You can hear the respect in Doug Cox’s voice as he speaks about Emmylou Harris.
“It’s a crowning moment for me,” Cox said this week as he announced the 12-time Grammy Award winner will be a headliner at Vancouver Island Music Festival in July. “I’ve been trying to get her for years.
“She’s a queen of Americana,” the VIMF artistic director said to praise the veteran songbird. “Her latest work is spectacular.”
The album, Hard Bargain, is nominated in the Best Americana category in the 54th Grammy Awards, which will be presented this Sunday.
She is up against releases by Ry Cooder, Levon Helm and Lucinda Williams, but Harris can hold her own against just about anybody if musical quality is the only criteria.
“She’s a true musician,” Cox said. “I really respect her for her career path. It’s always about the music with her.”
Hard Bargain includes 11 new songs by Harris, including two that reflect on relationships with late Canadian singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle and long-departed Emmylou mentor Gram Parsons, the father of country-rock.
Besides her crystal-pure voice and keening phrasing, Harris is renowned for the candour in the many songs she has written in a four-decade career as well as a restless, creative spirit.
According to Cox, she has excellent taste in musicians.
“A lot of my favourite musicians have played with her,” said Cox, adding that a stint with Harris has led to solo careers for many singers and players.
Cox mentioned the Hot Band, which Harris assembled for her 1976 release Elite Hotel.
Besides Elvis Presley sidemen James Burton and Glen D. Hardin, the Hot Band featured young songwriter Rodney Crowell, a standout at MusicFest last year.
When Elite Hotel became a smash, it launched Harris on a lengthy period of creativity that few can match or even dream about.
Her mind-bogglingly long list of musical collaborators includes Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Neil Young, Ricky Skaggs, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello, Mark Knopfler, Sam Bush and Daniel Lanois.
Cox had not planned to announce Harris this week, but he started getting e-mails earlier in the week. To illustrate the reach of Harris’ appeal and modern communications, one of the e-mails was from Germany.
A fan there had noticed Harris’ MusicFest gig was listed on her website, but not on the VIMF website. The fan wanted to confirm the booking.
Cox checked Harris’ website and discovered the July 7 gig, complete with a link to the MusicFest website, was literally the only date listed on her touring schedule.
She will perform with a band in the Comox Valley, Cox confirmed.
• • •
A little-known, non-musical fact — Harris runs a dog shelter called Bonaparte’s Retreat on her property.
Harris and the Sheepdogs were added this week to a lineup that already includes k.d. lang, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Ma
