LUCK OR SOMETHING LIKE IT

The singer of such great country hits as “You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me, Lucille,” “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town,” and “The Gambler” offers a candid, unadorned memoir of his life’s journey. Traber Burns provides a simple declarative narration style. His husky growl evokes Rogers’s down-home country-western sound. But despite the logic of having a “regular guy” tell a “regular guy’s” story, Burns doesn’t maintain the listener’s interest. Fans will undoubtedly enjoy the homespun accounts of Rogers’s early efforts as a jazz bassist and his later work with The New Christy Minstrels and The First Edition before launching a solo career. Rogers also shares insights into the personalities of Dolly Parton and Lionel Richie, among others. Sadly, this may be an audio experience for Rogers enthusiasts only. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2013]