Will Sing for Food -- The Songs of Dwight Yoakam

Amazon.com
For the first time, the singer gets separated from his songs, thus bringing Yoakam's considerable songwriting talents into clear focus. With Pete Anderson, Yoakam's longtime friend/producer/guitarist, in the executive-producer chair, the 14 songs maintain a steady quality, highlighted by standout turns from Rhonda Vincent, Sara Evans, Reckless Kelly, Pete Droge, and Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Yoakam's songs show a knack for tackling traditional country-music territory. While most of the misery in these songs results from bad love, songs such as "I Sang Dixie" and "Miner's Prayer" show an empathy for other people's woes as well, thus making fitting bookends for this homeless-benefit release. Yoakam comes through the songwriter's litmus test--the tribute album--unscathed. --Marc Greilsamer

The Los Angeles Times
[This album] puts Yoakam's empathy for the broken-hearted and the broken-spirited center stage in consistently strong readings by Gillian Welch, Kim Richey, Lone Strangers, and a dozen more.

Tracks:

I Sang Dixie - Rhonda Vincent
Doin' What I Did - The Backsliders
This Time - David Ball
The Distance Between You And Me - Sara Evans
Heart That You Own - Jim Matt
Thousand Miles From Nowhere - Tim O'Brien
Near You - Kim Rickey & Mandy Barnett
Johnson's Love - Scott Joss
What I Don't Know - Bonnie Bramlett-Sheridan
Takes A Lot To Rock You - Lonesome Strangers
If There Was A Way - The Blazers
Please, Please Baby - Reckless Kelly
One Thousand Miles - Pete Droge
Miners Prayers - Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

Amazon.com

For the first time, the singer gets separated from his songs, thus bringing Yoakam's considerable songwriting talents into clear focus. With Pete Anderson, Yoakam's longtime friend/producer/guitarist, in the executive-producer chair, the 14 songs maintain a steady quality, highlighted by standout turns from Rhonda Vincent, Sara Evans, Reckless Kelly, Pete Droge, and Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Yoakam's songs show a knack for tackling traditional country-music territory. While most of the misery in these songs results from bad love, songs such as "I Sang Dixie" and "Miner's Prayer" show an empathy for other people's woes as well, thus making fitting bookends for this homeless-benefit release. Yoakam comes through the songwriter's litmus test--the tribute album--unscathed. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Two thumbs down.......2007-04-06

All I can say is, no one can sing a Dwight song, but Dwight. Enough said...

Help for the Homeless.......2004-11-04

Indie label, Little Dog Records, is helping those less fortunate by the sales of Will Sing for Food - the Songs of Dwight Yoakam. The lyrics are pure Yoakam, and the musicians who donated their time and skills to the making of the album chose songs they felt an affinity for. Rhonda Vincent on I Sang Dixie; Jim Matt on Heart That You Own; Scott Joss on Johnson's Love; Bonnie Bramlett-Sheridan on What I Don't Know; Lonesome Strangers on Takes a Lot to Rock You; The Blazers on If There Was a Way - so much vocal talent and for such a worthy cause. I highly recommend this one.

The Songs of Dwight Yoakam-Will Sing For Food.......2003-09-20

I was expecting to hear Dwight. I was disappointed in all the offerings except the one by Gillian Welch. He is the best singer of his songs. The CD liner gives no information on the supposed "Benefit for the Homeless". Let's just hope it happened, the homeless benefitted, and continue to benefit from sales of the CD.

Yoakam's songs stand tall.......2001-06-04

The iconic quality of Yoakam's originals occasionally obscures the cover versions offered here. But a comparison to a song's best-known rendering is the burden any cover must shoulder. Hearing a treasured groove filtered through the artistry of a new interpretation can elevate the song and multiply its meaning, or it can leave you begging to hear the original.

This collection offers many of the former, few of the latter, and wisely digs into Yoakam's albums for most of its repertoire. Rhonda Vincent's gospel-influenced "I Sang Dixie" adds a layer of dignity to a tale of a dying rebel, while David Ball strips down "This Time" and takes it to the honky-tonk for a sad two-step around the dance floor. Kim Richey and Mandy Barnett's superb vocals soar on the unusually structured meter of "Near You." Jim Matt, Tim O'Brien, Scott Joss, and Gillian Welch all make nice contributions.

While there's no radical reinterpretations, this tribute successfully illuminates the craft that lies behind Yoakam's magnetic personality and singing.

Great covers of our favorite Dwight songs.......1998-11-12

You might not recognize all the artists on this album but you will be glad you were introduced to them once you hear this album. Jim Matt's "Heart That You Own" will make you want to call home and let everyone know you are thinking of them. He nails this song right on the head. Scott Joss' "Johnson's Love" will make you realize that there is still some real country singers out there and The Backsliders will get you on your feet dancing. Add this to your collection of Dwight albums as a keeper. Besides it's for a good cause and Dwight's band plays on alot of the track so you know it's gonna have the same "Dwight" quality we all have come to enjoy.

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