Emmylou Harris and Neil Young

Bridge School 2005 Concert
photo by Craig Abaya

Jammin' with Neil

Neil Young News

From Blogcritics.org: StarPolish Interview With Emmylou Harris on touring with Neil Young in 2003:

"HARRIS: I will say that being out with Neil Young has been so fantastic. Here's an artist that is one of the great voices, both literally and figuratively, of rock and roll, of American music, of world music, who has never stopped, as he says, following the muse. Everything goes into the music. And he gets an idea and he trusts that idea and he follows it. And he has had the success and made the money to be able to do it, but everything has gone back into the well."

As far as what inspires me right now, I mean Neil Young has always inspired me and being out with him is just extraordinary.

STARPOLISH: Is this the first time you've toured with him?

HARRIS: Yes, it's the first time ever touring with him. I've done some singing on a couple of his records, and he very graciously sang on Wrecking Ball and on the record with Linda, The Western Wall: [The Tucson Sessions], so I've hung with him and [his wife] Pegi. But to just be apart of that entourage... it's just a great thing to have on your resume (laughs).

HARRIS: No, but just thinking about it -- wow, I was able to go out and do that! His music means so much to me. If I'm ever at a loss at something to listen to, I can just reach for any record of his and put it on and find something I that I had missed, that I had overlooked...

STARPOLISH: Even Trans? (laughing)

HARRIS: Well, Trans is a little difficult (laughs). I'm going to get to that one. I'm moving toward it. There will be a time in my life when I get to it. But you know what? That's part of whatever it takes for him to be Neil. I trust him."

More of interview on Blogcritics.org.

Emmylou Harris' Nod To Neil Young on Wrecking Ball

U2 co-producer Daniel Lanois has produced the new album by Emmylou Harris, and this unexpected collaboration has resulted in a rather brilliant album, Wrecking Ball, which is also the title of a Neil Young song that Harris covers. Lanois has framed Harris' vulnerable voice in the ambient, reverb drenched sound that has marked his work with U2, Bob Dylan , Robbie Robertson, as well as his own solo albums.

For those unfamilar with Harris, her career began in folk music, but she has always had a certain rock patina attached to her. Probably a holdover from the days she spent with Gram Parsons; the two of them worked together in his band the Fallen Angels.

After Parsons death, Harris went solo and melded her country roots, and her folk cum acoustic rock into a style that was all her own, creating the celestial Elite Hotel, that produced three number one hits. During the '80 she teamed up with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt on the Trio record, which was a great commercial success and the only country album of that decade to reach the pop Top 10.

If this weren't enough Harris has the reputation of assembling phenomenal touring bands with the likes of British guitar ace Albert Lee and Ricky Skaggs in them. The one constant in Harris' career is that no one can ever predict what kind of album she'll release--country rock, blues, ballads, or bluegrass. In addition to having one of his songs on the album, Neil Young contributes backing vocals and harmonica to a cut titled "Sweet Old World."

The album, due out this month, was recorded live at Kingsway Studio in New Orleans; Harris also covers tunes by Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams.

"... On every Neil Young album, there is an undiscovered Neil Young masterpiece - the forgotten song - that was the Neil Young masterpiece - forgotten song - off of Freedom. Really, in it's own way it is kind of like a country song. It's pretty straight forward but its got that woderful kind of ambiguity about it. It sort of tells a story but its more an impressionistic fill in the blanks kind of thing..."

Show Number: 53
Show Features: Daniel Lanois, Emmylou Harris, John Doe
Broadcast: 1/07/96 10:00 P.M. KQPT-FM Sacramento, CA
The Difference can also be heard in: LaCrosse, WI WQJY-FM Sunday, 2100-2300

Jammin' with Neil Young

Neil Young