In 1975 Emmylou was reportedly unhappy with an Esquire magazine feature about her new album Elite Hotel. The article didn’t mention her ‘Hot Band’, so she took out an advert in a trade press to credit the players she felt were so central to her sound. 

The Hot Band, of course, were brilliant. No question this album benefits from her working with such high calibre musicians. Emmylou had invested a considerable amount of money in getting the best musicians who deserve acclaim. 

However there’s something about that decision which feels very 1975. What woman nowadays would take out a press release crediting her male collaborators? It almost reads like Emmylou felt the need to downplay her own talent and give men the spotlight. Maybe she was just trying to keep her band happy. Or maybe this was honestly how she felt about herself – still suffering from the lack of self-confidence which stalled her early career after the release of Gliding Bird (and led her to mainly becoming an ‘interpreter’ of songs rather than a writer). 

Emmylou’s name is on this record for a reason. Listening to Elite Hotel you know this album wouldn’t have succeeded without that voice. Emmylou was going to be a star with or without this band, as great as they are. 

Continue reading “Emmylou Harris’s Discography – Elite Hotel (1975) “ →