There isn't a diva in any genre of music, from country to blues to rock, who doesn't know and revere Patsy Cline as one of the finest voices that ever graced the airwaves.  Her short and blessed career gave country music some of its most undying torch ballads, and she was the first of the great crossovers, a girl who wanted to honky-tonk but with a lush voice tailor-made for Nashville's Golden countrypolitan Style. 

With "Patsy, We're Still Lovin' You," Carolyn Richards gives out a heartfelt "thank you" to this great lady, presenting a collection of songs that combine many of Patsy's own best beloved tunes and headed by a brand-new song, the title track, which is itself a loving tribute to a woman no one can say enough good about.

Carolyn Richards is primarily a Christian country singer, so she may be an unfamiliar name to many.  But her throaty voice is more than up to the task she sets herself here, and that's sing Patsy's songs.  Certainly, many people cover Patsy's greatest hits, but very few can give the songs the heart and sheer emotion Patsy did.  Carolyn does one heck of a job with them, and surely does come close.  She doesn't make the mistake of trying to mimic Patsy; instead, she uses her own impressive pipes to make the songs her own while still retaining the sense of her subject.  This is a tribute album, but an original for all that.  She deftly combines the big hits, like "Crazy" and "I Fall To Pieces" with lesser-known tunes such as "Love Me Honey Do" and "If You've Got Leavin' On Your Mind."  She also includes one of Patsy's gospel numbers, "Just A Closer Walk With Thee."  Indeed, if there's any beef to pick with this disc, is that really, no one should try to sing "Faded Love."  Once Patsy did it, it was done; even Jim Reeves and Elvis Presley couldn't touch Patsy's version.

Last Word:  Tribute albums come and go, but this one stands a little apart because it's obvious Ms. Richards loves Patsy deeply and this tribute's straight from the heart. 

Standout Tracks:  "Patsy, We're Still Lovin' You," "If You've Got Leavin' On Your Mind," "Back in Baby's Arms"

On the Net:  http://carolynrichards.net/