Shelby Lynne
Shelby's latest album--Just a Little Lovin' achieves the unlikely: a tribute to an immortal artist (Dusty Springfield) which both glorifies its subject and elevates the worshipper kneeling at her altar.

By the time Shelby Lynne won her Best New Artist Grammy, she'd already completed six albums and had over a decade of recording experience under her belt. Yet in a way, the award was appropriate, since I Am Shelby Lynne was the album that finally found her taking control of her music, following years of casting about in search of an identity.

Lynne's work ranged through country, blues, Southern soul, roots rock, Western swing, jazz, and adult contemporary pop; naturally, that eclecticism made her difficult to market, and it also resulted in pressure to record more commercial, radio-friendly material that didn't really suit her. Once Lynne put all the pieces together, she found herself embraced not by the country mainstream, but by rock critics, British audiences, and the alt-country/Americana crowd.

Lynne placed several songs on the country charts during this period, but none managed to break into the Top 20. Critics generally regarded her as a promising talent, and she even won the CMA's Horizon Award (given to the year's top emerging artist) in 1991. However, she was tiring of the lack of control she was afforded over her image and musical direction. She split from Epic and signed with the smaller Morgan Creek label, debuting with 1993's Temptation, an exercise in Bob Wills-style Western swing and big band jazz. Unfortunately, the label folded not long after, and she moved on to Magnatone for 1995's Restless, which marked a return to contemporary-style country. Afterward, Lynne disappeared from recording for several years. During that time, she moved to Palm Springs, CA, and convinced producer Bill Bottrell -- best known for his early work with Sheryl Crow -- to work on her next album.

Lynne signed with Island Records and finally returned in 2000 with I Am Shelby Lynne. Effectively a roots rock album with Sheryl Crow overtones and strong hints of Lynne's eclecticism, the record was greeted enthusiastically in the U.K. and was released in the U.S. several months later. Positive word of mouth led to effusive critical praise, with many hailing I Am Shelby Lynne as a major statement of purpose as confident as its title's declaration. It won her a Grammy for Best New Artist in early 2001, and she began working on a follow-up with producer Glen Ballard, best known for his work with Alanis Morissette. Love, Shelby appeared later in 2001 but was received with confusion and disappointment by many reviewers, mainly because of its smoother, less country-infused production. Two years later, Lynne returned to form with Identity Crisis. Her debut release for Capitol, it was her most sensitive album yet. Suit Yourself appeared in spring 2005. In 2008 an homage to Dusty Springfield, Just a Little Lovin', produced by Phil Ramone, was released on Lost Highway.

Shelby Lynne - Just a Little Lovin'

Now thirty-nine, country singer Shelby Lynne has made records for nearly twenty years, establishing herself as one of Nashville's bright lights and dropping the occasional stylistic screwball — namely, 2001's pop-rock Love, Shelby and '05's country-soul Suit Yourself. This collection of Dusty Springfield covers mostly stays slow, quiet and romantic. There's no "Son of a Preacher Man," no horn sections and not much groove, just bare-bones interpretations that are more light jazz than country, including a gorgeous "Anyone Who Had a Heart." Daring it's not, but it pays homage to a hero without getting indulgent or falling into rote imitation. - rollingstone.com