(apologies to Olivia Newton John) but I honestly love Raising Sand

[Cranky]

Always loved Robert's singing. Would grin like a fool everytime Sea of Love came on the radio. Never bought the CD though.

Never knew about Alison till I saw her on PBS (before colloboration with Robert) in an all-star tribute to Paul Simon. (For me "roots music" is Simon and Garfunkel - lol). IIRC she sang the Boxer and she gave me goosebumps. Some other lady sang too and a really good musician guy who played this lying down guitar type thing that sat on the table played and sang backup.

Only other non-classical singer who ever gave me goosebumps was Aaron Neville. He has this album where he sings Ave Maria, it is exquisite. If there were such things as angels in heaven, that is exactly how they would sound. (I'm an agnostic so maybe there are angels in heaven-who knows). It is heresy to say this but for me - I saw Pavorotti(sp) sing Ave Maria at Lincoln Center and it was wonderful but I still love Aaron Neville's version more. It iis so personal...I felt like he was singing it to Mary herself. I almost felt like an intruder, it was so tender and beautiful.

After the PBS thing when I heard Alison Krauss was doing a project with Robet Plant, I bought the CD without hearing it first. I love the thing, I find it haunting and bits of music on the album appear in my head without warning. To me it is like you are looking out the window and daydreaming and hear this beautiful haunting sound in the background and it sort of seeps into your subconscious or something. Oh fuck it, I'm no writer. I just love the thing.

I almost wanted to send an e-mail to T-Bone Burnett with song suggestions. lol - like they'd listen to me. Oh hell, I wish they'd do Paul Simon's American Tune. It was written 30 years ago but for me it is about America, September 11th, the World and the aftermath as it is now. Maybe Paul Simon was having one of those artistic psychic things. I also would love to hear the Robert/Alison version of Simple Gifts which is a beautiful Quaker spiritual.

Oh Jeez, I'll shut up now. Different strokes for different folks or something...