At the Ryman
While live recordings can be treasured mementos for those who were present at the show, they're often substandard versions of favorite material. The liveAt the Rymanavoids this by covering the material of artists who've influenced Harris's music, rather than concentrating on her own hits. From Steve Earle and Bill Monroe to the Everly Brothers and Creedence Clearwater Revival, her choices are solid and sometimes unexpected (Bruce Springsteen). Harris's love of the music--and appreciation for the audience--shines through in these performances. The songs may have been done better elsewhere (most notably by the songwriters) and Emmy's delivery is at times uneven (as with any live performance), but the talented, fun-loving, all-acoustic Nash Ramblers do much to compensate.--Alexandra Russell