My Life
Returning to the label that made him a megastar in the '70s and '80s, Ronnie Milsap--the Man Behind the Grand--remains full-voiced and energetic. He still leans more on the pop side of country than not, although disappointingly, the R&B/gospel influence that made him a Nashville trailblazer mostly slumbers here. But the main problem with this comeback, helmed by Keith Stegall, Alan Jackson's longtime producer, is that for a man with such a rich and remarkable history of songs ("Pure Love," "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends," "It Was Almost Like a Song," "Smoky Mountain Rain," "No Gettin' Over Me," "Lost in the Fifties Tonight"), Milsap turns up a paucity of memorable material. The title tune, about the necessity of living a full and authentic life, resonates melodically as well as lyrically, and Dean Dillion, Scotty Emerick, and Donny Kees service Milsap with a fine heartbreak ballad in "If It's Gonna Rain." But the bulk of the repertoire falls into the safe, bland, and predictable range, hitting a low mark with the banal, Buffett-flavored "Local Girls." Can Milsap, one of country's most venerable stars, follow oldster Kenny Rogers back on the charts? Probably. But to stay there, he's going to have to push for stronger songs, i.e., grit, gravel, or gravitas.--Alanna Nash