IN MY CD PLAYER (with Thad Cockrell)
Thursday, July 28, 2005

By Ed Bumgardner
relish staff writer

Singer and songwriter Thad Cockrell understands what makes a great country song. His songs are gentle, melodic and pure, the intimate sound of one aching heart talking to another. He needs no fancy tricks, nothing slick - just his narratives and a gift for writing country songs that Hank Williams, George Jones or Merle Haggard would be proud to claim.

His solo album, Warmth & Beauty, dazzles, but it is Begonias, his new collaboration with singer and songwriter Caitlin Cary, that will make jaws drop. It is ... perfect. Cockrell and Cary are busy touring, but he recently took time out to let relish peek into his CD player to find out what albums he can't live without.

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Mindy Smith, One Moment More: "This CD is really amazing. Her voice is stunning. While many others are shooting for the ear with cool noises, she shoots for the heart."

The Smiths, The Best Of The Smiths Vol. 1 & Vol. 2: "Two separate greatest-hits albums that form a great body of work. They should be packaged together."

Willie Nelson, Phases and Stages: "This might well be the greatest country album ever made. It's so good that at times I find it discouraging. It's a workshop in creativity."

The Shins, Chutes Too Narrow: "This album is wonderful, but so is the band's other one (Oh, Inverted World). Great pop music for people who miss the sort of melody and song-craft that made The Beatles great."