Angel Band

 (39 customer reviews)

Bluegrass gospel doesn't get better than this. While Ms. Harris can sing any type of music she chooses to, she is never better than when she does these simple country/bluegrass traditional numbers. There is a wealth of material on this CD. My least favorite, through no fault of Ms. Harris, is "Where Could I Go But To The Lord." I never cared for that one as a child and my feelings haven't changed. The best cut, I think, is Bright Morning Stars." Mr. Harris' a capella rendition will put chills on your spine-- or a tear to your eye. Then there is the title cut "Angel Band." Another favorite of mine is the Ralph Stanley song, "Who Will Sing For Me." Much bluegrass music is nothing is not seeped in melancholy. This one is as sad as it gets. The singer laments that having sung for the funerals of so many friends, that there won't be anyone to sing for her. That's good stuff! I'm also fond of Ms. Harris' very fast arrangement of "We Shall...Read more

One day I was driving home from work when I heard on the Public Radio station that I was listening to the most incredibly haunting and beautiful song! I listened with my mouth hanging open, it was so magical. When it ended, I listened eagerly to hear the name of the singer. The song was Drifting Too Far, from Angel Band, by Emmylou Harris. I found it in a record store the next day and have played it dozens of times since. This cd is, I believe the most heart-felt that Ms. Harris ever sang, and I have listened to nearly of of her other work The songs a very Christian, but also universal in their appeal, bringing to mind the misty hills of Ky., Tenn., and W. Va. and the best qualities of rural life. Some songs to carry a note of sadness or wistfulness, but they are so appealing that anyone would love them. Ms. Harris, as so often in her body of work, touches the heart very deeply. This is a classic cd that I consider a key part of my cd collection.

My son at 4 years old listened to this CD non-stop while going through a bone-marrow transplant for Leukemia. We played it everyday for six years until his death. This is truly a CD that is uplifting to the soul, the way music is meant to be! (Two years later our singing to this CD still makes me smile...)