Old Yellow Moon

This is about as great as one could hope for, and that's to say it's pretty awe-inspiring. Rodney Crowell was a member of Emmylou Harris' Hot Band in the mid-'70s and wrote many songs for her through the years. Harris' ex-husband Brian Ahern, who produced her work in the '70s, also guides these sessions, which feature a number of former Hot Band members: James Burton, John Ware, Bill Payne, Vince Gill, Stuart Duncan, and Steuart Smith. There simply isn't a way for this not to work. The track selection is inspired. Roger Miller's "Invitation to the Blues" is the way to handle a country standard. Patti Scialfa's "Spanish Dancer" puts Harris in the spotlight, with Jim Hoke's accordion following her every step. "Bluebird Wine"—a Crowell song that appeared on Harris' classic debut album, Pieces of the Sky—is revisited and revised. Matraca Berg's touching and vibrant "Back When We Were Beautiful" shouldn't leave a dry eye.