Kacey Jones

Jones, known for her comedy albums and hanging out with Garrison Keillor at Lake Wobegon, breaks your heart so many times on this exquisite disc, you have to think just a bit of her life experience adds to the genius. Country blues have never been bluer, or more eloquent, and Jones' seen-it-all voice is the perfect match for Newbury's poignant worldview. From the ache of "Ramblin' Blues" to the infectious bounce of "San Francisco Mabel Joy," Jones honors a singular talent as only another singular talent could.
-Dave Wiegand - 08/06
- Dave Wiegand

Jones's readings are note perfect, the rich arrangements are beautifully conceived, and the soul of Mickey Newbury lives again, vivid as ever in his timeless, literate songs.
--David McGee - 08/06 - David McGee

Kacey Jones may very well be staring a Grammy nomination in the face at the end of the year, this album is that powerful and it would be a fitting tribute to both artists, the giant in the world of songwriters and the gifted, loving singer who cared enough to say thanks.
- Greg Roberts - Greg Roberts

Several months ago, I heard Kacey on "A Prairie Home Companion." It was love at first listen. Her tribute to Newbury is one of the most gorgeous albums I've ever heard. I can't imagine how this CD could have been done any better. Every single track touched me to the bone.
-Roderick Harrington - Roderick Harrington

Kacey Jones' previous releases have spotlighted her quick, biting wit and satirical prowess, most notably, Every man i love Is Either married, Gay, or Dead. But she not only plays it straight on this Mickey Newbury tribute, she expertly and accurately communicates each song. Newbury isn't nearly as famous as he should be, but Kacey's treatment of his songs will inspire those who hear them to delve deeper into his rich and overlooked catalog.
--Ron Wynn - Ron Wynn

I don't know how you'd improve on a tribute album so sensitively conceived and executed as this one. Jones' riveting interpretations lift these gorgeous, heartbreaking songs to a kind of tragic glory.
--Jerome Clark - 10/06 - Jerome Clark

JANUARY 22 - 28, 2004 -- MUSIC--LOCAL

Sweet Cheek
Veteran Nashville singer-songwriter Kacey Jones finds niche for her womanly humor
By Michael McCall

Kacey Jones
Sweet Potato Queens' Big-Ass Box of Music (IGO Records)

Talk about tit for tat: After two decades of musically representing bold and bawdy women, Kacey Jones is
finally becoming a national phenomenon. The Nashville veteran's sudden popularity comes after jumping
on an appropriate party platform: She's now a glorified member of the royal court of the Sweet Potato Queens,
the loose-knit organization of full-grown, wild women inspired by the libidinous musings of author
Jill Conner Browne in her series of humorous books that began with the 1999 best seller, The Sweet Potato
Queens Book of Love.
As the Sweet Potato Queens grew into a social movement--complete with an annual March convention and parade in Jackson, Miss.--the membership recognized a bosom buddy in Jones. Recent albums like Never Wear Panties to a Party and Every Man I Love Is Either Married, Gay or Dead fit the SPQ aesthetic as snugly as a size-too-small dress.
Not one to pass up a rowdy party or promotional gimmick, Jones signed on as the club's official songstress and put together her own Sweet Potato Queens' Big-Ass Box of Music. The 21-cut CD surveys several of the cheekiest songs from her repertoire, such as "Gimme a Younger Man." Jones augments the best-of list with several new tunes, including "Show Up Naked, Bring Beer" and "I Could Get Over Him (If I Could Get Under You)," which includes juicy couplets like "I'm tired of being blue / Red hot's my kind of hue."
The tie-in has greatly boosted Jones' profile. On Jan. 10, she performed several numbers on A Prairie Home Companion, including a duet with host Garrison Keillor. She's also booking club dates from California to Florida.
Musically, Jones is a robust vocalist who prefers comically exaggerated arrangements set to swing, old-time rock, up-tempo blues and country shtick. In "How Do You Like These Babies Now?," a woman celebrates her new breast implants (after being spurned by a beau who leaves her for a younger, bustier rival) to a Benny Goodman-style tune, complete with an Andrews Sisters chorus that jazzily harmonizes the line, "bum-bum-tittie-bum-bum, tittie-tittie-bum-bum."
Jones has been hoeing this field since her days as the leader of Ethel & The Shameless Hussies, a trio who put out an album called Born to Burn for MCA Nashville in 1988; the disc included the likes of "One Night Stan" and "Last Night I Really Laid Down the Law," the latter about an intimate negotiation with a police officer over a traffic ticket.
Jones has had brushes with bigger breakthroughs before, such as when she contributed several numbers to the soundtrack to the movie Sordid Lives, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the New York Independent Film & Video Festival. And as owner of Kinkajou Records, she releases albums by Kinky Friedman, Alan Rhody and other singer-songwriters. This time, though, it looks like she really is busting out all over.
- Nashville Scene

There's a long tradition of female music humorists---from Minnie Pearl and Judy Canova to Catherine Bach---and Kacey Jones fits right in. Bottom Line: Here's one Kacey who hasn't struck out. - Ralph Novak

The well-versed vocalist, famed for her work as an entertainer, songwriter, publisher, producer and indie record label owner, shows an eclectic range of influences---this is funny stuff that is intelligent and singable. - Los Angeles

"Newbury's fabled lusch lyrical talents lend themselves to Jones' lusch musical interpretations. I'm not calling either of them a lush...just a union made in heaven."
-----Kinky Friedman - Kinky Friedman