The follow-up to Simple Gearle, Stacey Earle’s gracefully understated 1999 debut, Dancin’ With Them That Brung Me was co-produced by Earle with husband and bandmate Mark Stuart, who goes a long way to fleshing out Earle’s affecting melodies. Backing band the Jewels are named for a beloved grandmother and include Stuart, Earle’s son Kyle Mims and Michael Webb on guitars, accordion, organ, bass and drums.
Road-primed rather than ravaged, the Jewels cozy up round Earle’s delicious and slightly quirky phrasing, bringing a loose yet comfortable feel to the dozen songs here. Among others, Sheryl Crow does a guest turn at backing vocals, and the ubiquitous Mike Daly takes a run at lap steel.
Pulling one from big brother’s Steve’s catalog, the album opens with “Promise You Anything”, but it’s her own tunes that make Dancin’ sweet, sincere and thoroughly enjoyable, if not quite spectacular. With an undisguised twitter and twang that recalls Nanci Griffith and Iris DeMent, Earle’s vocals are lively, unaffected and slightly precious. She’s most effective on the title cut, “Kiss Her Goodnight” and “No New Shoes”, an easy companion to Dolly’s “Coat Of Many Colors”. And when she sings “Wonderful Life”, we believe her.