Wednesday, 26 January 2011

'Rosanne Cash' at the City Halls Celtic Connections January 2011


Rosanne took us a heartfelt journey in the Glasgow City halls - over to heartbreak, hope redemption and love.  She travelled with her famous deep-voiced father Johnny Cash and his second wife June Carter, and the Carter family who she toured with as a young teenager and who helped to shape her musical voice.   
Rosanne was there at the concert with her husband  - producer, composer and guitarist John Leventhal.  Leventhal provided the perfect backing to Rosanne songs with melodic and blues-filled guitar - and he has produced and written for many famous artists. 

Her set consisted of well-known country songs such as 'Ode to Billy Joe'  and also original material by Rosanne.  She started with songs from her well-received album 'The List' released in 2009:  the songs for this album were selected from a list of 100 songs that Johnny wrote for her -  when she didn't seem to know many of the songs that meant the most to him, he went to the back of the bus and wrote this 'List.' Later she realised it was his legacy and tonight she performed from 'The List' album -  'Sea of Heartbreak,' 'Long Black Veil,' 'Girl From the North Country (Dylan),' '500 Miles', 'Heartaches by the Number.'     

Then she also performed her own original songs from her 2006 album ' Black Cadillac' album  - 'Burn Down This Town,' 'House on The Lake,' 'I Was Watching You,' and 'The World Unseen.' And also her first hit single 'Seven Year Ache'  - her 1981 breakthrough hit. 
For her encore, as it was Burn night, Rosanne sang a Burns song - 'My Love is Like a Red Red Rose', along with Scottish singer songwriter Roddy Hart.  She then finished the evening with a Carter family song 'Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow Tree.'  

Cash often wears muted clothes but her 'magenta purple velvet shoes' gave her away!   It feels like she has lived through many rollercoasters, seen bright sides and heartache to be able offer us her moving songs and a voice that can crack and break your heart.  

Cash was very well supported by Denver singer songwriter Nathaniel Ratcliff who has a powerful voice.  

Rosanne Cash is an American singer- songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of the late country singer Johnny Cash.  Her music draws  folk, pop, rock and blues while mainly in the country genre.  In the 1980s, she had a string of chart-topping singles, the most successful being her 1981 breakthrough hit "Seven Year Ache'.  In 1991 Cash moved to New York, where she continues to write, record and perform.  She has released five albums, and written two books. Her essays have been published in The New York Times, and Rolling Stone.  She won a Grammy in 1985 for "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me," and has received nine other Grammy nominations. She has had 11 No.1 country hit singles, 21 Top 40 country singles and two gold records.  Cash was an inaugural member of the Independent Music Awards judging panel to support independent artists.  In 2006, Cash released Black Cadillac, which was nominated for a 2006 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album. Cash supports several children's charities.