Pieces Of The Sky

The voice, the voice, the voice! Unmistakable, unique, beautiful, smooth, fantastic, (put your superlative here, I've run out).I first heard Emmylou at the Child Harold in DC. Fast forward a few years, I was laying in my rack in Germany half asleep when my roommate came in with some new vinyl, said he had a record from someone brand new, and put it on the platter. When the needle hit the grove, I jumped up and shouted "Emmylou has a record!" He looked at me with an open mouth and big eyes, he just couldn't believe I knew who she was.I found out later she had recorded before with GP and I have those on CD now, but I didn't know that at the time. To me this is her first and still best record. Yes. I know Gliding Bird came first and I have it on a vinyl I found in a bargain bin, but I still count this as the first commercial solo record. Of course I have the vinyl, but it's nice to have the CD too and get the two extra tracks.You can get some of the tracks here on other Emmylou CDs, but not all of them. So, if you're an Emmylou fan, it belongs in your collection.

When this album came out in 1975, I was an unabashed Dead Head. Still, there was an openness to many types of music, and Emmylou definitely came up on our radar screen, largely due to the very traditional nature of her song selection and the beauty and heartfelt quality of her voice. Last year, I happened to find this remastered CD in the bargain bin at a local book and music store and immediately grabbed it up. After putting it on, it did not take me long to remember why Emmylou's music was so captivating when I first was exposed to it--it's simple, straightforward, honest, rootsy, and well done. While the song that Emmylou co-penned with Bill Danoff, "Boulder to Birmingham," probably is my favorite on "Pieces of the Sky," there is no question that she had an amazing ability to interpret the songs of other artists. In particular, her covers of Rodney Crowell's "Bluebird Wine," the Louvin brother's "If I Could Only Win Your Love," Merle Haggard's "Bottle Let Me Down," and Shel Silverstein's "Queen of the Silver Dollar" are excellent, as is her cover of the extra track, "Hank and Lefty" on the remastered CD. "Pieces of the Sky" was the debut album for Emmylou Harris--check it out to hear how this wonderful artist began her long and incredible recording career. Highly recommended

First let me say I am a big Emmylou Harris fan, have been for years, since the 70's. I was going through my old vinyl records and copying them to my computer to digitize them. Then I plan to get rid of the old vinyl records and turntables, etc. Anyway, listening to this vinyl album with all the clicks and pops (I take very good care of my vinyl records, but some clicks and pops are inevitable), I decided this was such an excellent album that I might go ahead and spring for the CD. I connected to Amazon and found it priced at under $7 including shipping, so, what the hey.Here I am listening to this with my Denon DH-D1001 headphones (which I also highly recommend with 5 stars), and WOW! it is a fantastic, fabulous piece of work. All the songs are 5 star for both technical quality and performance delivery by Emmylou.I'm not audiophile reviewer and can't talk about the smoothness of this and the dynamics of that. All that I can say is that this is one heck of an album. If you are an Emmylou Harris fan and don't have this one, then you are missing out on her best album. It is an absolute must-have choice in any Emmylou Harris collection.

This is my favorite Emmylou Harris album, still--more than three decades after its release. I first heard this album in the late 1970s, and I couldn't believe the amazing mix of authentic country vocals with LA rock sound. It's a perfect blend. I've now owned this in three formats--vinyl album, cassette, and finally CD. I can't live without it, and there are only a handful of artists/recordings that I feel that way about. If you've never heard of Emmylou Harris, shame on you--she sang background vocals on so many albums (Dylan's "Desire" album, Little Feat, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, and many, many others), and never mind her solo career. Throughout, she never lost her "true country" sound, in the best sense of the word--all heart, no glitz. So if you're ready for a real musical treat, buy this album. (You'll want to listen to "Boulder to Birmingham" over and over.)

Back in the early seventies when my friends and I were sorta hippie, sorta bluesy, sorta blue-grass...all long-haired and raggamuffinish...we chanced to attend a Merle Haggard concert(imagine, if you will, 4 california not-quite-post-hippie teenagers, rockin out to the strains of "We don't smoke marijuana in...")...the opening act was a tiny little woman with a HUGE voice...thus we were introduced to Emmylou Harris.After that, every time she came out with an album (umm-hmm, vinyl) we got it. The harmonies alone are priceless.On the morning of 9-11, as i sat watching to horror show that was the news, and calling friends just to touch base with fellow humans...the words to Pieces of the Sky kept filling my ears:"what if pieces of the sky were fallingin your neighbors yardbut not on you?"

This is classic Emmylou! How I wish that country radio would put aside the bro country and play music like this. This music, while 40 years old, seems timeless, and Emmylou has the voice of an angel. Performed and recorded in an age without autotune, the pureness of her voice is breathtaking. If you are fan of "real" country music, buy this album.

I had this album on vinyl way back when it was the new thing, but I don't listen to my vinyl anymore so I bought a CD copy. It's as good as ever. I particularly like the guitar and pedal steel work of the members of the "Hot Band." Some of the best country guitar work ever. And Emmylou's voice is always so nice.The comfort of an old friend.

Merveilleux album, que j'avais déjà acheté lors de sa sortie en vinyle, mais que je ne possédais plus. Quel plaisir d'écouter à nouveau ces superbes chansons reprises, adaptations ou créations de la Grande Emmylou Harris ! De plus l'automne arrive et cet album convient très bien à cette saison. Je le recommande tellement que je viens de le racheter pour un membre de ma famille.

自分にとっては映画「ラストワルツ」で観て以来の永遠の女神です♪

Un classique indéboulonnable , une aisance d'interpretation phénoménale , dès mélodiesà apaiser toute tension . C'est une cure de plaisir.

Emmylou splendida creatura del Sud degli States, nata in Alabama, cresciuta tra Carolina e Virginia, Emmylou compagna di vita per un attimo fuggente di quello spirito libero che è stato Gram Parsons, cantante dotata di una voce che va di pari passo con la sua incredibile avvenenza, innamorata del country più genuino ma che non disdegna puntate verso il pop più intelligente.Emmylou che studia, si laurea, va a New York, inizia la solita gavetta nei locali del Greenwich, si sposta di nuovo e poi il colpo di fortuna, viene notata da Chris Hillman che a sua volta la segnala al citato Parson e da li inizia il volo, lo splendido volo di questa grandissima interprete.Possiamo tranquillamente sorvolare sul suo vero album di debutto del 1969 e fare partire da qui la sua storia, dall'anno di grazia 1975 quando firma per la Reprise che le mette a disposizione un cast stellare e le fa incidere questo "Pieces in the sky", primo tassello di un trittico che comprende "Elite Hotel" e "Luxury liner" che le fanno meritare un posto nell'Olimpo dei grandi interpreti del country folk americano.Oh si, è country questo sound, profuma di profondo Sud, lo diresti uscito da Nashville ma è uscito dal Maryland, lo diresti figlio di una veterana e invece è figlio di una 27enne baciata dal dono della scrittura e dell'interpretazione, baciata dal dono del buon gusto.Che cita i Louvin Brothers, Dolly Parton, il Signore del Bakersfield sound Merle Haggard, che gioca abilmente con i Beatles meno battuti e che si avvale di quel Rodney Crowell con cui resta legata ancora oggi.Firma un solo brano ma è un brano meraviglioso, il suo canto di dolore per la perdita di Gram Parsons e ti inchini davanti a "Boulder to Birmingham".Emmylou che ti spezza il cuore con quella voce che emana una dolcezza infinita, una voce di cristallina bellezza ed espressività, che ti spiega cosa vuol dire fare propri brani altrui, che ti spiega cosa vuol dire mettere l'anima nel lavoro altrui."Pieces in the sky", "Elite Hotel", "Luxury liner" imprescindibili per conoscere una delle Signore del country folk americano... partite da qui, partite dalla fonte.

I bought this shortly after it was released and listening to these numbers again almost 40 years after they were recorded almost defies belief at the sheer quality of Emmylou and the vocal purity that is hers and hers alone. The distinctive Emmylou Harris sound is evident on the three original numbers: the ballad 'Before Believing', her self-penned tribute to her friend and mentor Gram Parsons, the beautiful 'Boulder To Birmingham', and the up-tempo Rodney Crowell opener, 'Bluebird Wine'. The covers are no less than superb, especially her interpretation of Lennon and McCartney's 'For No One' that tugs at the heart strings, Dolly Parton's 'Coat of Many Colours' and a rousing version of Shel Silverstein's 'Queen of the Silver Dollar' with Linda Ronstadt on backing vocals. For some reason this was not released as a single; 'Too Far Gone' and 'If Only I Could Win Your Love' were. There are two bonus tracks that are not out of place with the original release of the other numbers in 1975, (Emmylou's first major label recording). This is out and out country music by the doyenne of country music backed superbly by her accompanists. An outstanding, durable and endearing album and singer. A sheer delight.