This review is from: A Stranger Here (Audio CD) Ramblin' Jack Elliott has been a major force in American Music for over 50 years. He kept alive earlier traditions of country and country blues singers, and he kept Woody Guthrie's spirit alive to pass on to Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs, and an entire generation of folksinger/songwriters. He taught several generations of guitar players their chops. He innovated solo acoustic versions of everything from Woody and Leadbelly and Jimmie Rodgers to Ray Charles to Tim Hardin to Mick Jagger.

And now here he comes with another milestone: a concept album of old country blues accompanied by a loose-knit, but highly accomplished band. Like everything Jack does, this has his unique imprint--the soaring, croaking, crooning vocals moving in and out of the melody with just the right mixture of reverence and immediacy. It is a joyful revelation!