Life Don't Miss Nobody

American roots singer and songwriter Tracy Nelson has been absent from the recording studio since 2011. The roots music icon released her debut album in 1965 and co-founded and fronted the rock band Mother Earth in 1969; that band cut four acclaimed albums before splitting in 1973. Nelson issued solo records in the 70s, did session work in the 80s, and returned to solo recording in the 90s. Her last outing was 2011s Victim of the Blues. Life Dont Miss Nobody is a collection of standards, covers, and originals. Co-produced with Roger Alan Nichols, it was recorded in Nashville with a cast of session players and longtime friends including Willie Nelson, Charlie Musselwhite, Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, Jontavious Willis, Mickey Raphael, and Terry Hanck. A stomping, rent-party read of "Strange Things Happening Every Day" opens the set. An old gospel-blues associated with guitar virtuoso Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Nelson reinvents it with a boogie and Kevin McKendrees pumping piano as the frontline instrument. She follows it with a stellar, innovative read of Doc Pomus "There Is Always One More Time." Nelson takes the original rock & roll ballad and transforms it into a gospel song as Raphaels bluesy harmonica fills the spaces between. The title track by Nelson and partner Mike Dysinger is written as a Cuban son. The Latin tinge is adorned by guitar, quatro, guiro, piano, congas, and stately horns. Nelsons lyric directly addresses loss and lifes fragility as hardships inevitably come for us all. She follows with a rollicking cover of Sonny Boy Williamsons "Your Funeral, My Trial" in duet with resonator guitarist Jontavious Willis. Nelson reunites with Irma Thomas and Marcia Ball on the New Orleans-styled R&B fueling "I Did My Part." (She cut the Grammy-nominated Sing It with them in 1998.) There are two excellent versions of Stephen Fosters "Hard Times" included. While Nelson plays acoustic 12-string guitar on both -- the first time shes played it on a recording since 1965 -- the first adds drums, accordion, electric guitar, upright bass, and a B-3, while the second is unaccompanied. Nelsons delivery is resonant, bearing the sadness of the ages with the support of a trio of backing singers. While Willie Nelson (no relation) duets on a hip, western swing version of Hank Williams "Honky Tonkin," Musselwhite blows dirty harmonica on Wilie Dixons "It Dont Make Sense." Nelson and band get righteously funky on Gene McDaniels "Compared to What." "Where Do You Go When You Cant Go Home" was co-written by Nelson and Marcia Ball. A gospel processional framed by B-3 and piano, its lyric covers all manner of war, famine, and natural disasters. Chuck Berrys "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" is riotously delivered as pumping NOLA R&B with Ball and Thomas. Life Dont Miss Nobody is a welcome return for an artist who, at nearly 80, remains in total command of her powers as both singer and songwriter. ~ Thom Jurek