Tell Me Why

by Wynonna Judd

Product Description:

Personnel: Wynonna Judd (vocals); Don Potter (acoustic & electric guitars); Marcus Hummon (acoustic guitar); Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Terry McMillan (harmonica, percussion); Jim Horn, George Tidwell, Harvey Thompson (horns); Steve Nathan, Matt Rollings (piano, B-3 organ, Wurlitzer piano); Billy Kirsch (piano); Barry Beckett (B-3 organ); Willie Weeks (bass); Eddie Bayers (drums, percussion); Kenny Edwards, Bob Bailey, Suzy Wills, Kim Fleming, Chris Rodriguez (background vocals); Steve Cropper, Naomi Judd, Wendy Waldman, Steuart Smith, Lyle Lovett, Karla Bonoff, Jesse Winchester.

"Is It Over" was nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in the 37th Annual Grammy Awards.

After the break-up of the Judds, Wynonna skyrocketed as a solo artist. She was finally recognized as "Female Vocalist Of The Year" by the Academy Of Country Music, receiving that well-deserved honor in 1994.

TELL ME WHY, Wynonna's sophomore solo album, takes more risks and enters more progressive territory than her previous WYNONNA, or the perfect harmony-driven Judds releases. Wynonna is a blues rocker caught in the body of a country singer, with roots closer to Memphis than Nashville, and aspirations to be Bonnie Raitt as strong as those to be Patsy Cline. Wynonna successfully combines her influences and talents, establishing herself as one of the better voices on the pop scene.

From the slick, infectuous title track, with its warm vocal gymnastics, to the swinging, upbeat "Father Sun" and driving, gospel-based, growling R&B cuts like "Let's Make A Baby King" and "Rock Bottom," diversity rules TELL ME WHY. Mary-Chapin Carpenter's "Girls With Guitars" is a fun feminist rocker. "Is It Over Yet" and "Only Love" are powerful ballads--the latter standing as a focused musical and lyrical statement, perfectly produced and performed.

But it is the gutsy, saucy "That Was Yesterday," written by mama Naomi, that is Wynonna's tour-de-force. The well-crafted blues song is sung with style and subtle shadings, reinforcing Wynonna's standing as a mature and potent vocalist. There's punch and kick in Wynonna's blend of country, rock and blues, displaying an earthiness and grittiness rare among women in country music.