In roots music, a case can be made for 2021 being a year when mature artists singing of things close to the marrow of life really carried the day. The return of one of country’s greatest voices, Connie Smith, was cause for celebration, given the heart, soul, and soundscape comprising Cry of the Heart. What Connie did for traditional country, the Flatlanders did for southwestern-flavored country in their long-awaited Treasure of Love. Classic pop-jazz with some Latinalia for good measure is the provocative formula for Melody Gardot’s captivating explorations of love as a many-splintered thing on Sunset in Blue. Straight-ahead, guitar-driven, merciless rock ’n’ roll? Brian Setzer has it covered on his first solo album in seven years, Gotta Have the Rumble. Deeply personal blues with feeling and fury? The redoubtable Mike Zito delivers in the diary-like confessions of the aptly-titled Resurrection. Gospel’s very good year was keyed by the great CeCe Winans’s powerful testifying on Believe For It. Topical country-rock from a scorching Jason Ringenberg, jubilant Crescent City blues from Maria Muldaur, and soulful Windy City blues from Bob Corritore showed all of these styles to be as vital as the seasoned veterans embracing them.
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Connie Smith: Cry of the Heart. Fat Possum.
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The Flatlanders: Treasure of Love. Thirty Tigers.
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Melody Gardot: Sunset in the Blue. Decca.
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Brian Setzer: Gotta Have the Rumble. Surfdog.
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Mike Zito: Resurrection. SoNo Recording Group.
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CeCe Winans: Believe for It. Fair Trade Services.
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Maria Muldaur w/Tuba Skinny: Let’s Get Happy Together. Stony Plain Music.
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Steve Gulley and Tim Stafford: Still Here. Mountain Home Music Company.
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Jason Ringenberg: Rhinestoned. Courageous Chicken Music.
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Bob Corritore & Friends: Spider in My Stew. Southwest Musical Arts Foundation.
By David McGee
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