I went along to the Royal Concert Hall last night - I had bought an Emmylou Harris ticket on the spur of the moment - on a whim really - I can't really say I am a big fan - I have enjoyed her music in passing over the years - we are talking way back now 'Elite Hotel' 'Luxury Liner' 'Pieces of the Sky' and 'Blue Kentucky Girl' - showing my age now . . . anyway the last real thing I can say I listened to was her collaboration with Mark Knopfler 'Real Live Roadrunning' which I was not overly impressed by, however, I went with an open mind hoping that it would at least be a pleasant evening . . .
The supporting act was rousing enough - it is only there to warm us all up for the main act - she is a song-writer herself and I thought quite an accomplished one at that - she had her son on guitar supporting her and husband on bass - they were both adequate, however, the son attempted to play a number of solo's and in my opinion was not quite ready or at that level yet - his Mom obviously thrilled to bits asked us to applaud him - I think it says it all that she had to ask - as it was not spontaneously forthcoming . . .
Emmylou came on and within a very short space of time I realised just what a great voice she has - both powerful and delicate at the same time - I soon warmed to her and the band as they slipped between old and new - a full backup band of Phil Madeira on keyboards / accordion / rhythm guitar; Colin Linden on guitar / slide / mandolin - (he used to play with Bruce Cockburn) also backing vocals; Brian Owings on drums that Emmylou says is the happiest drummer in the business - she stole him from Buddy Miller as she did the bass guitarist - Chris Donahue - he really impressed me and I think he has a lot more talent than was allowed to blossom last night; lastly a mandolin come fiddler Rickie Simpkins who also did backing vocals and then a duet with Emmylou - all accomplished musicians in their own right - I loved the way in which the guitarist was able to punch little virtuoso solo's in between verses - whilst Emmylou was catching her breath (not that she ever needed to) and basically illustrated how it should be done (I hope that other singer's son was watching from the wings) . . .
Emmylou as I stated performed a mixed bag of new and old - I was particularly moved by her rendition of Tracy Chapman's - 'All That You Have is Your Soul' and her song which was co-written with Kate and Anna McGarrigle - which starts off with a little tune that I recognise but can't place . . .'How She Could Sing the Wildwood Flower' and 'Hold On' if I'm not mistaken . . .
I think Emmylou and the band warmed to the Glasgow crowd who themselves are notorious for their warmth and enthusiasm - they repeatedly showed their appreciation for the true star that she is . . . .
I left a thorough Emmylou convert - and rushed over to the merchandising stand and enthusiastically pushed my £10 across the counter for my copy of Emmylou's latest offering 'All that I Intended to Be' and I think that says it all really . . .
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