Rose Maddox - $35 and a Dream (1994/2020)

Rose Maddox's first album following seven heart bypasses and three months spent in a coma, after which she had to re-learn to talk, let alone sing, is an excellent and welcome addition to the Maddox family catalogue. Rose Maddox's voice had weathered very well, and with an excellent backing band, including most of the Desert Rose Band and the fiddle of Byron Berline, her signature sound remains in top form. A fine testament to her legendary status within the country music community, Merle Haggard and composer David Price contribute songs written especially for the occasion, with Haggard contributing harmony vocals on "Dusty Memories." Johnny Cash even sings her praises in a non-musical dialogue. The final product is a fine combination of bluegrass, Western swing, and Bakersfield country, all presented with a very professional sound. Fine examples of the latter are covers of Buck Owens' "Falling for You" and "We're Gonna Let the Good Times Roll." A beautifully understated rendition of Gram Parsons' "Sin City" and the exemplary musicianship on the traditional "Blue Ridge Mountain Blues" are also highlights. David Price's three songwriting contributions range from the completely appropriate gospel of "Blood Stained Hands" to the somewhat maudlin "Tonight I'm on Stage" and "$35 and a Dream," which charts the history of the Maddox family and puts Rose Maddox in the strange position of singing about her own legacy. All in all, there still isn't a bad track here, and $35 and a Dream would be one listeners' last looks at a true country legend.