Lindsey Buckingham & Little Big Town - By Invitation Only: Live In Nashville, 2006 (2010) [Unofficial Release]

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Lindsey Buckingham & Little Big Town - By Invitation Only: Live In Nashville, 2006 (2010) [Unofficial Release]

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In this 2006 concert, Lindsey Buckingham collaborates with the younger band Little Big Town, exploring connections between Little Big Town’s country-rock styles and the musical moods and ideas that Buckingham has been exploring throughout his long career.

Buckingham grew up in the the Bay Area in Califiornia. In his early teens he was playing folk music on guitar and banjo. His first mature work came in the late 1960’s with a band called Fritz, which also featured the singer Stevie Nicks, In Los Angeles, Buckingham and Nicks became a duo and signed a recording contract with Polydor Records in 1973, Their first album had poor sales, and they lost their contract, but recording brought Buckingham and Nicks into the center of a thriving L.A. music scene. Meanwhile, the band Fleetwood Mac, which had established itself years earlier in the British blues explosion, was seeking a comeback. Buckingham met Mick Fleetwood, and Fleetwood asked the duo to join the band.

In early 1975, Fleetwood Mac became a quintet, with a distinctive new sound, partly founded on Buckingham’s guitar and the Buckingham-Nicks vocal harmony. The AOR hits came quickly, and the second album, “Rumours,” became ubiquitous. Singles from that album “Chain” and “Go Your Own Way” get original and rousing treatment in this concert withy Little Big Town. With superstardom, the issues facing Fleetwood Mac became the stuff of rock epic. Over the years, during breakups and reunions with the band, Buckingham began releasing solo albums; he often played almost all the instruments. He also scored film soundtracks.

In the 1990’s Buckingham toured, leading a powerfully guitar-heavy band. He released his fourth solo album in 2006 — the year this concert was recorded. “Not Too Late,” performed here by Buckingham and Little Big Town, is drawn from that album.

Little Big Town was formed by Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook, and Phillip Sweet in 1998. After a number of years of struggle and label-hopping, the band signed a contract with Clint Black’s Equity Music Group. The single “Boondocks”— Buckingham joins the band on it in this concert — broke the top ten early in 2006; “Good As Gone” and “Bring It On Home” are also performed here; the former reached the top twenty, the latter the top five,

The influence of Fleetwood Mac and Lindsey Buckingham on Little Big Town is evident throughout this concert. The ensemble mixes male and female performers, who trade off lead vocals, and the band’s hard-rocking yet highly accessible beats, thoughtful songwriting, and powerful harmony singing recall Fleetwood Mac’s best moments. And Like Fleetwood Mac, Little Big Town is writing its own hits.

The collaboration in this concert reveals intriguing connections between today’s radio country-rock arid the 1970’s radio rock to which Lindsey Buckingham so decisively contributed in Fleetwood Mac.

Liner notes by William Hogeland

Well, I approached this one for the live powers of Lindsey Buckingham knowing nothing of the music of Little Big Town and got a real nice surprise. Little Big Town with Buckingham is a very good fit. LBT is a great rock band that lives in the world of country music and the music they deliver is as good as anything produced by Fleetwood Mac and Lindsey fits in here just like a finger in a glove.

With only eight songs and a length of under 35 minutes it is a real shame that there isn't more of this night's performance featured here. The sound quality is O.K. but everything gets a little harsh on the high end and it's too bad that more time wasn't spent on the recording levels. The vocals are mixed upfront and the instruments are found a bit behind but that is a plus when these folks lock into some fantastic harmony singing that is much nicer than when Stevie Nicks is intown.

The song selection is a cross between Lindsey's music and Little Big Town's hits and if I had my wish there would be 8-10 more Little Big Town songs on this disc as they are really great. Highlights include: "Bones>The Chain" (great thump pairing!) "Not Too Late" (solo Lindsey with fantastic harmony from LBT) and the Little Big Town tunes: ""Bring It On Home" and "Good As Gone."

If this one had been a full-blown official release it would easily be a five-star disc but the part of the show included here is still really fine on it's own.

Review by Philip S. Wolf, Amazon.com

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Lindsey Buckingham & Little Big Town - By Invitation Only: Live In Nashville, 2006 (2010) [Unofficial Release]

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Lindsey Buckingham & Little Big Town - By Invitation Only: Live In Nashville, 2006 (2010) [Unofficial Release]

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Lindsey Buckingham & Little Big Town - By Invitation Only: Live In Nashville, 2006 (2010) [Unofficial Release]

Close

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Lindsey Buckingham & Little Big Town - By Invitation Only: Live In Nashville, 2006 (2010) [Unofficial Release]

Close