"What a guileless and charming album! . . ." - Sing Out! Magazine
"Her songs are memorable, filled with wit, substance and humor. . . She has a way of grabbing ordinary moments and working them into something that everybody can relate to no matter what their background . . ." - Country Songwriter Magazine
"'Warm and inviting' may be overused when describing folk singers, but in the case of Kathy Johnson, the phrase is perfect. A down-home presence runs through Small Town Girl, making listening a treat." - Cleveland Free Times
"Appealing tremolo alto with a wistful slice-of-life lyric backed by a sparse little fiddle/guitar/rhythm section/harmonica combo. Sweet." - Robert K. Oermann, Music Row Magazine
"A charming collection of both traditional and original cowboy songs. I like everything about this from start to finish. . . How can you not dig an album that features heartfelt performances of classic songs like "Happy Trails," "Home on the Range," "Red River Valley," and "The Cowboy's Lament (Streets of Laredo)"?. . .The most pleasing thing about this record is the blending of Johnson's warm voice with the subtle arrangements of fiddle and guitar. . . highly enjoyable." - In Review, Nashville, TN
"A Winning Release! ... terrific collection ...Her lovely voice has a haunting quality that cuts to the essence ... Kathy's 'Shenandoah' is also the most heartfelt version of that song I have ever heard." - WJCU-FM, Cleveland
"Catching the spirit of the Old West ... authentic-sounding ... always engaging." - Cleveland Free Times
"Wonderfully captures the cowboy way ... some howlin' fine tunes." - WRUW-FM, Cleveland
"I had a feeling this would be something special, and it is! ... The four original songs are all standouts ... Very
listenable ... Do yourself a favor and add Kathy Johnson's Home for the Holidays to your festivities. It's like
spending time with an old friend." - Fred Dolan, WJCU-FM, Cleveland
(Scroll down for more of this review)
The first time I met Kathy Johnson was somewhere in the '90's, around the release of her first CD, Small Town Girl. Since then, count me in as one of her biggest fans. Small Town Girl is still one of my favorite CDs and Way Out West is one of the finest collections (if not the finest) of cowboy songs I have ever heard. So when I learned that Kathy was recording Home For The Holidays, an album of Christmas songs, I had a feeling that it would be something special, and it is!
I have always thought that Kathy has many gifts as an artist. To start with, she is an excellent songwriter. For example, with the recent observance of the 40th anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination, I defy anyone in their 50's who "sat in a classroom and listened to the news of the president's fate" not to be jarred back to that day and moved by Kathy's plea for higher ideals, tolerance, and understanding as expressed in "A Little More Fair, A Little More Free" on Small Town Girl.
Whether writing about her family, childhood memories, relationships, or life in general, Kathy is one of our finest songwriters.
This strong material is a big reason why her work so enjoyable. On all three of her albums, Kathy demonstrates terrific abilities of writing and choosing good material. All of her albums are very listenable. She has great respect for the material, and it shows in the presentation. There are never any gimmicks. No matter what Kathy sings, it's always honest. You can understand all the lyrics, and the emotion she infuses into each of the songs is appropriate and real. It's really easy to believe in her and trust her as an artist.
Another special aspect of Kathy's artistry is her unique voice. Like most artists I really respect, she has her own distinctive sound. As I mentioned, her voice is very listenable, relaxed, even comforting and there's a heartfelt edge that is especially poignant when she expresses the tenderest emotions.
Home For The Holidays is a worthy addition to her recorded work. It's a very nice blend of seasonal songs, original compositions, and traditional Christmas songs.
The four original songs are all standouts. "It's Snowing Tonight" is a contemplation of some of the quieter joys of a winter night and the longing to share those joys in a new relationship; "Let's Keep Christmas In December" is more than just a plea to keep excessive commercialization out of the holiday; and "First Night" celebrates Akron's annual downtown New Year's Eve party. The best of the originals, however, is the title song "Home For The Holidays." In it, Kathy captures the special magic of returning home and reuniting with family and friends at this special time of year. Most people will be able to relate to the imagery, evoking past memories of similar events in their lives.
"Winter Wonderland" and "Silver Bells" are solid seasonal selections, but Kathy's version of the old "Button Up Your Overcoat" is really fun, especially with lines like "Stay away from bootleg hooch when you're on a spree. Take good care of yourself. You belong to me."
The traditional Christmas songs on the album include very nice arrangements of "Good King Wenceslas," "What Child Is This," "Angels We Have Heard On High," and "Deck The Halls." My favorite though is Kathy's haunting a cappella version of the lesser known "The Holly Bears A Berry."
Overall, there's a quality in Kathy's presentation on Home For The Holidays that is infectious and makes you want to sing along. Do yourself a favor. Add Kathy Johnson's Home For The Holidays to your holiday festivities. In fact, while you're at it, why not add her other albums to your collection? You won't be sorry. It's like spending time with an old friend.
Fred Dolan hosts "Visiting The Folks" on 88.7, WJCU-FM every Sunday night from 9:00PM till midnight.
Singing Bridge Music
P.O. Box 4847
Akron, OH 44310
Phone: 330-928-5765
Fax: 330-928-4222