Tracy Nelson — “Life Don’t Miss Nobody” — BMG (June 9 release)

Somewhere in the swampy recesses of my mind, the song “Mother Earth,” sung by Tracy Nelson, floats around in a soulful haze.
I know it was originally a mournful Memphis Slim song from 1951, but it first caught my attention on Tracy Nelson’s 1968 debut album with Mother Earth the band, “Living with the Animals,” which featured her hauntingly powerful six-minute version of “Mother Earth” the song, which had already given its name to the San Francisco band.
All of that is just my long-winded way of saying that I’ve always loved Nelson’s terrifically tough and soulful work, and now she’s at it again with her first album in 10 years, “Life Don’t Miss Nobody.”
Life may not miss anyone, but Nelson’s return, with a select group of her musical friends, shows us what we’ve been missing. Joining her on this splendid session are Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, Willie Nelson, Charlie Musselwhite, Mickey Raphael, Terry Hanck, Kevin McKendree and Jontavious Willis. And more. Check all the stellar credits at the end.
The music comes from equally diverse sources: Stephen Foster, Ma Rainey, Hank Williams, Aleck “Sonny Boy Williamson II” Miller, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Willie Dixon, Allen Toussaint, Doc Pomus, Chuck Berry and Gene McDaniels. Plus a pair of originals.
But that’s fine. As Nelson says, “I’ve been wanting to do every one of these songs for a really long time. I wanted to get a little bit of everything, all the kinds of music that I love.”
It’s an eclectic set. Some highlights include the rocking gospel opener “Strange Things Happening Every Day,” an old Sister Rosetta Tharpe standard, complete with rollicking piano by Kevin McKendree. A sweetly soulful “There Is Always One More Time” by Ken Hirsch and Doc Pomus follows, with Mickey Raphael’s lyrical harp wrapped around soaring vocals that flow through Nelson’s 78-year-old pipes as smoothly as vintage wine.
The title track, one of the originals by Nelson and partner Mike Dysinger is a philosophical turn that ruminates on the complexities of life : “The world has a way of taking back its toys.” A sprightly duet with Willie Nelson on Hank Williams’ “Honky Tonkin’” mines a country vein that makes it sound like the song was written just for them.
There’s a wonderful old-timey feel to “Yonder Come the Blues” from Ma Rainey, and a tough down-home resonance to “Your Funeral and My Trial,” with Jontavious Willis joining with vocals and Resonator guitar on the spirited track from the works of Aleck “Sonny Boy Williamson II” Miller.
And that’s just the tip of the musical iceberg. Add in Allen Toussaint’s “I Did My Part,” Stephen Foster’s “Hard Times” (two versions, including an acoustic gem), Willie Dixon’s “It Don’t Make Sense,” Gene McDaniels’ “Compared To What,” the original (with Marcia Ball) “Where Do You Go (When You Can’t Go Home),” Chuck Berry’s chestnut “Brown Eyed Handsome Man,” and you have a splendid album of fine music performed by musicians who sound like they live and breathe this material.
That’s “Life Don’t Miss Nobody.” Don’t you miss it either.
Here’s Tracy Nelson celebrating “Mother Earth”:
Here’s a gathering that has echoes of the new album:
“Life Don’t Miss Nobody” Track Listing and Credits
Strange Things Happening Every Day – Public Domain/Sister Rosetta Tharpe / Lead Vocal – Tracy Nelson/Drums-John Gardner / Upright Bass-Byron House / Piano-Kevin McKendree / Electric Guitar-Mike Henderson/ Background Vocals – The Angelics (John Gardner/Byron House/Mike Henderson/Kevin McKendree
There Is Always One More Time – writers: Ken Hirsch & Doc Pomus / Lead Vocal – Tracy Nelson
Drums-John Gardner / Electric Bass-Byron House / Piano-Kevin McKendree / Electric Guitar-Larry Chaney/ Background Vocals-Dianne Davidson, Vickie Carrico, Reba Russell, Issac Ferguson Dillard / Featured Guest: Harmonica-Mickey Raphael
Life Don’t Miss Nobody – writers: Mike Dysinger & Tracy Nelson / Lead Vocal/Wurlitzer Piano– Tracy Nelson/ Drums-John Gardner / Upright Bass-Byron House / Piano-Steve Conn / Acoustic Guitar & Cuatro-Larry Chaney/ Congas & Guiro-Mike Dysinger / Alto Sax-Jack Warner / Trumpet-Dominique Caster / Trombone &-Chase Carpenter (*arrangement)
Your Funeral And My Trial – writer: Sonny Boy Williamson / Lead Vocal – Tracy Nelson
Drums-John Gardner / Upright Bass-Byron House / Piano-Kevin McKendree / Electric Guitar-Mike Henderson/ Featured Guest: Jontavious Willis-Vocal and Resonator Guitar
Yonder Come The Blues –Public Doman/Ma Rainey / Lead Vocal – Tracy Nelson
Drums-John Gardner / Upright Bass-Byron House / Piano-Steve Conn / Electric Guitar-Larry Chaney /Clarinet-Doug Mosher
I Did My Part – writer: Naomi Neville aka: Allen Toussaint / Lead Vocal – Tracy Nelson
Drums-John Gardner / Electric Bass-Byron House / Electric Guitar-Roger Alan Nichols / Piano-Kevin McKendree/Background Vocals-Tracy Nelson, Marcia Ball, Irma Thomas / Featured Vocals-Irma Thomas & Marcia Ball/ Baritone Sax-Jack Warner / Trumpet – Dominique Caster / Tenor Sax-Gabriel Collins (Carpenter Arrangement)
Hard Times – Public Domain/Stephen Foster / Lead Vocal & 12 String Guitar – Tracy Nelson
Drums-John Gardner / Bowed Upright Bass-Byron House / Accordion-Steve Conn / B3 Organ-Jim Pugh/Electric Guitar-Larry Chaney / Background Vocals-Dianne Davidson, Vickie Carrico, Reba Russell
Honky Tonkin’ – writer: Hank Williams / Lead Vocal – Tracy Nelson
Drums-John Gardner / Upright Bass-Byron House / Larry Chaney-Electric Guitar / Steel Guitar-Mike Johnson/Acoustic Guitar-Roger Alan Nichols / Harmonica-Mickey Raphael / Featured Guest Vocal – Willie Nelson
It Don’t Make Sense – writer: Willie Dixon / Lead Vocal – Tracy Nelson
Drums-John Gardner / Electric Bass-Byron House / Piano-Kevin McKendree / Electric Guitar-Mike Henderson/Background Vocals-Tracy Nelson, Issac Ferguson Dillard / Featured Guest: Harmonica-Charlie Musselwhite
Compared To What – writer: Gene McDaniels / Lead Vocal – Tracy Nelson
Drums-John Gardner / Upright Bass-Byron House / Piano-Kevin McKendree / Electric Guitar-Roger Alan Nichols/Featured Guest: Vocals and Sax-Terry Hanck
Where Do You Go (When You Can’t Go Home) – writers: Tracy Nelson/Marcia Ball / Lead Vocal-Tracy Nelson/ Drums-John Gardner / Electric Bass-Byron House / Piano-Kevin McKendree / Electric Guitar-Roger Alan Nichols/ B3 Organ-Jim Pugh / Background Vocals-Tracy Nelson, Dianne Davidson, Vickie Carrico, Reba Russell, Issac Ferguson Dillard
Brown Eyed Handsome Man – writer: Chuck Berry / Lead Vocal Tracy Nelson
Drums-John Gardner / Upright Bass-Byron House / Piano-Kevin McKendree / Electric Guitar-Larry Chaney/ Background Vocals-Dianne Davidson, Vickie Carrico, Reba Russell / Featured Guest Vocals – Marcia Ball, Irma Thomas, Reba Russell, Dianne Davidson, Vickie Carrico
Hard Times (Solo Version) – Public Domain/Stephen Foster / Lead Vocal & Acoustic 12 String-Tracy Nelson