"I'm a little froggy," confessed Rosanne Cash at her third SXSW appearance in as many days. "It's been a long week, so if I mess up any notes, just don't notice."
No warning needed, though it was a sign of Cash's genuine classiness. And even with a bit of wear, her voice has both a warmth and strong personality that don't just charm but elicit deep emotions.
In the wake of the passing of her father Johnny and stepmother June Carter as well as her own mother, Rosanne was the belle of the ball at this year's SXSW. And no tributes to her father, including a movie and Broadway musical, can carry the weight of the feelings she so eloquently expressed—with both adult reflection and a child's sense of loss—on songs from her new Black Cadillac CD. The ominous opener of "Burn Down This Town" and sweet memory dream of "House On The Lake" later in the set offered a dark/light contrast to her recent sorrow, while the freight train chug of "Radio Operator" recalled her father's musical spirit, as also did a take of his "Tennessee Flat Top Box" on which her husband and producer John Leventhal traded wiry electric guitar sparks with the meteor showers of multi-instrumental wiz Larry Campbell's flat-picked acoustic guitar runs.
At times, the rhythm section felt a little ham-handed on material that required a bit more of a delicate touch. And when Lyle Lovett stepped up to duet on "Seven Year Ache." it was as much a study in two professionals engaging in a slightly shaky but charming impromptu give and take as it was special guest icing on the cake.
The best moments of Cash's set were when she stepped up to the mike and opened her soul with a chilling directness and honesty. The rough patches, loose ends and even a clunky back line certainly couldn't detract from the impact of how she bravely shared her very personal feelings about the passing of such a public figure as her father. But the spell she cast in mid-set with the poetic longing of "What We Really Want" reiterated a point that her music has made for years—Rosanne Cash's artistic significance extends well beyond the long shadow of Johnny Cash. That she could both honor him and make her own mark within her brief set speaks volumes about her talent and the soul behind it.
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