She quietly walked into the studio ...carrying the wrong instrument. She was hired to play bass but she carried in a banjo, along with her bass. She looked at me with a completely humble and unassuming air about her and said, "I didn't want to push this on you or anything but I just decided to grab it in case. I didn't know if you even knew I played banjo." (which I didn't) Something about the total respect in her countenance told me this was going to be a jewel of an idea. I swear and I stand by this: When a session player knows their place, and knows when and how to present an idea, it will never fail to bring about a beautiful thing. As I, along with a couple of other engineers worked on some pre-mixes, we all looked at each other and one said, "There's just something about the way she plays that banjo, isn't there!" It is unanimously agreed upon that this banjo sound literally changed the face of this entire album - no exaggeration. And to top it off, Amy's banjo sound wound up my favorite "character" in Cowboy Hats and Cadillacs. To hear this, you have to listen to the entire song and then hear what happens at 2:28 in context to the whole song. For me, she suddenly takes us in a flashback to a scene of Homer and Pearl standing outside the old Homestead. This sound is playing the role of Pearl, steadily hovering over all the noise of her roost saying, "Just keep on keepin' on all my dear children. We'll all get it right in the sweet bye and bye!" Oh thank you Amy Coffman for bringing your gifts and sincerity to the table. You are greatly appreciated!
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