Touch My Heart: Tribute to Johnny Paycheck
Even diehard fans of the lateJohnny Paycheckare likely to find revelation in these tracks. Casual listeners know the country maverick best for "Take This Job and Shove It," given a rousing cross-generational sendoff here byRadney Foster,Bobby Bare,Buck Owens, andWilco's Jeff Tweedy. Yet this tribute, produced byRobbie Fulks, celebrates a range and depth beyond that anthem of defiance. Among the eclectic highlights: gospel singerMavis Staplestransforms the title track into pure church,Johnny Bush("the country Caruso") applies his operatic pipes to "Apartment #9,"Dave Alvinbrings a bluesy swagger to the jailhouse in "11 Months and 29 Days," andNeko Caseturns desperation into triumph on "If I'm Gonna Sink, I Might as Well Go to the Bottom." Only popsterMarshall Crenshawseems miscast, sounding a little too bright to reflect the darker recesses of Paycheck's soul. While Paycheck has been embraced as a kindred spirit by younger renegades, contributions by his former employerGeorge Jonesand legendary steel guitarist Lloyd Green show the respect that his legacy earns from his peers.--Don McLeese