Babysue

So many artists attempt to recapture the sound and feel of music from long ago. In the case of Canada's Jenny Whiteley...she succeeds. Listening to the tracks on The Original Jenny Whiteley, you get the genuine impression that many of these performances took place decades ago. Whiteley plays a brand of back porch bluegrass/country/folk that sounds very much like what individuals played in small communities, before music was even marketed or mass produced. Whiteley's solo career immediately took off like a rocket. Her 2000 self-titled debut album won the Juno Award for Roots Traditional Album of the Year. And as if that wasn't enough of a boost for someone so early in their career, her second album (Hopetown) won the Juno for Roots Album in 2003. But despite all the success and attention her music has received, Jenny still manages to make music that's genuinely sincere and real. This album presents a mix of traditionals and originals, and they're all presented simply using traditional instruments. Of course her voice is the main focus of the music and and sheesh...what a great understated voice this lady has. Eleven well-crafted tracks including "100 Dollars," "In The Pines," "Malade," "Groundhog," and "Higher Learning." A lot of folks in the Americana community in the United States could learn a great deal from listening to this talented lady's heartfelt music.