Well, Happy Holidays, folks! Here's hoping yours is a joyful one. One joyful noise I'd like to mention is "Play Me Backwards," the new Joan Baez recording on Virgin Records. Returning to Nashville, Baez collaborated with guitar whiz Kenny Greenberg and former Snake member and hit songwriter, Wally Wilson, to make a Joan Baez record like no other. It's definitely an album for the Nineties and it's damn fine. I say returning to Nashville because it was here that she recorded her biggest hit, "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." She has included some country classics on other albums as well, such as "I Still Miss Someone," "Satisfied Mind," and "Long Black Veil." Along with some co-writes with Wally and Kenny, she also includes some great material by Janis Ian, John Hiatt and Mary-Chapin Carpenter. Pick it up for yourself or a friend or loved one for Christmas. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Joan's back!
In my last column, I mentioned that my buddy Kevin Welch did a screen test for the upcoming Paramount feature film, The Thing Called Love. Well, from what I can gather, Kevin won't be in the movie, but is writing some songs for the soundtrack. Congratulations and let me know if you need any help there, Kev. The film, which will star River Phoenix and Samantha Mathis, will also include K.T. Oslin playing the part of Amy Kurland, Bluebird Cafe owner, Trisha Yearwood as herself and wild rocker Webb Wilder as a Music Row flophouse owner who befriends songwriters. The cast and crew moved the shooting out to California last month, which included a reproduction of parts of the Bluebird Cafe. If you look closely, you may see some familiar faces on the walls. A release date has not been announced that I know of. What I do know, though, is that this town won't be the same after this one, folks.
Another thing I know for sure is that I'll be appearing at the Rudyard Kipling on Friday, December 11. There will be a limited number of copies of my new European CD on Taxim Records of Germany available. So come on down and be the first on your block to own a copy of "Dreamer's World." Adios 'til then.