Various Artists - Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash

June Carter was born June 23, 1929, to "Mother" Maybelle Carter and Ezra Carter. Her uncle was the great A.P. Carter; her life began in music. The Carter Family were one of the First Families of country music, and A.P. Carter the writer of some of the greatest, most enduring songs ever in the history of music. June officially joined her family when she was only ten years old; as one of the Carter Sisters, she sang with her mother and sisters (Helen and Anita), and rapidly became the star comedienne of the group. With her lighthearted touch, her sincerity, her honest love of just about everything and everyone in the world, June simply sparkled. It was that sparkle that attracted a young unknown named Johnny Cash; it was a sparkle that family and friends remarked on every day until her untimely death. It was that sparkle that made her very well beloved artist, but once she married Johnny Cash, June allowed her own celebrity to fade, and stood behind her husband. There are those who didn't know her astounding legacy - I even heard a youngster comment once that she "wasn't anything but Cash's wife." Fortunately, the release of the movie and Reese Witherspoon's memorable performance laid that notion to rest. Since June's death, her star has been dusted off and brought out where everyone can see, hear, and appreciate the stunning talent that was June Carter Cash. There have been many posthumous releases - notably her final solo album, Wildwood Flower, and a collection of greatest hits - and now, this loving tribute.

There are some great names on this disc, all of them humbly dedicating one of June's songs - either written by her, performed by her, or just loved by her - to the memory of that great lady. Included here are the likes of Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello, Brad Paisley, Billy Bob Thornton, Billy Joe Shaver, Ralph Stanley, Emmylou Harris, &, performing what may be the most stunning rendition of Mother Maybelle's "theme song," "Wildwood Flower," that I've ever heard, Loretta Lynn. Each song on its own is amazing. To have some of these artists performing them is breathtaking. Of course in the last several years there have been a lot of performances of these old songs as they surged in popularity; but somehow none of them were done with this much love, this much heart, and this much caring. To hear Grey DeLisle sing "Big Yellow Peaches" or Patty Loveless and Kris Kristofferson performing "Far Side Banks of Jordan" is more than just a treat. This is so much more than just a cover album, yet another tribute - it's not artists merely selected for their name and given a song to sing. Each one sings like it is a song they wanted to sing, are delighted to be performing, and just adore what they're doing.

All too often these tributes have a cardboard feeling of sameness; this one doesn't. Of course, some of that may be attributed to the deft production of June's only son, John Carter Cash, quite possibly one of the finest music producers in the business. But whatever it is, that makes this disc so delightful, it's going to be one, I think, that folks are going to enjoy for many years to come.