Shelby Lynne's career path is as twisted as that of any contemporary performer, and it shows no signs of straightening out anytime soon. She bowed in 1989 with Sunrise, which Epic Records marketed as country. But her inability to color within the genre's lines caused her to bump from label to label until the Island imprint issued 2000's I Am Shelby, which earned her a Best New Artist Grammy a decade-plus after her debut. Regrettably, Lynne, joined on this bill by Basia Bulat and David McMillin, promptly sabotaged her rehabilitated cred with 2001's slicked-up Love, Shelby, and a pair of subsequent albums for Capitol failed to get her back on track. Just a Little Lovin' (released by yet another company, Lost Highway) is an improvement — a tribute to the late Dusty Springfield that Lynne delivers with class. Still, it's more of a stopgap than a breakthrough for a talented performer who's taken a lot of rocky roads.
*indicates required fields. Please enable browser cookies before filling out this form. All reader comments are subject to our Terms of Use. By clicking Add Comment, you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agree to these Terms.
Comments may take a few minutes to process and appear on the site. Please do not click the "Add Comment" button again while your comment is being added.