Melonie Cannon A Tribute To Vern Gosdin (CD)

(BFD) 13 tracks, digipack.

Melonie Cannon, whose trademark harmonies have been heard by millions both on records and on the road, honors "The Voice" with A Tribute To Vern Gosdin. The album features special collaborations with Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Jamey Johnson, Cody Jinks and more of Melonie's colleagues and friends. Vern's longtime electric guitarist Mike Baker and his harmony vocalist Curtis Wright also provide a glimpse of the multiple CMA and ACM award winner's live shows.

Produced by Buddy Cannon, Melonie's father and Vern's writing partner, with co-producer Butch Carr, the album pays tribute to the man who encouraged Buddy to take notice of his daughter's voice. Vern took the teenage Melonie under his musical wing, teaching her to sing harmony vocals and encouraging her to take the lead at times.

At the Cannons' kitchen table, Buddy, Vern and Melonie often sat together singing bluegrass, gospel and contemporary hits. A Tribute To Vern Gosdin is a reflection of those sessions spent in their Kingston Springs neighborhood. "These songs weren't just playing on my radio, they were being sung at my kitchen table. They are a part of my being, they are my childhood. I witnessed the thoughts and ideas that made words and music into country treasures," Melonie says.

Holler exclusively presented a first listen to "Is It Rainin' At Your House," written by Vern, Hank Cochran and Dean Dillon. "Venturing into a Vern Gosdin song has always been an act of courage, but covering 'Is It Rainin' at Your House' feels like an especially bold move. Luckily for Melonie Cannon, she has a voice that is more than up to the challenge, capable of lifting you up and completely tearing you apart in a single bound," praises Jof Owen of Holler.

"Is It Rainin' 'At Your House' has always been one of my favorite songs. Long before I knew how sad it was, I was connected to songs like that as a kid - the ones that are close to your heart. For as long as I can remember, I was immersed in the songs of Dean Dillon, Hank Cochran and Vern Gosdin. This song combines all three of those men into one magical melody," Melonie explains.

Melonie grew into a sought-after session singer, contributing harmonies to recordings with George Jones, Reba McEntire, Sammy Kershaw, John Michael Montgomery and Craig Morgan, among others. She also sang lead on demo sessions for songwriters such as Dean Dillon and Hank Cochran. Melonie continues to sing on releases and perform live with artists such as Jamey Johnson and Willie Nelson. A Tribute to Vern Gosdin follows her two solo albums, the 2004 self-titled CD on Skaggs Family Records and 2008's And The Wheels Turn on Rural Rhythm Records.