Emmylou Harris - All I Intended To Be

On All I Intended To Be, Emmylou Harris has assembled an extraordinary cast of veteran musicians and fellow singers, all of them longtime friends, for a set that showcases this Nashville icon as all she has intended to be - a singularly expressive vocalist, a brilliant interpreter of other people's songs, a graceful and confident songwriter.

Like much of the gently uplifting All I Intended To Be, the stories may be bittersweet, the characters may be downtrodden, but somehow a sense of redemption always vanquishes regret.

The shared history of all the artists involved deepens the feeling of hard-won wisdom that informs All I Intended To Be. Producer Brian Ahern was behind the boards for such early Harris classics as Elite Hotel, Pieces of the Sky and Blue Kentucky Girl.

The players and guest stars are not only a veritable who's-who from the worlds of country, bluegrass and folk, but they have each intersected with Harris throughout her four-decade career as a recording artist.

They include Dolly Parton, singers Pam Rose and Maryann Kennedy, dobro player Mike Auldridge, TCB keyboardist Glenn D. Hardin and Bill Payne of Little Feat.

Two songs - the June Carter tribute, How She Could Sing The Wildwood Flower and the breathtakingly beautiful Sailing Round the Room - were co-written by and performed with Kate and Anna McGarrigle.

All That I Intended To Be is everything Emmylou fans could hope for and more.

• Shores of White Sand
• Hold On
• Moon Song
• Broken Man's Lament
• Gold
• How She Could Sing the Wildwood Flower
• All That You Have is Your Soul
• Take That Ride
• Old Five and Dimers Like Me
• Kern River
• Not Enough
• Sailing Round the Room
• Beyond the Great Divide