Allison Moorer
News Archive Page
November 2000

Courtesy of The Official Allison Moorer site http://www.allisonmoorer.com/
                 # # NEWS RELEASE # #

FROM BANJOS AND BALLADS TO HAZEL DICKENS AND IRIS DEMENT  SONGCATCHER SOUNDTRACK TRACES THE ROOTS OF AMERICAN MUSIC  FROM THE APPALACHIA BACK COUNTRY

-All-female soundtrack features stellar performances from A-list
artists-

SANTA MONICA, CA -- Featuring a stellar line-up of female artists performing traditional folk ballads, as well as three original compositions by Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless and Julie Miller, Vanguard Records will release the soundtrack for the turn-of-the-century independent film, Songcatcher, on May 8. The sweet, haunting songs featured on the soundtrack and in the movie represent some of America's most powerful musical influences-the Appalachian roots that later sprouted into the twang of American country music, the lively atmosphere of bluegrass, the urgent relevancy of folk and eventually the Southern-influenced birth of rock 'n' roll. Appearing on the soundtrack are Dolly Parton, Emmy Rossum, Deena Carter,
Allison Moorer, Gillian Welch, Julie Miller, Sara Evans, Rosanne Cash, Maria McKee, Iris DeMent, Patty Loveless, Hazel Dickens and Emmylou Harris.

An exhilarating journey deep into the heart and soul of American music, Songcatcher is a tale of a female music scholar who, after being denied tenure by her all-male review board, retreats deep into Appalachia and discovers the roots of traditional American music: the rich, obscure Scots-Irish ballads passed down through generations yet preserved by the seclusion of the mountains. Awarded the Special Jury Prize-winner for Outstanding Ensemble Performance at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival, Songcatcher features authentic vocal performances by the entire cast.

Songcatcher, which refers to anyone who collects songs, whether a singer or an outsider, involves two stories in one: the primitive, untold story of the foundation for which popular music began in this country and the clashing of the sophisticated, modern world with the remote, rural stretches of the freedom-loving world of the mountaineers. Handed down through the generations by the women in the family, these
century-old narratives about love, family, murder, feuds and war address everyday concerns of the people, telling stories of hardship and hope, to lost love and family tragedy, from growing up poor to finding one's way.

Some of contemporary music's most exciting artists were cast for the film, including Iris DeMent, whose high lonesome voice and simple song shatter one 's heart, Taj Mahal, who gave up his trademark guitar for a banjo and wrote a few original banjo-blues tunes for the film and bluegrass-folk legend Hazel Dickens, who served as a musical
consultant as well as starring in the film.

Courtesy of The Official Allison Moorer site http://www.allisonmoorer.com/
"The Hardest Part" in 2000!!!

"The Hardest Part" was #1 on the Associated Press country list.
"The Hardest Part" was picked #3 country album of the year in the Chicago Sun-Times.
"The Hardest Part" was #8 on the USA Today top ten country list of the year.
The song
"Cold Cold Earth" was picked #9 for best song of the year out of all music.

Other mentions:
Chicago Tribune -
#1 country album of the year
Country Music Magazine -
#3 country album
Entertainment Weekly - #3 country album
CDNow -
#7 country album
Amazon.com -
#6 country album
Nashville Scene -
#1 country album
Barnes & Noble.com -
#8 country album
People Magazine -
the only country album featured as "best of
song"
in the year end issue.
Iowa press-citizen -
#8 of all music in the


11/21/00 courtesy of  "justin"  i_love_dolly@yahoo.com   from Allison_Moorer@egroups.com
Billboard Dec. 2 
New Chart Single!!
# 68 - Allison Moorer, "Think It Over"


11/03/00 courtesy of  "chris"  flyingpickle@yahoo.com from Allison_Moorer@egroups.com
THP review; interview with AM
Everyone's favorite satirical newspaper gave a thumbs up to "The Hardest Part" --- check out The Onion's review before this link is outdated...
http://avclub.theonion.com/music.html

Also, last Sunday in the Chicago Tribune there was an interview with  Allison in the Arts & Entertainment section. I think you can get to  it via the Trib's web site (http://www.chicago.tribune.com), but you   have to "subscribe" to the site. I think it's free, but I'm not sure. I'll try to post the article on my web site soon and then I'll throw you the link. Pretty interesting read. For instance, did anybody
else know she's into Radiohead?

 

 

 

   

 

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