Tracks

Performer Notes

Personnel includes: Emmylou Harris (vocals, guitar, 6-string bass guitar); Kate McGarrigle (acoustic guitar, accordion, background vocals); Tony Hall (acoustic guitar, bass); Malcolm Burn (electric guitar, harmonica, whistles, piano, Fender Rhodes, piano, bass, percussion); Ethan Johns, Buddy Miller (electric guitar); Daniel Lanois (pedal steel guitar, background vocals); Brady Blade (drums, percussion, background vocals); Daryl Johnson (percussion, background vocals); Julie Miller, Linda Ronstadt, Jane Siberry, Anna McGarrigle, Gillian Welch, Jill Cunniff (background vocals).
Recorded at Le Maison Bleu Studio, Kingston, New York; Masterlink Studio, Sound Emporium and Ocean Way Studio, Nashville, Tennessee between February and June 2003.
STUMBLE INTO GRACE was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album.
Personnel: Emmylou Harris (vocals, acoustic guitar, 6-string bass, background vocals); Malcolm Burn (whistling, electric guitar, harmonica, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, percussion, background vocals); Buddy Miller (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Kate McGarrigle (acoustic guitar, violin, accordion, background vocals); Ethan Johns (electric guitar, drums); Colin Linden, Kevin Salem, Bernie Leadon (electric guitar); Darryl Johnson , Rev. Brady Blade (drums, percussion, background vocals); Daniel Lanois , Gillian Welch, Jane Siberry, Julie Miller, Anna McGarrigle, Linda Ronstadt (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Josh Muncy; Malcolm Burn.
Liner Note Author: Malcolm Burn.
Recording information: Le Maison BLeu Studio, Kingston, NY (02/2003-06/2003); Masterlink Studio (02/2003-06/2003); Ocean Way Studios, Nashville, TN (02/2003-06/2003); Sound Emporium, Nashville, TN (02/2003-06/2003).
Photographer: Veronique Rolland.
Arrangers: Emmylou Harris; Kate McGarrigle; Malcolm Burn; Anna McGarrigle.
Over three decades into a highly successful career as an interpreter of other writers' material, Emmylou Harris beats the odds by releasing her second consecutive album of original compositions. She's had plenty of time to learn from the best, and the lessons gained from digging into the work of writers like Gram Parsons, Leonard Cohen, and Townes Van Zandt can be felt here, even if she can't be expected to equal their mastery. She works again with members of the Spyboy band that helped reinvent Harris's sound on WRECKING BALL, but as on RED DIRT GIRL, the churning, rhythmic feel of the former is underplayed in favor of a gentler, more folkish approach.
Years ago, few could have guessed that one of Harris's most valuable songwriting partners would be a former member of NYC funk-rockers Luscious Jackson, but Jill Cunniff is a worthy weapon in STUMBLE INTO GRACE's arsenal, co-writing the trenchant "Time in Babylon." Other esteemed writing partners include Daniel Lanois, ex-husband Paul Kennerly, and Kate & Anna McGarrigle, but this ultimately feels like a very personal statement straight from the heart of this seasoned artist.

Professional Reviews

Entertainment Weekly (9/26/03, p.94) - "...The results are lovely, heartbreaking, and just diffident enough to get perspective on this bittersweet old world." - Rating: A

Q (10/03, p.104) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...[Harris] settle easily into her stride....The dark, gritty 'Time In Babylon', in particular, shows just how far Harris has pushed the traditional country sound..."

Uncut (01/04, pp.84-7) - Ranked #2 in Uncut's "Albums Of The Year 2003"

Dirty Linen (2/04, p.50) - "[T]he songs that Harris illuminates with thoughtful interpretation are her own, and she takes ideas, passions, and songwriting skill only hinted at in RED DIRT GIRL to much deeper levels."I

Mojo (Publisher) (01/01/04, p.59) - Ranked #7 in Mojo's "The Best of 2003"

Mojo (Publisher) (11/03, p.128) - 5 stars out of 5 - "...Those who want their Emmylou full of sweet, sad longing will play a quarter of this album to death....Elsewhere there's righteous anger, and an assertiveness and sexuality to the love songs..."