Emmylou

I attended the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, even though I am not a noted bluegrass fan. It's OK. I respect the medium. I who Flatt & Scruggs are. But that's about it.

However, the lineup at this festival always has somebody on it that's not quite bluegrass but blends in well for whatever reason. Wilco was there this time and they were good. But the act that preceeded them really took me by surprise.

I like the anti-Nashville country a bit better than bluegrass. By anti-Nashville, I mean the kind heartfelt songs that are rarely about drinkin', smokin', whorin', divorcin' or how good it in to live in the USA. You don't have to wear a hat to be sucessful in this genre or sing in a phony southern accent.

So out on the stage comes the queen of anti-Nashville. Her name is Emmylou Harris and she's been doing this since 1975. Emmylou can sing. Emmylou can write and turn a phrase. Emmylou can play guitar. And at 58 years old, Emmylou is a very very beautiful woman. She's more attractive now that she was 30 years ago. I was mezmerized.

Near the end of the set, she did a cover of a song composed by her succesor to the throne of anti-Nashville, Lucinda Williams. Emmylou did put her own touches on Lucinda's "Sweet Old World". And I had to hold back the tears.

I'm advocating when the time comes that Karen let her hair go totally gray like Emmylou's. But she won't have it.