A classic of
bluegrass and
country crossover, 1977's Mac Wiseman Sings Gordon Lightfoot masterfully matches
Wiseman's famous
country croon with
Lightfoot's old-time
country-folk tunes, all with a great backing band including
Eddie Adcock on banjo and
Clay Smith on acoustic guitar.
Wiseman has a real knack for combining down-home flavor with vintage Vegas or Hollywood panache -- as on the
Willie Nelson-meets-
Neil Diamond "Rainy Day People." "Summertime Dream" has a rollicking but pretty arrangement and features
Wiseman really belting it out. "For Lovin' Me" and "Early Morning Rain" maybe aren't as deep and emotive as
Lightfoot's versions, but
Wiseman turns them into shuffling, thoughtful
bluegrass tunes with a little more levity than the originals. Finally, "Ribbon of Darkness" is the real winner here -- it's
Hank Williams,
Marty Robbins, and
Willie Nelson all wrapped up in a nostalgic two and a half minutes of
country and
bluegrass. Fans who bought this LP in 1977 are sure to be delighted to find this slice of memory on CD, and for those -- whether
country or
bluegrass fans -- who are new to
Mac Wiseman, Mac Wiseman Sings Gordon Lightfoot will make a great entry into his canon. ~ Charles Spano, All Music Guide
