Album Notes

Ottawa singer-songwriter Lynne Hanson has spent years perfecting her unique brand of roots music, combining blues, jazz and country with universal themes. The youngest of eight children, Lynne was exposed to a diverse array of musical eras and styles as she grew up, allowing her to create a hybrid brand of her own that merges thought-provoking lyrics with Texas soul-country. Her material has been compared to the work of Gillian Welch, Lucinda Williams and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Lynne’s performances are personal and engaging, her stage skills honed on cross-country tours with Ottawa guitarist Shane Simpson (David Francey, James Cohen). Her songs often capture a moment in time and provide universal snapshots of life. Prefacing each song with a story, her coffeehouse approach is good-natured and down-to-earth, and makes Lynne the perfect addition to an intimate house concert, a summer festival or a back porch jam. She accompanies herself on acoustic guitar and floor bass.

"Things I Miss" includes 11 original songs, as well as one traditional. The CD was recorded with Ross Murray at Happyrock Studios in Chelsea, Quebec. Instrumentation on the CD is predominantly acoustic and features a stellar line-up of musicians:

Lynne Hanson – vocals and guitar
Paul Bourdeau – guitars
Pat Giunta – bass and backing vocals
Ross Murray – percussion
Greg T Brown – fiddle, accordion
Fred Guignon – lap steel, electric and resophonic guitars
Doug Cox – dobro
Lynn Miles – backing vocals (appears courtesy of True North Records)

REVIEW

"Like an old friend checking in after a long absence, there's a rolling, open road accessibility to Lynne Hanson's music that I find very old school and refreshing. Again and again I have listened to Things I Miss (I'm listening while writing this) and each song stays with me, engaging me to leave the disc in the player and to hell with whatever else might come down the pike.

Hailing from Ottawa, Hanson's mature blend of earthy, neighborly vocals, intelligent, lived-in lyrics, and folksy, bluesy roots music provides her listeners with a rest area off the road to reflect and dream before carrying on with the busy doings of another day.

With their sympathetic playing, guitarists Paul Bourdeau and Fred Guignon, bassist Pat Giunta, percussionist Ross Murray, fiddler Greg T Brown, dobroist Doug Cox and backing vocalist Lynn Miles make any of these eleven originals, and a mature reading of Wayfaring Stranger satisfying to the heart, the mind, and the soul. Though I obviously have my favorite tracks: I Won't Ask Why, River by My Side, Porch Light, Little Stage Fright, Different Story, Wayfaring Stranger, any and all of these songs give the journeyman in us all a little respite."

Mike Jurkovic - Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange www.acousticmusic.com