Track Listings (19) - Disc #1| All Artists: Blind Alfred Reed, Tim O'Brien, Kathy Mattea, Connie Smith, Little Jimmy Dickens, Asleep at the Wheel Title: Always Lift Him Up: A Tribute to Blind Alfred Reed Members Wishing: 2 Total Copies: 0 Label: Proper Records Us Original Release Date: 1/1/2007 Re-Release Date: 11/6/2007 Genres: Country, Folk, Pop Styles: Classic Country, Traditional Folk, Contemporary Folk, Tributes Number of Discs: 1 SwapaCD Credits: 1 UPC: 852007001135 |
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Search - Blind Alfred Reed, Tim O'Brien, Kathy Mattea :: Always Lift Him Up: A Tribute to Blind Alfred Reed
 | Blind Alfred Reed, Tim O'Brien, Kathy Mattea Always Lift Him Up: A Tribute to Blind Alfred Reed Genres: Country, Folk, Pop
Who can forget the photograph of Blind Alfred Reed and Aunt Rosie Reed, sitting down to Christmas dinner in their cabin in West Virginia? Alfred seems to be eating something and Rosie seems to be watching him with an attit... more » |
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Product Description Who can forget the photograph of Blind Alfred Reed and Aunt Rosie Reed, sitting down to Christmas dinner in their cabin in West Virginia? Alfred seems to be eating something and Rosie seems to be watching him with an attitude of concern. Her plate is empty. Alfred died soon after - of starvation, the story goes - in 1956. How can a poor man stand such times and live? Reed lived and worked during the Great Depression, and he wrote some of the greatest people s songs of that era. He was a popular entertainer, but a man of deep feeling. He didn t make money. From the perspective of modern times, it s a miracle he was recorded at all. Thanks to the new Lost City Ramblers, his unique songs were revived for modern audiences in the 60s, where I first heard of him. Always Lift Him Up and Never Knock Him Down would make an interesting national anthem: kindness and empathy over bombs and flags. Now, for the first time, we can listen to the songs of Alfred Reed interpreted by singers and musicians from his home state of West Virginia. What an imagination he had, what insight, what clarity. How is it that these wonderful songs have laid fallow for so long? Yet how fresh and timely they are, and that s the mark of a great artist. Shall I say a great American? Get to know him. Accept Blind Alfred Reed into your life! You must unload! -- Ry Cooder. Produced by Don Dixon, Michael Lipton and Tim O'Brien. Features performances by: Tim O'Brien, Kathy Mattea, Little Jimmy Dickens, Connie Smith, Asleep at the Wheel, Marty Stuart, Jerry Douglas, and more. Similar CDs
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CD ReviewsAn Excellent Tribute to Blind Alfred Reed Vito Minerva | Italy | 03/15/2009 (5 out of 5 stars) "What a great CD! And I stumbled upon it by pure chance. After a Tim O'Brien concert here in Italy, I was so enthusiastic about his playing that I decided to have one of his records. Unfortunately, they were all over by the time I reached the selling booth and so I settled for this one. I couldn't have done a better choice. Why? Firstly, it's still a Tim O'Brien album, after all: he sings, produces, plays a variety of stringed instruments in about a third of the 19 tracks and also writes the liner notes (he was also very kind to sign my album copy).
Secondly, I discovered a songwriter I was unaware of. To excuse myself, I must say that I shared my ignorance with quite a good company. From the liner notes: "most of the participants in this tribute were unaware of the man and his music until asked to participate." This album tries to make Alfred Reed justice and in my opinion it succeeds. Sure, sometimes his songs are preachy ("Why Do You Bob Your Hair, Girls"), patronizing ("Beware") or pathetic ("The Prayer of the Drunkard's Little Girl"), but they are never dull and you listen to them even though you may differ. Of course, the best songs are when he's more compassionate than preachy. And I'm thinking of his devout hymns to God (the two renditions of "Walk in the Way With Jesus", "There'll Be No Distinction There" and "I Mean to Live for Jesus"), his ballads with heartfelt compassion for the tragedies of the common people ("Explosion in the Fairmount Mines", "Fate of Chris Lively and Wife") or his passionate commentaries about the poor and the sinners ("How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live" and "You Must Unload"). Despite the dark themes of his songs, the music is always quite lively. My favourite songs are "Beware" (preachy yes, but so funny and energetic), "The Telephone Girl" (the chorus is made for sing-along), "Why Do You Bob Your Hair, Girls" (I like Ann Magnuson's facetious tone), "Money Cravin' Folks" (I love the thumping of the pump organ), "You'll Miss Me" (nice duet between Mollie and Tim O'Brien), "Explosion in the Fairmount Mines", "Fate of Chris Lively and Wife" and "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live". But I'm doing wrong to the other songs I haven't mentioned. They are all good, really. With 19 tracks and with more than 1 hour of music, this album has both quality and quantity. The best purchase of the year so far. Moreover, even though (or more likely "because of") written in the Depression era, some songs like "Money Cravin' Folks" and "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live" are still damn relevant today! Do yourself a favour and buy this disregarded gem. " |
