Mending Fences

At the age of 47, having served a long apprenticeship before releasing this disc, Kentucky-born country-folk singer Gary Cornelius' debut won immediate praise for its sure-footed arrangement and production. His literate songwriting, informed by a deep knowledge of the Americana folk heritage, was given superb foundation by some of Chicago's best acoustic musicians. Judicious use of a variety of instruments -- fiddle, acoustic bass, mandolin and steel guitar -- provide fine support for Cornelius' often romantically tinged lyrical balladry. Recalling a folksier Frizzell or Travis in the vocal department it are the Texas troubadours Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Jerry Jeff Walker, which the songs identify most closely with. At one stage this artist almost took a purely gospel path and elements of that strong spirituality still influence the lyrics. At its best, this recording's highlights "Hickory Green," "The Big Wheel" or the Hoyt Axton-like "Everyone Will Remember" repay repeated listenings. This is for fans of the Texas writers or Canadians like Willie P. Bennett and Fred Eaglesmith: country music made by a country person and a mature talent worth savoring. ~ Shaun Belcher