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In this issue: A Dixie Chicks fan reviews "Pastures of Plenty", Big Mon and
the Lucky Dogs come out to play, and Natalie used to be a cowgirl too!


** A Chicks Fan reviews Big Twang **

The following review of "Pastures of Plenty" came across the Dixie Chicks
fan discussion list, and the author gave me his permission to share it with
you.

To: eGroup Chicks Fans <dixiechicks@egroups.com>
References: <ENGLIOGGBHLHAAAA@...>
From: GMGrif <gmgrif@...>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Date: Fri, 01 Sep 2000 23:35:28 -0500
Subject: [dixiechicks] Big Twanged by Dang It!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-UIDL: 46d9299ce9a614ac87c98aee9eed5966

When I got home tonight there was a nice little pre-holiday surprise
waiting for me in the mail: my copy of Pastures of Plenty by Big Twang
(featuring founding Chick, Robin Macy). It arrived a day ahead of its
official street date and after the first play, I can say that it is a
definite keeper!

Hearing Robin's voice again on a new CD is the next best thing to finding
some lost recordings of the original Chicks IMHO. Big Twang also has a
little more in common with the early Chicks then just one founding member.
Pastures of Plenty was mixed and mastered at Crystal Clear Sound, source of
the three Indy Dixie Chicks albums. Plus, as Robert (or others?) pointed
out, it includes a song recorded by the Chicks on Shouldn't a Told Ya That
after Robin left (I've Only Got Myself to Blame) and the lil ol' cowboy on
the cover is definitely reminiscent of the little ol' cowgirl on the front
of the Chicks second Indy album (and Robin's last), and the "pasture" in
which the cover was shot is six miles east of Winfield, Kansas where the
Erwin sisters played in their bluegrass days. Pastures of Plenty also
includes a Mary Chapin Carpenter tune, as did Little Ol' Cowgirl (though it
is a different song).

All the connections to the original Chicks apart, the album has much to
recommend it. The production on Pastures of Plenty is simple and
straightforward, uncluttered you might say, yet very cohesive and balanced.
In a word, musical. Don't expect to find driving drums here though, of the
Nashvegas computerized variety or otherwise, this is traditional bluegrass
instrumentation (i.e., no drums allowed). That instrumentation and the
uncluttered production allow you to hear the banjo and guitars quite
clearly, and sweet tones they are though not as much so as Robin's
distinctive voice, that sultry Texas talking yodel that first caught my ear
with the Chicks' Indy releases. If I have one negative thing to say about
the album it is that I would like to hear Robin sing more. She does the
lead vocals on only six or roughly half the songs (#1, 3, 5, 8, 10 &
alternating on 11), and her voice steals the show, particularly on Blame
and the title track. If you are still on the fence about buying this CD, go
to www.bigtwang.com for links to three full songs the band posted on
mp3.com and have a listen for yourself. For the samples, which are full
length, you have nothing to lose but time. They are free of charge with the
band's blessing. If you like those, you'll love the rest of the CD.

Happy trails,
Gerry

(For more information about the Dixie Chicks fan discussion list this came
from, check out http://www.dixiechicksfans.com/)


** Chick-related CD releases **

It's a big month for Dixie Chicks CD releases, even though the Chicks are
still on tour!

Ricky Skaggs & Friends
Big Mon-Songs Of Bill Monroe
Released 8/29/2000
http://www.cdnow.com/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/itemid=1234934/from=sr-187\
304-1

This album, released on Ricky Skaggs' independent Skaggs Family Records
label, features a cornucopia of famous artists paying tribute to the father
of bluegrass, Bill Monroe. The Chicks' contribution, "Walk Softly (On My
Heart)", features Natalie belting loose with a voice that combines her "Sin
Wagon" energy with the good parts of "Let Him Fly". She pushes her voice
to the limit, maybe a little beyond... and it works. For a
smoothly-polished cookie-cutter voice, tune in your local country
station. Natalie is taking a different path.

Charlie Robison, Jack Ingram, Bruce Robison
Unleashed Live
Scheduled Release 9/26/2000
http://www.cdnow.com/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/itemid=1259061/from=sr-187\
304-1

Several country radio stations have received advance copies of this disc,
but you'll only hear it on a regular basis on insurgent country stations
like Dallas' 95.3 The Range (http://www.khyi.com/). With four tracks by
each of the Sony/Lucky Dog artists, recorded live at Texas' famous Gruene
Hall, it's an absolute party-in-a-box. But you'll realize before long that
the fans aren't just coming for the beer... Charlie, Bruce, and Jack are
consummate musicians and entertainers.

Kelly Willis
One More Time - MCA Recordings
Scheduled Release 9/12/2000
One More Time-Mca Recordings
http://www.cdnow.com/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/itemid=1250658/from=sr-187\
304-1

Bruce Robison's wife Kelly Willis (like his sister-in-law Emily Erwin
Robison) has a discography that extends well past the currently available
releases. This disc features several out-of-print tracks that Village
Records (http://www.villagerecords.com/) describe as "a great introduction
to this compelling artist". By the way, Kelly also sings a duet with Bruce
on the "Unleashed Live" CD mentioned above.


If any of the above CDnow links won't work, use this link to go to the main
page and search on the album title. Your purchases via these links help
keep "All-Inclusive" going -- I use the commissions to buy CDs for my wife!

CDnow
http://www.cdnow.com/from=sr-187304


** Natalie used to be a cowgirl? **

Yep, and we've got the pictures to prove it!

I was looking at the Dixie Chicks items on eBay and found an item I'd never
seen before -- a 1994 tribute to Charlie Goodnight, by Andy Wilkinson,
featuring 19-year-old Natalie singing "White Women's Clothes".

But the icing on the cake is the book that came with the "Box Set" version
of the release. In it is a pencil drawing of Natalie Maines -- as a Little
Ol' Cowgirl! Not the sequins & rhinestones "Old Chicks" look, though...
more of a prairie maiden look. It's no wonder this fascinating set just
closed at $81.00, and I have reports that it's sold as high as $325:

eBay: Dixie Chicks * Natalie Maines First CD * OOP
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=421024540

There's good news, though, if you're interested in getting your own
copy. The CD-only version of this rare release is also currently available
at eBay -- for another couple of days:

eBay: Dixie Chicks Natalie Maines First CD! No book
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=423964071

This release is currently going for $30, so it's a great chance to snag a
rare bit of Dixie Chicks history. I'm the only bidder so far, but don't
worry -- that $30 is as high as I can go, and I'm kind of hoping that I
*don't* get it. It's not exactly in the budget this month!
--
Robert Brooks / robertb@...
http://www.dixie-chicks.com/ -- the complete unauthorized history
Nashville's days are numbered: listen to http://www.khyi.com/

"I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness,
but you are already doing that..." - 2 Cor 11:1