The Judds’ illustrious catalog gets a new life with A Tribute to The Judds. An all-star cast ranging from peers and friends (Dolly Parton, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, and others) to the new generation of artists whom they’ve inspired (Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde, and Lainey Wilson among them) came together to celebrate The Judds’ 40-year legacy. “Love Can Build a Bridge,” “Mama He’s Crazy,” “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days),” and “Love is Alive” are just some of the classics brought to life on this fitting tribute album to one of the greatest acts in country music history.
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The album opens with a burst of lively energy with “Girls Night Out” featuring McEntire, Pearce, Jennifer Nettles, and Gabby Barrett. The song makes for an energetic greeting with an intriguing arrangement that has the four singers trading harmonies in a way that sounds more like four girlfriends singing together than a typical studio recording. During an album-listening event in Nashville, The Judd’s longtime producer Brent Maher, who also produced the tribute album, revealed that McEntire asked how much she should “Reba-tize” the track and managed to nail the vocal in just two takes. “If the singer can’t get the song in three takes, you got the wrong song for the singer,” McEntire asserted in the studio.
The star power continues with one of the most powerhouse collaborations that finds the legendary Parton teaming up with legend-in-the-making Lainey Wilson on “Mama’s He Crazy,” one of the three songs that Maher says was on the original demo tape that the Judds gave to him when they auditioned. Wilson’s delivery is empathetic and gentle, while Parton sprinkles in her angelic harmonies in the chorus, her voice sparkling as she takes the lead in the second verse.
[RELATED: Lainey Wilson Covers The Judds’ “Mama He’s Crazy” Live at the Grand Ole Opry]
Fiery newcomer Megan Moroney takes on “Why Not Me,” telling Maher that the 40-year-old song didn’t just fit her voice, but her “brand,” her smoky, gravely voice doing the song justice. Meanwhile, Cody Johnson’s humble interpretation of “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days)” is a fitting choice for the traditional country stalwart, his rendition honoring the song’s comforting and nostalgic nature. The album hits a bit of a lull in the middle, unable to match the level of the attention-grabbing, all-star collaborations that open the project. However, it starts to pick up steam again with Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani’s glowing rendition of “Love is Alive.” Stefani’s pop-driven vocals are surprisingly well-placed on the country classic, her sweet and smooth voice allowing her to hold her own while her husband provides just the right amount of supporting harmonies. The song puts Stefani’s voice in a new light and the couple’s voices together prove to be as beautiful as the song’s lyrics: Love ain’t a candle / It doesn’t burn for one night / And need the dark to shine / Love is alive.
The Voice season 21 runner-up Wendy Moten and O.N.E The Duo, comprised of mother Tekitha Washington and daughter Prana Supreme, keeps the momentum going with “Had a Dream,” which proves to be a show-stopping number on the album. Moten’s impeccably soulful voice comes in hot right from the opening notes, with the mother-daughter duo also coming in strong with throwback harmonies that call back to the female groups of the 1960s, adding a vintage flavor to this gem of a track. The bluegrass roots of The Judds’ native Kentucky are honored with a collaboration between Molly Tuttle, Rob Ickes, and Trey Hensley on “John Deere Tractor,” the three trading cool harmonies backed by crisp instrumentation that makes for the most organic-sounding song on the project.
This sets the album up for a strong finish with Wynonna Judd and Yearwood joining forces on “Cry Myself to Sleep.” It’s what every country fan would hope from a collaboration with two of ‘90s country’s finest singers, a bit moody and dramatic while letting their powerhouse voices fly, solidifying itself as one of the album’s best moments. No Judds tribute album would be complete without the anthem that is “Love Can Build a Bridge,” with Jelly Roll, K. Michelle, and the Fisk Jubilee Singers doing the honors. According to Maher, Jelly Roll was elated to work with R&B singer Michelle, someone he had been hoping to work with for years. Michelle told the intimate audience at the Nashville listening event that “Love Can Build a Bridge” was the first song she owned on tape and was “infatuated” from seeing The Judds on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
However, being an R&B singer created a barrier for her to incorporate country music into her sound, noting how she would “fight with everybody” to perform “Love Can Build a Bridge” at her shows. “They really changed my life as an artist,” Michelle professed of the duo. Jelly Roll—whose daughter was baptized hours before he recorded his part, according to Maher—opens the song with his earnest voice. You can hear the passion in Michelle’s voice that is equal parts soulful and stunning, as the historic Jubilee Singers provide haunting harmonies that only uplift the song’s hopeful spirit, bringing the album to a beautiful close.
A Tribute to The Judds is a worthy tribute built on a foundation of solid production and genuine performances from all the cast members. But none of the renditions can truly hold a candle to The Judds’ original versions, proving that their legacy is enshrined through the power of their two voices, which are likely to inspire generations to come.
Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for CMT
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