles or More

  Alison Krauss began studying classical violin at the age of five, but soon switched to bluegrass. From an early age, she seemed destined for success - winning the Texas state fiddle championship at twelve, and at thirteen being named the Most Promising Fiddler in the Midwest by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass in America. In 1987, then sixteen year old Krauss signed to Rounder Records and released her first solo album, Too Late to Cry. She was backed by Union Station, a band that she is still a part of to this day.

In 1991, she earned her first Grammy Award. In 2004 at the 46th Grammy Awards, Alison Krauss overtook Aretha Franklin for the most wins by a female performer (Franklin won her sixteenth that night; Krauss won three that evening for a total of seventeen). She currently has twenty Grammies for her career as a solo artist, as a group with Union Station, and as a record producer. She has also won seven Country Music Association Awards, fifteen International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, and two Gospel Music Association Awards.

Discography:

1987 Too Late to Cry
1989 Two Highways
1990 I've Got That Old Feeling
1992 Every Time You Say Goodbye
1994 I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
1995 Now That I've Found You (went Double Platinum)
1997 So Long So Wrong (went Gold)
1999 Forget About It (went Gold)
2001 New Favorite (went Gold)
2002 Live (went Double Platinum)
2004 Lonely Runs Both Ways (went Gold)
2007 A Hundred Miles Or More: A Collection

 A Hundred Miles Or More

Tracklisting:

1 You're Just a Country Boy *
2 Simple Love *
3 Jacob's Dream *
4 Away Down the River *
5 Sawing on the Strings
6 Down to the River to Pray
7 Baby Mine
8 Molly Ban
9 How's the World Treating You (Alison Krauss and James Taylor)
10 The Scarlet Tide
11 Whiskey Lullaby (Alison Krauss and Brad Paisley)
12 You Will Be My Ain True Love (Alison Krauss featuring Sting)
13 I Give You to His Heart
14 Get Me Through December
15 Missing You (John Waite and Alison Krauss)
16 Lay Down Beside Me (John Waite and Alison Krauss) *

* = previously unreleased

A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection is comprised of 16 tracks, highlighting Alison Krauss' career outside of her traditional releases with long time band Union Station. The album features Krauss' collaboration with John Waite on the single "Missing You," as well as Krauss' contributions to film soundtracks, including the Oscar nominated songs "The Scarlet Tide" and "You Will Be My Ain True Love," written for the motion picture Cold Mountain and "Down to the River to Pray" from the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? Known for her collaborations, Krauss also includes several duets in the collection such as the 2003 hit with Brad Paisley, "Whiskey Lullaby," and her duet with James Taylor for the tribute album Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of The Louvin Brothers , "How's the World Treating You." The collection debuts five new songs - "You're Just a Country Boy," "Jacob's Dream," "Simple Love," "Lay Down Beside Me," and "Away Down the River," all of which feature Krauss as a producer.

Alison Krauss's lovely voice shines through on this trancendant collection. It's hard to classify the album - it's a mixture of country, bluegrass/newgrass, and adult contemporary pop, perhaps. But who needs labels? It's lovely, that's all we really need to know. Sweet, sad songs about life and love and loss with angelic vocals and tight instrumentation that will make even the hardest heart skip a beat.

For more information:

A Hundred Miles or More preview on YouTube
Alison Krauss and Union Station Website
Alison Krauss on Wikipedia
Connect with Alison Krauss on Gather
Watch "Missing You" video on Amazon
Watch "Whiskey Lullaby" video on YouTube
Alison Krauss and Union Station lyrics quiz

What do you think of the music of Alison Krauss? Have you ever seen one of her concerts? Have a favorite song? 

Where have you heard her music?

Leave a comment and let us know!

Our trivia from last time - how many did you know?

1. Who released their first single "Anarchy in the UK" in December of 1976?
Sex Pistols - Napolean BlownApart

2. What is John Denver's real name?
Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. - Donna F.

3. Who recorded the 80's hit "If This is It"?
Huey Lewis and the News - Kelly E.

4. Name the hit song originally recorded by The Marvelettes in 1961, and later covered by both The Beatles and The Carpenters.
"Please Mr.Postman" - Bob B.

5. What was The Supremes' final big hit in 1970?
"Someday We'll be Together"

What's My Name?

Do you know the performing names of these musicians?

Robert Zimmerman

Reginald Dwight

Paul Hewson

Gordon Summner

Richard Starkey

David Hayward-Jones

CDs and promotional materials, interview and/or review requests can be sent to:

Soundtracking
PO Box 141  Newtonville, NJ 08346-0141

Email: Soundtracking@labarc.com   / AIM: Lab Arc Designs

Soundtracking is now a GROUP! Come and join us in the Soundtracking group - catch up on Soundtracking, read about upcoming pariticipation opportunities, or post your own music related articles.

		Laura Cushing, Music Correspondent  - Soundtracking
	Laura's column, 'Soundtracking' is published every Tuesday in Gather Essentials: Music. Soundtracking is your guide to indie and alternative music -- featuring musician interviews, CD reviews, MP3 mixes, and discussions. Laura Cushing is a 36 year old writer from the New Jersey Pines. In addition to music journalism, she writes fiction and poetry. Keep up with Laura's music series by joining her network, or subscribing to her content.