Thank Heavens for Dale Evans

 (18 customer reviews)

I drove across country shortly after getting this cd, and I barely took it out of the cd player the whole way--not sure how many hundreds of times that means I've listened to this! I love the "new" Dixie Chicks, too (sisters Martie and Emily Erwin are the only common thread), but I was curious about their previous sound, and I wasn't disappointed! This is a great record, with a lot of great harmony and, of course, talented ladies playing the heck out of just about every stringed instrument there is.

That said, buy their new records too! Natalie Maines, the lead singer, is witty and expressive, and her beautiful voice goes great with Martie and Emily's fiddle/banjo/mandolin/etc. Laura Lynch and Robin Lynn Macy brought some very different things to the mix, but their departures were largely, if not entirely, their own choices, and I hate to see Natalie punished for that.

I bought this album way before anyone had heard of the Dixie Chicks, and it remains my favorite of theirs. Its bluegrassy instrumentals and honest-sounding vocals are a pleasure to listen to, and there's nothing slick about this cd. I can see why they haven't re-released it, though - it sounds nothing like the present Chicks. Snag one used if you can!

country music fans should get a chance to hear how the dixie chicks sounded like when they had singer/songwriter/guitarist robin macy and singer/bassist laura lynch[now laura lynch tull]and the dixies chicks first cd "thank heavens for dale evans" serves that purpose.