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There have been at least two defining moments in the career of Shelby Lynne, the sweet-singing country-soul singer from Alabama, where musical reinvention has launched her into new and uncharted musical waters.
The first metamorphosis came with the 2000 release of “I Am Shelby Lynne,” which earned the singer a Grammy award for Best New Artist, despite her having recorded five albums on a minor record deal she received in Nashville at the age of 19.
The title of “Best New Artist” was appropriate, in some ways, as the album represented a departure from mainstream country music with Ms. Lynne beginning to draw on more of her soul and R&B influences—a move critics said made her seem more loose and at ease.
Around the same time, Ms. Lynne moved from the country music capital of Nashville to Palm Springs, California.
Ms. Lynne’s latest reincarnation, released earlier this year by Lost Highway Records, is titled “Just A Little Lovin’” and brings to life the music of British pop singer Dusty Springfield, who died in 1999 after a wildly successful career defined by soulful, emotionally charged recordings.
Ms. Lynne, 39, who will perform at the Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett on Thursday, July 3, said in a recent interview that her tribute to Ms. Springfield has been both exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. After a three-year journey filled with challenges and, ultimately, triumph, the album was released in January to critical acclaim, with one writer from The New York Times calling it “one fine singer’s homage to another.”
“I didn’t mind the challenge because that’s what made it so much fun,” Ms. Lynne said. “I think the first thing I had to do was to make sure the songs I chose were some of my favorite songs, because there’s a lot of responsibly when you’re cutting covers.”
Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Phil Ramone, “Just a Little Lovin’” is a compilation of nine of Ms. Springfield’s songs, drawn mainly from the classic 1960s albums, “Dusty in Memphis” and “A Girl Called Dusty.”
Lynne introduces a fresh approach to classics such as “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” “Breakfast In Bed” and “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me.” Both singers brought a similar depth of emotion to the songs, but the overall sound of Ms. Lynne’s album represents a departure from the elaborate production layering of Ms. Springfield’s music. Ms. Lynne even included an original song, titled “Pretend,” which blends perfectly into the album and serves as a reminder that Ms. Lynne is also very much an original.
“I think that if you put on my record and then put on a Dusty Springfield record there will be no need to compare,” said Ms. Lynne said, who was first encouraged to record the album by her good friend, Barry Manilow.
Ms. Lynne said she was thrilled with the straightforward, almost quiet arrangements that Mr. Ramone helped craft for the album. The singer’s country roots are still very evident in the overall sound, and according to dozens of glowing reviews over the past six months, Ms. Springfield’s songs, written by such legends as Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Felix Cavaliere, come across in all their emotional complexity, only with the indisputable stamp of Ms. Lynne’s soulful voice and style leading the way.
“I can guarantee I will never do this again,” Ms. Lynne said, laughing, but also completely serious at the same time. “I’m glad I did it, I’m proud I did it and I love the album. But I think every career is good for only one cover record, and this is it for me. It’s really kind of stressful.”
Ms. Lynne will spend the next three months on the road, a place she finds much less nerve-racking. She will perform across the Northeast before heading south for concerts in Florida and Tennessee. The tour will end, appropriately, in Ms. Springfield’s home country of England.
“She’s the queen over there, but all I give a damn about is if they like the record,” Ms. Lynne said. “I would hate to get the whole ‘who do you think you are?’ routine. But I think they understand I’ve made this record out of complete respect.”
What is certain is that Ms. Lynne will be welcomed with open arms in Amagansett next weekend, at a venue where she’s played annually since 2000, the same year the heat turned up on her career for the first time with the release of “I Am Shelby Lynne.”
“I’ve been there enough times to know it’s a wonderful place,” Ms. Lynne said of the Talkhouse. “I love Amagansett and I love playing there. Without a doubt, it’s one of the favorite places for everyone in the band.”
Shelby Lynne performs at the Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett on Thursday, July 3. For reservations or further information, call 267-3117.
on Jun 23, 2008