It Ain't Easy, Chris Smither, Music CD

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It Ain't Easy


1	Footloose 3:29
2	It Ain't Easy 3:15
3	John Hurt Medley 2:45
4	No Money Down 2:52
5	Green Rocky Road 3:34
6	Guilty 2:04
7	Maybellene 2:26
8	Rosalie 3:24
9	One Plus One 2:22
10	Ninety Nine Year Blues 2:32
11	The Glory of Love 1:44
12	Sitting on Top of the World 3:11
13	Once in a Very Blue Moon 2:58
14	So Long, Harry Truman 3:27

Editorial Reviews

Following two releases for Poppy Records in the early '70s, as well as a third recording that never saw the light of day, Chris Smither finally returned in 1984 with It Ain't Easy. Armed simply with guitar and voice, Smither delivers a dozen tunes (14 on the CD reissue) that embody the best tradition of blues and folk. Whether it's his originals, a standard like "Glory of Love," or material by the likes of Randy Newman, Chuck Berry, Mississippi John Hurt, and Howlin' Wolf, Smither infuses every track with the same timeless quality. Though he may, on occasion, choose rather standard folk, blues, and rock & roll fare ("Green Rocky Road," "Sittin' on Top of the World," "Maybelline") Smither never treats the songs as if they were museum pieces. In his hands, they're given a life and vitality they probably haven't seen in years. His masterful guitar work and dark, resonant baritone are ideally suited to the songs on It Ain't Easy. Like Mississippi John Hurt or Reverend Gary Davis, his playing is that perfect combination of simplicity and sophistication, discovering and filling harmonic voids without ever overstating or wasting a single note. There's not a false moment on the entire record. Highly recommended. Brett Hartenbach, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

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Click on

or link to hear an audio clip.
To listen to samples you'll need a Windows Media Player

It Ain't Easy


1	Footloose 3:29
2	It Ain't Easy 3:15
3	John Hurt Medley 2:45
4	No Money Down 2:52
5	Green Rocky Road 3:34
6	Guilty 2:04
7	Maybellene 2:26
8	Rosalie 3:24
9	One Plus One 2:22
10	Ninety Nine Year Blues 2:32
11	The Glory of Love 1:44
12	Sitting on Top of the World 3:11
13	Once in a Very Blue Moon 2:58
14	So Long, Harry Truman 3:27

All Music Guide

Following two releases for Poppy Records in the early '70s, as well as a third recording that never saw the light of day, Chris Smither finally returned in 1984 with It Ain't Easy. Armed simply with guitar and voice, Smither delivers a dozen tunes (14 on the CD reissue) that embody the best tradition of blues and folk. Whether it's his originals, a standard like "Glory of Love," or material by the likes of Randy Newman, Chuck Berry, Mississippi John Hurt, and Howlin' Wolf, Smither infuses every track with the same timeless quality. Though he may, on occasion, choose rather standard folk, blues, and rock & roll fare ("Green Rocky Road," "Sittin' on Top of the World," "Maybelline") Smither never treats the songs as if they were museum pieces. In his hands, they're given a life and vitality they probably haven't seen in years. His masterful guitar work and dark, resonant baritone are ideally suited to the songs on It Ain't Easy. Like Mississippi John Hurt or Reverend Gary Davis, his playing is that perfect combination of simplicity and sophistication, discovering and filling harmonic voids without ever overstating or wasting a single note. There's not a false moment on the entire record. Highly recommended. Brett Hartenbach

Product Details

Format: CD
Original Release: 1984
Release Date: 03/04/1994
Label: GENES RECORDS
Catalog No.: 1031
UPC: 722485103129
Sales Rank: 57,600

Album Credits
Performance Credits
Chris Smither		Primary Artist, Primary Artist

Technical Credits
Chris Smither		Producer, Liner Notes
Jim Harmon		Producer, Engineer
Larry Packer		Mastering
Lawrence Packer		Mastering
Candace Hoffman-Kilman		Original Graphics