VARIOUS ARTISTS, SHE’S NOT HERE (SONGS WRITTEN BY DALE McKINNEY)

VARIOUS ARTISTS
SHE’S NOT HERE (SONGS WRITTEN BY DALE McKINNEY)

9 Lives Records
No Number

This ten-song collection, all written by Dale McKinney and performed by various artists, is tricky to catalog. It’s been released to support the initial single “She’s Not Here,” performed by CJ the DJ & Kentucky Rain, but it isn’t branded as a CJ the DJ project per se. As indicated on the back sleeve of the CD, the title-track deals with those “touched by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease” and establishes the base for the songs that follow, in the sense they are mostly life stories with pleasant lyrics and a laid-back listening experience.

Other guest artists include Mike Bentley and Tommy Webb. Bentley handles the majority of the lead vocals, as on “Oh Kentucky” and the uptempo number “All Of This” with an unidentified banjo player. “All These Years” features a piano introduction with Bentley’s voice reminding the listener of the late Keith Whitley. The song “1,000 Miles From Home” takes one back to older days while daydreaming on the porch. Webb’s lead vocal is heard only on “Duty Not Desire,” and is particularly effective in telling the story of a couple looking to save a love when the passion is gone, but a sense of duty keeps them hanging on. CJ’s deep voice is featured on the gospel track “Take Me Home Lord.” All in all, a fine project for easy listening.

While no physical CD seems to be available to purchase at this writing, look for the tracks viastreaming sources found online. (www.amazon.com)BW