Album Essentials: Emmylou Harris "Wrecking Ball"
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
Emmylou Harris is an American treasure. Her full tally of contributions to American music is “real, and spectacular,” to quote a phrase. In love with music since childhood, it seemed like destiny she would make that path her home throughout life. Her interest led her into the folk music world of the 1960s. An Army brat, her family ended up in Virginia, by way of Alabama and North Carolina. With the desire for a life in music, in 1967 she ended up in Greenwich Village, folk music's center of the era, and by 1969, she had a manager and her first record deal. Her debut album, ‘Gliding Bird,' was released on the Jubilee label, and sank without a trace, once the label folded.
By this time she was married and with her first child, she started wondering if a life in music was meant to be, it was then fate intervened when she crossed paths with Gram Parsons, who had left behind not only a stint with The Byrds, but with his own Flying Burrito Brothers as well. The country rock pioneer was looking to establish himself as a solo artist, and upon meeting Emmylou, knew he had found his musical soulmate.
The duo recorded two albums together, to great critical acclaim, then Gram succumbed to drug addiction, and Harris was on her own. She had signed a deal with Warner Brothers Records and had established herself as a vocal talent far above the usual. From 1975 through 1993 she issued several albums and continued to command respect from fellow musicians and fans for her vocal abilities. By the mid-90s, however, there was little demand for her brand of country. Wanting to try something new, she was teamed up with hip producer Daniel Lanois, who had his hands on countless 'cool' records of a variety of styles.
Working with everyone from Canadian synth poppers Martha and the Muffins, and Nash The Slash, to legends like Brian Eno, Bob Dylan, and Peter Gabriel, as well as mega hits with U2. His production style was very vast and cinematic, and the thought of what he would do with the sound of Emmylou was intriguing to say the least. One listen to 1995's 'Wrecking Ball' and you know it was a perfect pairing. His spacious warmth added an almost surreal element to her roots conscious approach.
With songs by Lanois and Harris, she also delivered material from Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, Julie Miller, and Lucinda Williams, it all added up to one of her most solid efforts, and though most of the songs were from outside writers, she truly made them her own. One listen to her take on the Jimi Hendrix classic 'May This Be Love,' or the way she transforms Neil Young's 'Wrecking Ball' into her own space in time, tells your ears all they need to know.
The album scored heavy praise from critics around the world, likening it to her own 'American Recordings,' the Rick Rubin produced album that exposed Johnny Cash to a new generation of fans and evaluation. Despite winning a Grammy for 'Best Contemporary Folk Album,' 'Wrecking Ball' failed to set the cash registers alight, barely breaking into the U.S. Top 100. It did considerably better in Europe, even scoring a No. 1 on the UK country charts.
With a vast catalog and colorful musical history, Emmylou Harris remains one of the most loved and respected voices in country, roots, Americana, whatever you wish to call it. From her duets with Gram Parsons, and her own solo catalog from the 1970s, to 'Wrecking Ball,' and the even more experimental 'Red Dirt Girl,' in 2000, she has continued to define and re-define her sound. Much like this album, Emmylou is an essential artist!