Lady & Gentlemen

LeAnn Rimes makes an interesting move here, recording nearly an entire album of songs written for male country stars and interpreting them from a woman’s perspective. While this in itself isn’t exactly novel (female country stars have sung their male counterparts’ songs for years), what’s new is the level of country classics we’re talking about here; Rimes turns the concept into a challenge. George Jones’s “He Stopped Loving Her Today” retains its elegiac sway. Merle Haggard’s “The Bottle Let Me Down” is slowed to an introspective crawl. Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night” beautifully displays Rimes’ pure country pipes. Produced by Rimes, Darrell Brown, and Vince Gill (whose “When I Call Your Name” is given a powerful workout), Lady & Gentlemen also includes a remake of her hit “Blue” with The Time Jumpers and the bonus tracks “Crazy Woman” and “Give,” where Rimes works up a funk and a grand sway, respectively. At 29 years old, Rimes is an experienced veteran who brings her mastery of her art form to everything she touches.