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Beautiful Scars
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Beautiful Scars
Current price: $14.99
Barnes and Noble
Beautiful Scars
Current price: $14.99
Size: CD
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Vocalist
's musical story was articulated in the Oscar-winning
, a documentary about backing vocalists on countless classic rock, pop, soul, and gospel hit records.
's duet with
on the
' "Gimme Shelter" in 1969 is a prime example. Before that appearance, she'd been a professional for nearly a decade. In 1962, at the age of 16, she duetted with
, then joined
'
. Since then her voice has graced literally hundreds of charting and legendary recordings. Between 1970 and 1975 she issued three albums for producer
's
label, and a pair of excellent gospel outings, 1980's
and 1994's
. In 2014
was in a car accident and suffered the amputation of both legs below the knee. She spent five months in the hospital, but responded to the news of her loss with gratitude when told she could still sing. The following year she appeared on
's "A Head Full of Dreams."
was co-produced by
and Grammy-winning gospel songwriter, vocalist, and instrumentalist
, who contributed five songs to the set. It opens with a new read of
's "A Song for You."
initially covered it on her 1970 debut album, and she and her late husband, the great saxophonist
, chose it as their song.
honored that by dubbing in
's original 1970 saxophone solo.
's performance affirms that her voice has lost none of its suppleness, elasticity, or passion. She follows with a rousing version of
's "Touch the Hem of His Garment," fronting a gospel choir a cappella, showcasing her power and authority. "Love Is a Mighty River" was penned for her by
. A piano, Hammond B-3, and South Africa's
underscore her conviction and positivity. Likewise,
penned the powerful title track for her.
's delivery is initially soft and subtle, but she gradually ratchets the song into a soaring, anthemic testament of hope and faith. She's surrounded by tasteful strings, electric guitars, processional drums, and cascading keyboards. She rocks the house with
's stomping "He Made a Way." Its riveting tempo, combined with
's muscular delivery, revels in the influences of
and
. The soul-gospel of "Oh What a Friend" frames that voice in swinging horns, funky wah-wah guitars, and shimmering percussion.
croons above it, offering a stirring expression of spiritual gratitude.
closes with a glorious medley of
's "It's No Secret What God Can Do,"
' "Ooh Child," and
's "Put a Little Love in Your Heart," sung in duet with her teenaged granddaughter
backed by a strident gospel choir.
is glorious. It's not a comeback album but an astonishing new chapter in the book of
's epic life. ~ Thom Jurek