Notes & Personnel Info |  | Includes liner notes by Steve James. |  | PREACHIN' THE BLUES was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Traditional Blues Album. |  | Personnel: Kenny Neal (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Anders Osborne, Paul Geremia, Scott Holt , Steve James, Sue Foley, Tab Benoit, Brian Stoltz, Charlie Musselwhite (vocals, guitar); Jumpin' Johnny Sansone (vocals, harmonica); Colleen Sexton (vocals); Gregg Hoover (guitar); David Maxwell (piano); Darren Thiboutot (drums). |  | Audio Mixer: Lincoln Clapp. |  | Liner Note Author: Steve James. |  | Instead of getting all of the artists into the studio with a full band for their tribute album Preachin' the Blues: The Music of Mississippi Fred McDowell, Telarc had most of the featured artists (all but two of 12, actually) perform with just a guitar and voice (or, in the case of David Maxwell, a piano). This, of course, brought the musicians closer to McDowell's territory, and most of the contributors sound very respectful of the original recordings, keeping their phrasing and approach very similar to his. This may not result in the most startling or inspired tribute ever, but it's a nice, low-key, heartfelt salute -- something that sounds nice while it's playing, and it does make you want to dig out (or buy) old Mississippi Fred McDowell records. But, once you do that, chances are you'll never spin this again. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine | Producer: Randy Labbe; Randy Labbe (Compilation) | Engineer: Dave Draves; Pamela Emerson; Keith Kenyon; Scott Rancourt; Harry Gale; Rueben Williams; King Williams; Nelson Blanchard; Steve Drown |
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