Willin
As the guitarist inEmmylou Harris's Nash Ramblers, Jon Randall thrilled audiences with his clean and exemplary playing and his angelic harmony vocals. Only 23 when he shared a Grammy for Harris's liveAt the Ryman, Randall went on to stake his own claim, with uneven results.Willin'is his third album (on his third label) in five years, and while it lacks a certain cohesiveness--and occasionally, as onLowell George's title cut, suggests that he might not have the personality to be a front man--it's chock full of great rootsy musicianship, from both the pickers (Sam Bush,Jerry Douglas, Kenny Vaughan) and the vocalists (Kim Richey,Lorrie Morgan, Harris). Randall's marriage (to Morgan) was coming unwound as he recorded much of this, and the tracks that trace that pain ("Can't Hurt Anymore," "Sweet Lorretta," "Blew Me Away," and "Lonely Street") throb with barely contained emotion. At those moments,Willin'shines like a just-discovered jewel.--Alanna Nash