PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou

Subject: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 02:12 AM

Prairie Home Companion was broadcast on PBS TV, tonight. A three hour New Year's Eve show in Nashville at the Ryman Theatre. It was mostly a great show with Jerry Douglas, Linda and Robin Williams, the Old Crow Medicine Show and others. By and large we really enjoyed it.

We are wondering, though, if anyone else watched and noticed how uncomfortable and off-key Emmy Lou Harris seemed to be? She didn't know the lyrics, seemed so unsure for a couple of songs, and just looked lost. We felt badly for her as it seemed evident she knew something was not going well. Anyone heard if she's having any problems or if the sound system was messing her up or something? A couple of times it was just awful and I muted the sound. We were really surprised and puzzled as we've always really loved her performances.

kat

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: CapriUni
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 02:35 AM

I've not heard Emmy Lou sing very often, and never in a live performance, so any problems she was having went right by me...

How often has she performed on PHC? Could it be that the ad libbing threw her off (probably not, but...)

I did love the way Garrison counted down to midnight, with that poem.

And hearing the other verses to Auld Lang Syne...

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: Anglo
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 02:45 AM

I only saw part of the show, not being the greatest fan of GK's singing, but all I saw of her was as a (very expensive?) backup singer. Did she do her own set? That might explain acceding to a request to join in with others on material she hadn't heard before. Not much time for rehearsal for that show, and obviously she wasn't familiar with the words.

I thought GK's characterization of her as an Old Crow was more than a bit unnecessary.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: Ebbie
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 04:17 AM

The 'Old Crow' reference, of course, was when she sang with the Old Crow Medicine Show.

I think her main problem was that she didn't know most of the songs, hadn't worked out harmonies and wasn't comfortable winging it. In her own set I thought she was fine.

I enjoyed the three hours; parts of it were very good. A couple of things if I'd been managing it I would have done differently- Sam Bush, for instance, should have done the Roy Acuff song a good key higher. He has the range and with it pitched higher the song would have been truer.

There were a few very sour notes. I wonder if most of the sets were unrehearsed? Would that have been the PHC influence?   

I really enjoyed Robin Williams' rendition of Hank Williams' Rambling Man, just about the bluesiest Hank Williams song.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: bbc
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 08:54 AM

Duane D & I brought in the New Year w/ the show. I enjoyed it. I'm not very familiar w/ Emmy Lou, so I can't comment on her performance. We were eating & doing a puzzle as we watched, so it didn't have my full attention. Duane D might have some input.

best of the New Year to you all,

bbc

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 10:31 AM

I thought she looked like she had had a facelift, in addition to being unfamiliar with the material.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 02:02 PM

What you describe sounds like monitor problems.

~S~

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 02:05 PM

I am glad to know it wasn't just us who noticed. I think it must've been just not being prepared because we thought she did fine on her own, solo stuff, too. I couldn't figure out why they had her back up so many others, esp. Old Crow. She was not needed and really didn't blend well, imo. Maybe it's partly because we could actually see her, too,rather than just hear the show on the radio. There were a couple of times when she looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: Mark Clark
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 06:11 PM

I watched the entire show and thought Emmylou wasn't nearly up to her best work even in her own set. Of course the times she stepped in to sing harmony with others was pretty dreadful. Her singing with Doyle Lawson really showed how far off pitch she was and she couldn't get the lyrics right even when holding the page in her hand. She seemed totally unprepared for the whole evening. Watching her made us wonder if she was drunk. Too bad.

Sam Bush would have been wonderful giving us more of his mandolin pyrotechnics. Unfortunately, he's not really a singer.

What is the point of Robin and Linda Williams performing as a duo when they are playing precisely the same guitar chords and strums and only Robin is singing?

I had heard good reports about the Old Crow Medicine Show but nothing they did last night was worth hearing. If I came across them jamming at a festival I'd pass by looking for better musicians to pick with.

Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver was by far the best band of the evening. Their singing and playing were perfect; perfect in phrasing, quality, harmony, picth, timing and instrumental virtuosity. They were outstanding.

The old cowboy guy from Memphis may once have been a great songwriter and producer but has no business on national television as a performer.

I'm thinking that show won't be coming back at us to increase pledges during "Friends Week."

      - Mark

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: number 6
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 06:30 PM

I caught that show last nite ... and I enjoyed it ... sure the sound was off somewhat ... but I likened to a impromptu get together of musicians over at the house for a kitchen session ... with Emmylou joining in in all the songs regardless if she knew the lyrics ... hey, she tried and was reading the the lyrics .... it was refreshing, if you didn't like the this type of show there were certainly others on some other channel last nite that were well produced, and well rehearsed.

Regarding Emmylou, she looked good (hell she's 60 yrs old), silver boots and all ..... I'm sure if she didn't want to be singing, she wouldn't have. She is also someone who doesn't have to prove her talent.

biLL

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 06:50 PM

I feel really wounded reading all this about Emmylou Harris.

Thirty five years ago I hitch-hiked to London to see her first ever British show, (at The Hammersmith Odeon IIRC) and I have been entranced and in love with her ever since.

In my view she is the most beautiful woman ever to tread the face of the Earth, and has also been blessed with the most beautiful voice ever to grace the ether.

God bless you Emmylou, you are still the idol of thousands of adoring fans ...

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 06:50 PM

Cowboy Jack Clement was a darn sight better than most on the show. I didn't like the young guy's voice in Quicksilver. It was too strident and I've heard much better, tighter harmony.

Loved the Old Crow Medicine Show and would go see them in a heartbeat.

We were wondering if Emmylou was inebriated or had some sort of medical condition which caused confusion. It seemed obvious she was lost and/or had not had any rehearsals. I thought she'd do better once they handed her a lyrics sheet, but it was not to be. I hope she is okay.

I agree, I would have perferred hearing Sam Bush play more, but his singing is no worse than Keillor's.

Of course, I would've been happy just listening to Jerry Douglas the whole three hours. What a gentelman and what an incredible master. I can't believe I got to buy his first tape directly from him at an up-close-and-personal concert way back the early 80's in Rhode Island.

Thanks for your comments, folks.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: number 6
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 06:53 PM

Emmylou didn't look inebriated, or had some sort of medical condition .. not in the least bit.

biLL

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 06:55 PM

I'm sorry I missed this but I am surprised to hear that about Emmylou. I figure anyone is entitled to a bad night and I've never heard one from her before. She loves to sing back-up and Karen and I were just talking yesterday how she blends with a variety of voices.

When most harmony singers come in you're struck by the sound like a slap. Emmylou is so subtle you almost have to think her part before it becomes apparent to you. There's youtube thing with Iris DeMent that shows kinda' what I'm talking about. I think she and Ronstadt together are about as good as it gets. Try this and maybe it will help you forget last night!

Emmylou and Linda with Dolly on he show


Spaw

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: number 6
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 07:01 PM

She wasn't rehearsed in many of the songs ... that was quite evident ... but so what, it was what it was and as I mentioned it was refreshing to see her perform as such .... any fine singer (and she can't be matched by many) would have come across in much the same way.

biLL

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 07:08 PM

tremendous clip, Spaw (hadn't seen it before and I thought I'd seen them all)

three women in their absolute prime.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: Duane D.
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 07:44 PM

I enjoyed all the show and kind of wished PBS hadn't shut down at 1:00 am while the show continued. Emmylou seemed less prepared than the others and had noticable lyrics sheets to help her. BTW, I've been to several folk concerts in the Hudson River Valley in recent times to hear known folk acts in local venues and many of those from our generation are working from notebooks with the song lyrics, seems to be commonplace these days. I thought Jerry Douglas was phenominal. Until recently I wasn't familiar with him. He was on another PBS special recently, backing up Alison Krause on James Taylor's "Carolina on my Mind," absolutely blew me away. The Dobro is the instrument I'd love to pick up, as I'm already familiar with its open tunings and Jerry is great inspiration. I thought it was really cool watching Garrison trying to challenge the sound effects guy with bizzarre sound combinations and seeing him comply with the needs, very entertaining. Watching the show gave me the opportunity to see what really takes place, as opposed to imagining the visuals when listening to Prairie Home Companion on the radio. I've never been to a live show and the Prairie Home Companion Movie was as close as I've been.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 08:05 PM

Hey Murray.....For the example of subtle harmony, try this one with Iris Dement......Iris and Emmylou...."Our Town"

AND ON JERRY DOUGLAS.....Check him out on YouTube too. There's quite a bit and it's fantastic!

Spaw

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: Duane D.
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 08:29 PM

Hi 'Spaw, happy new year!

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 09:14 PM

And back atcha' Duane!

Spaw

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: Ebbie
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 09:49 PM

It never occurred to me that Emmylou might be impaired in any way, more like she was pushed into set after set where she hadn't a clue as to the material.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: number 6
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 09:54 PM

Yeah ... I'm sure someone of her talent, and craft was not 'pushed' into doing it. Look, it wasn't that bad. I saw it, unrehearsed yes, bad sound yes ... but don't get the impression it was terrible. It was a relaxed New Years Eve show.

biLL

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: Severn
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 10:26 PM

Emmylou's done Keillor's shows before and done well. Such things as bad weather, bad health and plane connections with the attendant lack of sleep can affect preparation time. Been seeing and hearing Emmylou since she was playing local bars in Washington DC, and she seldom has a "bad night". When she DID have some voice problems a few years ago, she went over to the acoustic Nash Ramblers band for a while.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: Alice
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 11:03 PM

She always looks great, but also always sounds like she has a clothespin on her nose. To each his own. I'd like to hear her sing less nasally. It's always been like fingernails on a chalkboard when I hear her.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: number 6
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 11:19 PM

Your thinking of Dolly Parton! :)

biLL

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 01:01 AM

Spaw, thanks for the links. LOVE Iris, esp. Our Town. That first link of Emmylou, I'd point out, was from 30 years ago. I don't think Emmylou's voice is as good now as it was then, at least it wasn't last night.

Don't get me wrong, folks, I have always loved her singing. I started watching last night, esp. because of her and really was looking forward to hearing her. My favourite Christmas album is one of hers. I just expected better from her. She's a professional. I don't understand how she could allow herself to be put in such a position. I think Ebbie is right, she didn't have a clue about the material. That, in itself, is shocking to me. If I had been as famous and as professional as she has been all of these years, I would want to be as prepared as possible. If I wasn't up to it because of weather, travelling, etc. I hope I would have found a way to cope or gracefully bow out.

Secondary, kind of along the lines of what Alice said, I did notice in the second clip that she never seems to open her mouth very much and looked hesitant in it, even though she obviously knew the words to Our Town, so maybe the visual of last night, which was similar but worse, was usual for her. But, I still think she should have known the material. Yes, she is beautiful, but she needs to sing well, too, if she is to keep up her reputation.

My apologies to those of you who don't think this assessment is fair.:-)

kat

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: number 6
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 08:10 AM

No problem kat ... even if I think otherwise and observed the performance in a different perspective.

I will admit when I initially saw her accompaning Jack Clement I wondered what the hell is going on here ... but quickly relized what the hell ... it's all impromptu and she can't deliver a perfect performance all the time.

Regardless, a debate like this would be much better in real time ... I don't want to come off as sounding like a negative pain in the butt.

Good thread ... sicerely,
biLL

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 12:14 PM

Thanks, biLL, no problem. The tone all have taken in this thread is much appreciated.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: Francy
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 03:56 PM

I agree with Kat about Emmylou....My problem was with Garrison Keilor....His concept of what a show should be seemed to step on all the performers and it was not a bad show; but still not a good one.....everyone seemed ill at ease with "His" format....Oh well they all should have learned a lesson.....Maybe he (Garrison) should stay in Minnesota....If I offend anyone so be it........Frank of Toledo...Happy New Year.....

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: van lingle
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 05:53 PM

I would have liked to seen that one, hope it comes around again. ELH has said in the past that she's not really a natural harmony singer and usually has to work things out in advance.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: tarheel
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 10:01 PM

wow kat! i've been an emmy lou fan for many years and my wife and i both saw the show...we both had the same feelings as you!
linda and robbin williams certainly had their act together...
garrison keller was ...well,terrible.
he seemed really out of in left field...not sure of what he was gonna do next and his bass singing on the gospel song din't herlp any either...
and for those not familiar with the praire home companion show,it was a joke!
G.K's little skits with the announcer or musician off stage didn't make any sense and they certainly weren't funny...
it seemed to me as if someone had to CUE the audiece to laugh or even applaud!
what a shame with such good talent on the stage LIVE at the ryman auditorium!

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: GUEST,Jim Lad
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 10:15 PM

I caught that. Ithought that her own set was possibly the highlight of the night. Was a little off in the acapella and downright uncomfortable singing back-up for the older guy.
All-in-all... I just loved her. The stuff that concerned you was just unrehearsed but that says to me, she's a good sport.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 10:47 PM

Thanks for that info, Van.

Garrison was just Garrison, imo. I loved the repartee between him and the sound effects guy. I think most of them have been working together so long they can adlib fairly well. That's not fair to the guests, though. Seems like this may have been a combo of poor planning, no rehearsals to speak of and a mishmash of talent.

kat

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: GUEST,Chip
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 11:04 PM

I've listened to Keillors show almost since the beginning and he hasn't changed it much. It is not a real tight, over rehearsed show. It is meant to be in the pattern of old time radio shows. All the folks on that night had been on before, Emmylou goes way back with PHC so they were familiar with the work he works, the way the show works. Every performer has a bad night now and then, they are just humans after all. Em looked like she has had some facial work done. Alice, singing nasally is what she does, it's how she has made herself what she is.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: number 6
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 11:12 PM

Interesting post Chip .... in regards to Keillor, his performance was his particular 'shtick' ... either you like it or you don't.

biLL

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: open mike
Date: 03 Jan 07 - 03:39 AM

that clip of TRIO was great
and on the cowboy jack clement
site ther eis a link to a You Tube
performance of Jerry Lee Lewis..
ahhh..those were the days..
i am not sure of the specifics
but it appears as if he was a
recording engineer for Sun Records.

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: bbc
Date: 03 Jan 07 - 06:24 PM

I preferred the show to the other New Year's Eve choices, but didn't feel it was as well done as a PHC show. I did enjoy *seeing* Garrison challenging the sound effects guy, rather than just hearing it. They seem to have a good time together!

best,

bbc

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jan 07 - 07:01 PM

kat said "I did notice in the second clip that she never seems to open her mouth very much"... Emmy never could get her teeth apart while singing; you can see that in the old clips with Gram Parsons. But yeah, she appears to have had some sort of face lift, which I'm sure doesn't help.

Love her voice, though! (Can't stand Isis DeMent's)

Subject: RE: PHC New Year's Eve show & Emmy Lou
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Jan 07 - 07:27 PM

Cowboy Jack Clement did more than record for Sun. He wrote songs for Johnny Cash, Charley Pride, and several other notables. There is a bio which lists his accomplishments HERE.

Several have mentioned it looked as though ELH had had a face lift. I still think she has a beautiful face and I dont really care if she did. I think she is smart enough not to have had such if it would interfere with her singing.