Congratulations on 2008 Grammy win for artist/songwriter/performer Jim Lauderdale! This is the second Grammy Jim's won, both projects included songs that Candace has co-written with Jim, pick it up when you get the chance.
A songwriter and artist with compositions on five Grammy nominated, two Grammy winning projects to date,Candace has just finished in the studio working on a second solo project of self penned songs.Lending their time and talents to Candace's current the project are Jim Lauderdale, Kenny Vaughn, Jay Joyce, Shad Cobb, Marc Lacuesta, Dave Roe, Pete Finney, Tim Lauer, Jen Gunderman, Randy Kohrs, Jeannie Winn, Jesse Baker, and Darith DeLisle. Give it a listen, and keep checking back for new music.
In the mist surrounding music, there's a plethore of styles going by names like "contemporary","progressive", and "acoustic country",and sometimes they're the best we have to describe the music's nuances.
Candace floats beautifully in that misty cloud, somewhere between solid bluegrass and acoustic country vocals.
"Whose Heart Is This?" is Randolph's polished debut album , with an initial quick listen presenting a , mostly bluegrass sound. Her voice is strong, sometimes gutsy, sometimes gentle, and her lyrics deal with love and broken hearts. A more thorough scrutiny of the liner notes reveals that not only is Candace a prolific songwriter (all ten tracks are originals),but she also plays a mean banjo as well as a commanding lead guitar. And if you're attracted to an album by it's cover,"Whose Heart Is This?" has a beautifully yet tastefully sexy sepia-tone illustration, a real eye-brow raiser.
Many of these songs need only one voice, (Candace's ) to deliver the lyrics.Who needs complex harmonies when you're singing a tender ballad about a painfully broken heart? Ever been lied to by a married man? "I Don't" examines a situation best kept between a woman and her conscience "...I'm not the one who said I do/...you might as well have said I don't). The title track is equally heartbreaking as it quietly ponders a familiar situation we've all experienced once or twice.
Although broken hearts abound, not all songs are slow and sad. "Kentucky boys" pokes fun at our less-than-stellar choices in love (There's a reason why they call it Hazard), yet the cd winds up on a positive note with "Goin' Back To Tennessee", a waltz that reunites two lovers for a happily-ever-after ending. Thank Goodness! There's hope yet for love.
-Julie Koehler
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