Crowd Favorites is a compilation project offering songs from the broad spectrum of Claire Lynch's career. These 14 cuts represent those most often requested by her fan base, and for good reason. They rank among the best of the best she has to offer.

Rooted in Bluegrass traditions, Claire Lynch has the confidence to venture outside the box to perfect her skills blending in jazz, swing, rockabilly, folk and Cajun flavors. Yet, she has captured the IBMA Female Vocalist award in 1997 and 2010, thus acknowledging Claire as an important female bluegrass artist.

At heart, Claire weaves wonderful stories through her song writing and uses her sweet soprano to breath life and spirit to the telling. She is a confident performer who understands the audience experience in a live performance filled with much stimulus beyond the lyrics and the music. She takes stage with that objective in mind to give the listener a fuller experience.

Some of my favorites on the project include an invigorating version of Wabash Cannonball featuring the well seasoned collaboration of Missy Raines and Jim Hurst. Claire thinks Thibodaux is looney, infections, fun and wonderful writing. Its fragmented phrases paint images that form a cohesive theme. This piece has a distinctive Cajun flair to it. The Day Lester Died is a sweet ballad lament of the passing of the first generation of bluegrass artists. If you love Gypsy Swing – then the piece you want is Fallin' in Love. Claire collaborated with Irene Kelly to express the sultry sounds of Jealousy describing the dark and evil feelings created by a relationship rife with the binding chains that jealousy creates in a relationship.

This CD would be great as an starter for those interested in Claire's music as it offers a broad range of what she is about. Those who prefer traditional bluegrass, you might be disappointed. Nevertheless, you have to admire Claire's confidence to deliver a project beyond the traditional.

Project Title:		Crowd Favorite
Artist:		Claire Lynch
Released:		2007
Produced by:		Claire Lynch 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 12, 13; Claire Lynch and Rick Adler 5, 8, 9; Bil VornDick 6, 11, 14
Record Label:		Rounder Records

Song List/Credits

Train Long Gone		(Dennis Linde/EMI Blackwood Music, Inc.-Rising Gorge Music, BMI)
The Day That Lester Died		(Claire Lynch/Universal-PolGram International Publishing, Inc.-Butter and Egg Music, BMI)
Fallin' in Love		(Henry Hipkens/Morganactive Songs, Inc.-Pinspotter Music-Tulip Poplar Music, admin. by Morgan Music Group, Inc. ADCAP)
Hills of Alabam'		(Claire Lynch-Mark Fair/Dennis Morgan Music, a Div. of Morgan Music Group, Inc. BMI-Paul Craft Music, c/o Morgan Music Group, Inc., BMI)
If Wishes Were Horses		(Gretchen Peters/Goldline Music, Inc. all rights administered by Warner Brothers Music Corp. ASCAP)
Your Presence is my Favorite Gift		(Hershey Reeves/Thrill Music, BMI)
Jealousy		(Claire Lynch-IreneKelly/Universal-Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.-Butter and Egg Music, BMI-Secret Garden Music/LLC, ASCAP)
Silver and Gold		( Claire Lynch-Irene Kelley/Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.-Sound Cell Songs, BMI-EMI April Music, Inc.-Irene Kelley Music ASCAP)
Sweetheart, Darlin' of Mine		(Claire Lynch-Pamela Brown Hayes/Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.-Butter and Egg Music-Samuel Clemens Songs, BMI)
Kennesaw Line		(Don Oja-Dunnaway/Steady Arm Music, BMI)
Thibodaux		(Chris Stuart/Mountainside Music, BMI)
Wabash Cannonball		(Public Domain)
He Don't Like to Talk About It		(Jennifer KimballClaire Lynch/EMI Blackwood Music, Inc.-Garden Angel Music-Universal-Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.-Butter and Egg Music, BMI)
Friends for a Lifetime (Song for Kegan)		(Claire Lynch-Susan Stewart/Songs for PolyGram International, Inc.-Sound Cell Songs, BMI

Guest Artists/Musicians
Joining Claire on this compilation are: Jim Hurst, David Harvey, Missy Raines, Stuart Duncan, Charlie Cushman, Ben Surratt, Jason Thomas, Larry Atamanuik, Michael McLain, Rob Ickes, Larry Lynch, Roy Huskey, Jr. Tom Bresh, Andrea Zonn, Paul Brantley, Glen Duncan, Keith Little, Pat McInerney, Kenny Smith, David Grier, Dave Pomeroy, Ronnie McCoury, Randy Howard, Joe Rogers, Chuck Holcomb, Alison Brown, Kenny Malone