Various Artists - The Imus Ranch Record

There's a 500-pound gorilla in the room when listening to this record, and its name is Don Imus. Conservative radio host Imus found himself in the midst of a firestorm of controversy in 2007 when during a discussion of the Rutgers University women's basketball team, he referred to the players as "nappy-headed hos." While Imus apologized for the remark, it was hardly an isolated incident. For the purposes of this compilation, however, Imus and his wife, Deirde Imus, operate the Imus Ranch, a cattle ranch in New Mexico where children with life-threatening illnesses (and sometimes their siblings) spend a week as working cowpunchers, caring for and cleaning up after the animals to help the kids build self-esteem. Imus has used his high media profile and corporate connections to raise money for the ranch (the children attend for free), and his latest fund-raising project is The Imus Ranch Record, in which 13 country and roots music artists each cover a song Imus has picked out for them.

As music, this is hit and miss, like most benefit compilations, and while a number of the good tracks are very good indeed, when this set goes wrong it's cringe-inducing. While Willie Nelson could probably do a song like "What a Difference a Day Makes" in his sleep, he delivers it with the easy, satisfying grace that's his trademark, and Vince Gill's take on "A Satisfied Mind" is splendid, while Dwight Yoakam's rollicking tear through Doug Sahm's "Give Back the Key to My Heart" is a pleasant surprise that Sahm would doubtless have enjoyed. And if Lucinda Williams overplays her vocals just a bit on "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys," she brings a bluesy resonance to the tune that been missing in most versions. But Big & Rich's bombastic and irony-free rendition of the Beastie Boys' "You've Got to Fight for Your Right to Party" is simply embarrassing, Little Richard gets lost in the mix on "I Ain't Never" in what feels like a lost opportunity, and though John Hiatt sounds fine on the Bottle Rockets' "Welfare Music," the song's open attack on Rush Limbaugh feels rather curious on an album curated by another reactionary radio personality. As music, the good tunes on The Imus Ranch Record outnumber the bad, but there are just enough misfires to keep this from being a truly satisfying listen. And as for the cause, it's certainly worthy, but it's worth noting there are plenty of other ways you can donate money for ill and needy children without involving the controversial Imus. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide

Name Credits Adam Shoenfeld Producer, Vocals, Guitar (Electric) Al Anderson Guitar (Acoustic), Producer, Guitar (Electric) Alison Prestwood Bass Amy Helm Vocals (Background) Andrew Click Assistant Engineer Ann McCrary Vocals (Background) Arthur "Midget" Sloatman Mixing Assistant, Assistant Engineer Bekka Bramlett Vocals (Background) Bergen White Vocals (Background) Beverly Keel Liner Notes Brent Mason Guitar (Electric) Brian John Mitchell Accordion, Piano Brian Pruitt Drums Bryan Sutton Guitar (Acoustic) Buddy Cannon Producer Buddy Miller Guitar (Acoustic) Burnt Hickory Chamber Orchestra Strings Butch Norton Drums Casey Wood Mixing Assistant, Tambourine, Overdub Engineer, Engineer, Vibraphone, Vocal Recording Chad Cromwell Drums Charles Glenn, Jr. Bass Chris Stone Engineer, Mixing Crystal Taliefero Vocals (Background), Conga Curtis "Cortini" Jones Spanish Guitar Danny Flowers Guitar Dave Salley Assistant Engineer Dave Sinko Mixing, Engineer David Hungate Bass (Acoustic) David Leonard Mixing David Sutton Bass Deidre Imus Photography Delbert McClinton Djembe, Producer Don Imus Compilation Producer Doug Pettibone Guitar Doug Sax Mastering Dwight Yoakam Guitar (Acoustic), Producer Eddie Bayers Drums Ellery Durgin Mixing, Engineer Emory Gordy Bass, Producer Eric Liljestrand Producer Erick Jaskowiak Assistant Engineer Gary Prim Piano George Nixon Mixing Assistant Glenn Worf Bass Gordon Mote Piano Harvey Thompson Saxophone Jeff Roach Keyboards Jessi Alexander Vocals (Background) Jimmy Vivino Guitar (Electric) Joe Martino Engineer Joe Stark Guitar (Electric) John Hiatt Engineer, Producer, Mixing, Guitar (Acoustic) John Hobbs Piano, Keyboards John Netti Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant John Willis Guitar (Acoustic) Jon Mark Ivey Vocals (Background) Jonathan Clark Vocal Harmony Justin Guip Mixing, Engineer Keith Gattis Guitar (Electric) Kenneth Blevins Drums Kenny Greenberg Guitar (Electric) Kerlan Spur Percussion Kevin McKendree Piano (Electric), Mixing, Wurlitzer, Producer, Engineer Kyle Lehning Producer, Mixing, Compilation Producer Larry Campbell Mandolin, Fiddle, Producer, Guitar (Acoustic) Larry Hall Strings Larry Paxton Bass (Acoustic) Lauren Koch Production Coordination Leigh Cochran Guitar (Rhythm), Guitar (Acoustic) Levon Helm Drums Lisa Cochran Vocals (Background) Loarie Loar Mandolin Louis Dean Nunley Vocals (Background) Lowell Reynolds Assistant Engineer Lucinda Williams Producer, Guitar Luther Dickinson Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic) Lynn Williams Drums Mac McAnally Guitar (Acoustic) Marabeth Jordon Vocals (Background) Michael Chavez Assistant Engineer Michael Dumas Engineer Michael Merritt Bass Mickey Raphael Harmonica Mike Brignardello Bass Mike Rojas Organ (Hammond) Mitch Marine Drums Neal Cappellino Engineer, Mixing Pam Lee Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Pat Buchanan Guitar (Electric) Patty Loveless Vocal Harmony Paul Hart Engineer Paul Leim Drums Paul Moore Design, Art Direction Pearl Minnix Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Randy McCormick Keyboards Raul Malo Producer, Guitar (Electric) Reese Wynans Organ (Hammond), Piano Regina McCrary Vocals (Background) Richard Rodney Bennett Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric) Rob McNelley Guitar Roberto Bozquez Assistant Engineer Russ Pahl Pedal Steel San Dugmore Pedal Steel Sangwook "Sunny" Nam Mastering Associate Scott Baggett Producer, Mixing, Engineer Shannon Finnegan Scott Production Coordination Skip Edwards Organ Spencer Campbell Bass Steve Fishell Pedal Steel, Producer Steve Gibson Guitar (Electric) Stoker White Assistant Engineer Tammy Rogers King Mandolin Taras Prodaniuk Bass Taylor Pollert Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant Teresa Williams Vocals (Background) Tom Bukovac Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic) Tom Overby Producer Tommy White Guitar (Steel) Tony Castle Mixing, Engineer Tracey Gershon Compilation Producer Traci Sterling Bishir Production Coordination Tracy Gershon Compilation Producer Vanessa Parr Mixing, Engineer Vince Gill Producer, Guitar (Electric) Wes Hightower Vocals (Background) Willie Nelson Guitar (Nylon String)