Iris DeMent, past and present.

Oops, Emitt died in 2020, not 2000.

In the late-90’s a very long-time friend of mine (we met in "home room" our first day of 7th grade, in September of 1962---in what was then referred to as Jr. High, now called Middle School) told me his wife---knowing I had kept up with "modern" music, unlike her husband (who was deep into Surf and other instrumental music genres, and remains so to this day, being a member of a fairly-well known "masked" combo, their music available on Yep Rock Records) asked me for a recommendation of a current female artist to listen to.

I didn’t know the wife all that well, and recommended Iris’ My Life. In retrospect, I suppose I should have instead suggested Lucinda, or perhaps even Joan Osborne or Alanis Morissette. The feedback I received was that the wife found Iris to be rather melancholy, an appraisal with which I belatedly understood and appreciated. I had long ago come to accept and adopt that view of life as a given (I watched in horror as my mother’s brain was eaten by cancer when I was 14-15 years of age).

I’m even more grim now, which is why my best friend is Johnny Walker ;-) . But my outlook could be considered sunny compared with that of Emitt Rhodes, with whom I worked briefly in 1997---in the band that backed him for his first live appearance in a quarter-century---at the Poptopia Festival in Los Angeles, and subsequent recordings in his studio in Hawthorne, right across the street from his his parents house, where he recorded his fantastic debut album. If you buy only one album this year, make it that self-titled record. It came out the same year as McCartney’s debut, and is FAR better.

Performing Emitt's music was so ironic; that debut album is so joyful, yet Emitt himself was (by 1997) so the opposite. He's out of his pain now (he died in 2000), but thanks to recording his music will live forever. Do yourself a huge favour and get his debut album. For the musicians in the audience: Emitt told me drummer Jim Gordon---of Derek & The Dominos reknown---was the best musician he ever employed (on his second and third albums, I believe). I wasn't insulted: Jim is a role model of mine.

I agree, Iris is an aquired taste, I like her uniqueness, voice and material.

Also an aquired taste is Rosalie Sorrels

Heard her first on the Nod to Bob compilation (terrific album)

Yes indeed.  I listen to Iris, but my wife does not enjoy her voice at all.  Love her music and voice! I  also like Rickie Lee Jones and once again my wife has a hard time listening to her.  Acquired taste seems accurate. 

 I am also a fan of hers, but I think you could safely say that her voice is an acquired taste....

I took Iris’ My Life CD (no LP release of the album in 1994) to the Vegas CES in the late 90’s (enabled by my pal and hi-fi retailer Brooks Berdan), to use as audition material. Big mistake; with "No Time To Cry" played back through Jerry Crosby’s modified QUAD ESL loudspeakers, I ended up putting the lie to that assertion, tears streaming down my cheeks. No harm done: Jerry agreed to send me a pair of his QUAD 57 front screens anyway ;-) .

I'm a big fan of both Iris and her husband's music.

Not nearly as well known as she should be. John Prine was a big fan.

I got turned on to her  in 1993 after listening to 10,000 Maniacs and David Byrne sing "Let The Mystery Be" on a 4 song cd. I saw the songwriter's name and immediately purchased "Infamous Angel". That was that.

+++++

big fan of Iris DeMent, saw her 'live' open for Emmylou Harris in 2003-2004 here in Seattle. this was after i had fallen for her first few albums. she stole the show.

play "Easy's Gettin' Harder Ever Day" off 'My Life' on a regular basis. one of my favorite cuts. as honest and hard hitting a voice as i've yet heard.