Emmylou Harris, Last Date, 1982
Label: Warner Brothers
Producer: Brian Ahern
After spending 1981 releasing two albums that essentially collected a batch of left-over material not used during her monumental run on the back half of the seventies, Emmylou Harris returned to the lofty standards of that rich period with the release of her first live album, Last Date. And it’s not just any live album. Certainly, it’s meant to showcase the live abilities of Harris and her red-hot and continually evolving Hot Band. But rather than merely collecting performances of the singer’s greatest hits up to this point, all tracks here are new to Harris’ repertoire, and in the grand tradition of her preceding studio work, the album covers a wide array of country, rock and pop classics. True to her track record, Harris continues to reinvent gems of the past with renewed vigor and creativity, and this time with the added benefit of a live atmosphere.
The set kicks off in fantastic fashion with a rousing rendition of Hank Snow’s hard country classic, “I’m Movin’ On” that demonstrated Harris’ pure honky tonk chops (peppered with a good doze of Cajun spirit) and the astute live musicianship and showmanship to abound throughout the record. The Carl Perkins chestnut, “Restless” proves to be an even bigger standout showcase for the intense musical dexterity of the tremendous Hot Band outfit. The performance spills over with unbelievable picking at a blistering, breakneck pace. These are world class musicians of the finest degree and to hear them in a live setting is truly special. Undeniably the star and leader, Harris effortlessly keeps up with a roaring, fast-paced twang-rock delivery that does plenty of speaker-rattling in its own right. And the audience eats up every single lick and turn of phrase.
Harris could rock & roll or honky tonk with the best of them, but by this point she was perhaps most renowned for her ability to break a listener’s heart, having easily claimed Tammy Wynette’s crown as the queen of devastating balladry. That magical ability gets a varied showcase on Last Date, and it’s thrilling to hear it navigate from source to source. There’s the pure country sadness of The Everly Brothers classic “So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)”, of which Harris delivers a definitive rendering with the help of Wayne Goodwin’s stunning mandolin accompaniment. With the next breath, she takes a stunning detour into burgeoning rock icon Bruce Springsteen’s catalog with one of his most beautifully tragic compositions, “Racing In the Street”. Harris’ cover is unsurprisingly graceful and surely made Springsteen proud, while the saxophone cameo which tips its hat to Springsteen’s master sideman, Clarence Clemons proves to be an excellent touch. Continuing down that marvelous rock-inspired road, she next delivers a tremendous reading of Neil Young’s bittersweet folk-rock classic, “Long May You Run”, dripping with a beautiful juxtaposition of both loneliness and triumph. The Conway Twitty hit “(Lost His Love) On Our Last Date” provides a straight-up break up tune as Harris splits the difference between country and pop with the slick, slinky stylings of a 60’s inspired countrypolitan template. In addition to providing the album’s title, it also became its biggest hit and Harris’ final No. 1 country single as a solo artist.
Even through all the enticing stylistic travels, Harris’ reliable musical compass and the anchor of yet another album remains her West Coast influences in the arenas of California country and of course, the Cosmic American sounds of her mentor, Gram Parsons. The crowd absolutely revels in each and every moment that finds her revisiting a Parsons-associated tune, and its clear from her exuberant performances that she does as well. “Return of the Grievous Angel” provides a show stopping performance. The same can be said for riveting renditions of Flying Burrito Brothers favorites like “Juanita” and “Devil In Disguise” as well. Perhaps the most impressive ode to Parsons however arrives with “We’ll Sweep Out the Ashes In the Morning” as Harris partners with Barry Tashian who delivers a pitch-perfect tribute in the late singer’s place as Harris’ duet partner. Not to be outdone by any other country sub-genre, the Bakersfield Sound gets its own triumph as well. With the crowd in the palm of their hands and coming off the energetic highs of the preceding country-rock round-up, Harris and the Hot Band send them home hungry for more with a glorious Buck Owens medley of “Buckaroo” and “Love’s Gonna Live Here”. The Hot Band proves to be the perfect contemporary vessel to channel the classic sound of The Buckaroos, while Harris sounds absolutely jubilant reviving the cheerful demeanor of one of Owens’ most beloved classics. It ends the record on a deliriously high note.
Last Date is a thrilling record, a moving joyride of emotions, and a stupendous peak-period showcase of Emmylou Harris’ abilities as not just a singer and lyrical interpreter, but as an entertainer and band leader as well. The importance of the Hot Band cannot be overstated enough either. Though they were past the era that included such breakout stars as Rodney Crowell and Ricky Skaggs, Harris continued to surround herself with only the best players available and it’s arguable that there was not another more talented or capable supporting ensemble to be found on any record at this time, regardless of genre. Not only does the album stand tall as one of the greatest live records of both the entire 1980s and in country music in general, it’s also the riveting climax of the legendary creative period that Harris shared with producer and then-husband, Brian Ahern. They would record another album together after this, but by that point a new page was turning in Harris’ career. Last Date would be their final landmark moment together, and it easily ranks among their legendary studio triumphs of the late 70s.
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