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It's difficult to mentally uncouple Elite Hotel from its immediate predecessor, Pieces of the Sky. Both albums were released in 1975 (Elite in December, Sky in February), both bristle with the energy of an inspired new talent eager to make a name for herself (Harris considered Sky her proper debut album, and has all but disowned the tentative sounds of her 1970 Gliding Bird release), and both establish themselves quickly by forcefully opening with a doozy of a number written by Rodney Crowell. In the case of Elite Hotel, Harris chose "Amarillo," which she co-wrote, and which wails with the same loose abandon of "Bluebird Wine," but is a little more focused on heartbreak than on boozing. It’s one aspect of Elite Hotel that sets it apart from its predecessor, along with Harris' open-hearted honoring of her late musical co-conspirator Gram Parsons. While Pieces of the Sky was conspicuous in its absence of Parsons' material, Elite features three of Gram's tunes: two from his time with the Flying Burrito Brothers ("Sin City" and "Wheels"), as well as "Ooh Las Vegas," which Harris had previously sung with him on Grievous Angel. Nonetheless, Elite is far from a Gram Parsons tribute; instead, Harris mindfully and appropriately puts him alongside other great songwriters both classic (Hank Williams, Don Gibson, Buck Owens) and contemporary (Crowell, the Beatles) to deliver a remarkably diverse and dynamic album.
Crowell's atmospheric, elegiac "Till I Gain Control Again" is an absolute highlight, with a haunting tone and emotional resonance that provides a stark contrast to the freewheeling album opener he co-wrote with Harris. The album's production, helmed by Brian Ahern, is also impressive, with skillful, organic balance of instrumentation that allows Harris's voice to take center stage, creating an intimate and full-sounding listening experience. The chemistry between Harris and the Hot Band—comprised of talented musicians such as Crowell, steel guitarist Hank DeVito, keyboard player Glen Hardin, bassist Emory Gordy Jr., and drummer John Ware—further elevates the album's sonic landscape, and bridges the gap between traditional roots music and modern "cosmic American music." © Jason Ferguson/Qobuz
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Rodney Crowell, Writer - Herb Pedersen, Banjo, Backing Vocals - Hank DeVito, Pedal Steel Guitar - Linda Ronstadt, Backing Vocals - Emmylou Harris, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Emory Gordy, Bass Guitar - James Burton, Electric Guitar - Brian Ahern, Producer, Engineer, Acoustic Guitar - Glen Hardin, Piano - Miles Wilkinson, Engineer - John Ware, Drums - Micky Raphael, Harmonica - Stuart Taylor, Engineer - Bradley Hartman, Engineer
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc.
Hank DeVito, Pedal Steel Guitar - Emmylou Harris, Vocals, MainArtist - Emory Gordy, Bass Guitar - James Burton, Electric Guitar - Buck Owens, Writer - Brian Ahern, Producer, Engineer, Acoustic Guitar - Glen Hardin, Arranger, Piano - Miles Wilkinson, Engineer - John Ware, Drums - Dianne Brooks, Backing Vocals - Stuart Taylor, Engineer - Bradley Hartman, Engineer - Fayssoux Starling, Backing Vocals
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc.
Bernie Leadon, Backing Vocals - Herb Pedersen, Banjo, Backing Vocals - Hank DeVito, Pedal Steel Guitar - Emmylou Harris, Vocals, MainArtist - Emory Gordy, Bass Guitar - James Burton, Electric Guitar - Brian Ahern, Producer, Engineer - Glen Hardin, Piano - Miles Wilkinson, Engineer - John Ware, Drums - Micky Raphael, Harmonica - Wayne Kemp, Writer - Stuart Taylor, Engineer - Bradley Hartman, Engineer
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc.
Bernie Leadon, Acoustic Guitar - Chris Hillman, Writer - Herb Pedersen, Backing Vocals - Hank DeVito, Pedal Steel Guitar - Emmylou Harris, Vocals, MainArtist - Gram Parsons, Writer - Emory Gordy, Bass Guitar - James Burton, Electric Guitar - Byron Berline, Mandolin - Brian Ahern, Producer, Engineer, Acoustic Guitar - Glen Hardin, Piano - Miles Wilkinson, Engineer - John Starling, Backing Vocals - John Ware, Drums - Stuart Taylor, Engineer - Bradley Hartman, Engineer
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc.
Earl Montgomery, Writer - Herb Pedersen, Banjo - Emmylou Harris, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist - Emory Gordy, Bass Guitar - James Burton, Electric Guitar - Byron Berline, Mandolin - Brian Ahern, Producer, Engineer, Acoustic Guitar - Glen Hardin, Piano - Miles Wilkinson, Engineer - John Ware, Drums - Stuart Taylor, Engineer - Bradley Hartman, Engineer - Fayssoux Starling, Backing Vocals - Johnathon Edwards, Backing Vocals
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Writer - Rick Cunha, Acoustic Guitar - Nick DeCaro, String Arranger - Linda Ronstadt, Backing Vocals - Emmylou Harris, Vocals, MainArtist - Emory Gordy, Bass Guitar - James Burton, Electric Guitar - Ben Keith, Pedal Steel Guitar - Brian Ahern, Producer, Engineer, Acoustic Guitar - Glen Hardin, Piano - Miles Wilkinson, Engineer - Ron Tutt, Drums - Dianne Brooks, Backing Vocals - Stuart Taylor, Engineer - Bradley Hartman, Engineer - Fayssoux Starling, Backing Vocals - Johnathon Edwards, Backing Vocals
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc.
Herb Pedersen, Banjo - Nick DeCaro, String Arranger - Emmylou Harris, Vocals, MainArtist - Bill Payne, Piano - John Lennon, Writer - Paul Mccartney, Writer - Ben Keith, Pedal Steel Guitar - Brian Ahern, Producer, Engineer, Acoustic Guitar - Miles Wilkinson, Engineer - Dianne Brooks, Backing Vocals - Micky Raphael, Harmonica - Amos Garrett, Electric Guitar - Stuart Taylor, Engineer - Bradley Hartman, Engineer - Fayssoux Starling, Backing Vocals
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Backing Vocals, Rhythm Guitar - Hank DeVito, Pedal Steel Guitar - Emmylou Harris, Vocals, MainArtist - Gram Parsons, Writer - Emory Gordy, Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals - James Burton, Electric Guitar - Byron Berline, Violin - Brian Ahern, Producer, Engineer - Glen Hardin, Piano - Miles Wilkinson, Engineer - John Ware, Drums - Rick Grech, Writer - Stuart Taylor, Engineer - Bradley Hartman, Engineer
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Backing Vocals - Bernie Leadon, Acoustic Guitar - Herb Pedersen, Backing Vocals - Hank DeVito, Pedal Steel Guitar - Emmylou Harris, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist - Emory Gordy, Bass Guitar - Don Gibson, Writer - James Burton, Electric Guitar - Brian Ahern, Producer, Engineer - Glen Hardin, Piano - Miles Wilkinson, Engineer - John Ware, Drums - Stuart Taylor, Engineer - Bradley Hartman, Engineer
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc.
Rodney Crowell, Backing Vocals - Herb Pedersen, Backing Vocals - Hank DeVito, Pedal Steel Guitar - Emmylou Harris, Vocals, MainArtist - Hank Williams, Writer - James Burton, Electric Guitar - Byron Berline, Violin - Brian Ahern, Producer, Engineer, Acoustic Guitar - Glen Hardin, Piano - Miles Wilkinson, Engineer - Stuart Taylor, Engineer - Bradley Hartman, Engineer - Fayssoux Starling, Backing Vocals
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc.
Emmylou Harris, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist - Brian Ahern, Producer, Engineer, Bass Guitar - Miles Wilkinson, Engineer - John Starling, Arranger, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals - Mike Auldridge, Dobro - Edgar L. Eden, Writer - Stuart Taylor, Engineer - Bradley Hartman, Engineer - Fayssoux Starling, Arranger, Backing Vocals
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc.
Chris Hillman, Writer - Herb Pedersen, Backing Vocals - Hank DeVito, Pedal Steel Guitar - Emmylou Harris, Vocals, MainArtist - Gram Parsons, Writer - Emory Gordy, Bass Guitar - James Burton, Electric Guitar - Brian Ahern, Producer, Engineer, Acoustic Guitar - Glen Hardin, Piano - Miles Wilkinson, Engineer - John Ware, Drums - Jonathan Edwards, Vocals, FeaturedArtist - Stuart Taylor, Engineer - Bradley Hartman, Engineer - Fayssoux Starling, Backing Vocals
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc.
Album review
It's difficult to mentally uncouple Elite Hotel from its immediate predecessor, Pieces of the Sky. Both albums were released in 1975 (Elite in December, Sky in February), both bristle with the energy of an inspired new talent eager to make a name for herself (Harris considered Sky her proper debut album, and has all but disowned the tentative sounds of her 1970 Gliding Bird release), and both establish themselves quickly by forcefully opening with a doozy of a number written by Rodney Crowell. In the case of Elite Hotel, Harris chose "Amarillo," which she co-wrote, and which wails with the same loose abandon of "Bluebird Wine," but is a little more focused on heartbreak than on boozing. It’s one aspect of Elite Hotel that sets it apart from its predecessor, along with Harris' open-hearted honoring of her late musical co-conspirator Gram Parsons. While Pieces of the Sky was conspicuous in its absence of Parsons' material, Elite features three of Gram's tunes: two from his time with the Flying Burrito Brothers ("Sin City" and "Wheels"), as well as "Ooh Las Vegas," which Harris had previously sung with him on Grievous Angel. Nonetheless, Elite is far from a Gram Parsons tribute; instead, Harris mindfully and appropriately puts him alongside other great songwriters both classic (Hank Williams, Don Gibson, Buck Owens) and contemporary (Crowell, the Beatles) to deliver a remarkably diverse and dynamic album.
Crowell's atmospheric, elegiac "Till I Gain Control Again" is an absolute highlight, with a haunting tone and emotional resonance that provides a stark contrast to the freewheeling album opener he co-wrote with Harris. The album's production, helmed by Brian Ahern, is also impressive, with skillful, organic balance of instrumentation that allows Harris's voice to take center stage, creating an intimate and full-sounding listening experience. The chemistry between Harris and the Hot Band—comprised of talented musicians such as Crowell, steel guitarist Hank DeVito, keyboard player Glen Hardin, bassist Emory Gordy Jr., and drummer John Ware—further elevates the album's sonic landscape, and bridges the gap between traditional roots music and modern "cosmic American music." © Jason Ferguson/Qobuz
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:43:47
- Main artists: Emmylou Harris
- Label: Rhino - Warner Records
- Genre: Country
© 1975 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1975 Warner Records Inc. Marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company.
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