I Hope You Dance (CD - 2000)

Personnel includes: Lee Ann Womack (vocals); Joe Manual, Richard Bennett (acoustic & electric guitars); Dan Tyminski, Pat Flynn, Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar); Brent Mason (electric guitar); Paul Franklin (slide & steel guitars, dobro); Larry Franklin (mandolin, fiddle); Aubrie Haynie (fiddle); Michael Omartian (accordion); Steve Nathan (Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards); Michael Rhodes, Glenn Worf, Brett Beavers (bass); Eric Darken, Sam Bacco (percussion); Ricky Scaggs, Bekka Bramlett, Buddy Miller, Julie Miller, Ronnie Bowman, Jon Randall, Jason Sellers, Bergen White, Sons Of The Desert (background vocals).

"I Hope You Dance" won the 2000 CMA Award for Single Of The Year and Song Of The Year.

"I Hope You Dance" won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Country Song. I HOPE YOU DANCE was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Country Album. "I Hope You Dance" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award in the categories of Song Of The Year and Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

"I Hope You Dance" won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Country Song.

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Personnel: Lee Ann Womack (vocals); Gene Miller, Lisa Cochran, Lisa Silver, Marabeth Jordan, Tabitha Fair, Bergen White (vocals); Paul Franklin (guitar, dobro); Dan Tyminski, Mark Casstevens, Pat Flynn (acoustic guitar); Richard Bennett (electric guitar, bouzouki); Kenny Greenberg, Brent Mason (electric guitar); Larry Franklin (mandolin, fiddle); Steve Nathan (keyboards); Jeff Roach (synthesizer); Lonnie Wilson, Chad Cromwell (drums); Eric Darken, Sam Bacco (percussion).

Audio Mixers: Daniel Kresco; Greg Droman; Mike McCarthy.

Recording information: House Of Gain; Javelina Recording STudio; Ocean Way, NashvilleWoodland Studios; Starstruck Studios; The Sound Kitchen, Nashville, TN.

Photographers: Gerry Wenner; Tony Baker.

While her colleagues either dip their toes in pop music or embrace it wholeheartedly, Lee Ann Womack keeps it country. Womack's third release, I HOPE YOU DANCE, finds her looking back to country's past, while keeping both feet firmly in the present.

Womack's nod to those who came before includes terrific cover versions of two modern classics: Rodney Crowell's "Ashes By Now" and Don Williams' "Lord I Hope This Day Is Good," as well as guest harmonies by New Traditionalist Ricky Skaggs (on "The Healing Kind"). More subtly, her respect is obvious in the Bakersfield twang of "I Feel Like I'm Forgetting Something," the Appalachian harmonies of "Does My Ring Burn Your Finger," and the album's rootsy instrumentation. But Womack places herself squarely in modern-day country with the lovely, poetic title track, a country take on Bob Dylan's "Forever Young," with guest vocals by Sons Of The Desert. Another standout is "Stronger Than I Am," a beautifully crafted song about a divorcee who realizes her daughter has survived the ordeal much better than she has. The tasteful production highlights Womack's delicate voice which, unlike those of her colleagues, dispenses with histrionics in favor of real emotion. In a sea of country/pop fluff, I HOPE YOU DANCE is a true gem. minimize