Tell me when I can open my eyes...

There's nothing like a big, real country diva. One born from humble beginnings, and triumphing over struggles and scandals. Trisha Yearwood comes close. But in contemporary country, nobody touches Wynonna Judd. Debuting with her mother Naomi as the Judds back in 1984, she followed up a remarkable tally of fourteen #1 songs as a duo with a solid solo career in 1992 that still places albums in the top-10. As with Yearwood, Wynonna stands above much of the country field by producing consistent albums that grow as she does (no cheap shots, kay?). To celebrate her over-20 years of recording, Judd releases her second live album (the first a "reunion" album with her mother), the double-disc Her Story: Scenes From A Lifetime. The title is apropos, since it feels a lot like its taped on the set of a Lifetime special, rather than the Grand Old Opry. And surprisingly that's not such a bad thing. An intimate thank-you to her fans, Wynonna shares stories while singing both past Judd classics as well as remake songs by others that are close to her heart. A little sappy at times, its preciousness is vindicated by her earnestness and genuineness.

Divided into two acts, disc one, subtitled "Harmony & History", shows Wynonna reminiscing about her career begininngs. Beginning with "Dream Chaser" a hidden nugget from the Judds' first EP, tells me already that this isn't just going to be a rote recitation of past successes. The song, recalling their start on the road to Nashville, proves even more poignant now that they have made it. "Girls Night Out" is apt for the "ladies-only" theme, though there's nothing novel to the delivery. A brief synopsis of Judds tunes like the sweet "Love Is Alive", "Maybe Your Baby's Got The Blues", a delicate reading of "Young Love" (where she can put distance now from her youth), and the lightly rocking "Let Me Tell You About Love", culminating in their anthem, "Love Can Build A Bridge". Aside from talks with assorted youngsters in the audience, she goes nostalgic over "She Is His Only Need", "Tell Me Why" and "No One Else On Earth", the last two working really well in a big, live setting. Wynonna recounts how a battered wife left her abuser to "That Was Yesterday", the greatest highlight of the concert, allowing Judd to stretch her bluesy vamp to level 11. On the other side of the coin, "Is It Over Yet" is vulnerable and raw, as heartbreak is. And in defiant honesty, Judd reveals how she was waivering on going the "pop" route, but allowed herself to "fly" with Foreigner's "I Want To Know What Love Is".

The second disc, subtitled "Motherhood and Music", intersperses later hits like the lovely "To Be Loved By You" and "What The World Needs" with album track nuggets like "Don't You Throw That Mojo On Me", the dramatic "Sometimes I Feel Like Elvis", and the haunting "When I Reach The Place I'm Going" (from her solo debut). She seems to be in a real happy place in her life, as proven by her choice of covers, ranging the gamut between Earth Wind & Fire's "Shining Star" (complete with horns) and Melissa Etheridge's "I'm The Only One" where she's on fire, to Joni Mitchell's jazzy "Help Me" (already appearing on the What the World Needs album), to the evangelical "I Can Only Imagine". Some if this is too schlocky, like the unnecessary "Burning Love" cover, the oversung "People Get Ready" in a singoff with her backup singers, and Tina Turner's "The Best", which was too commercial to begin with. Bonus song "Peace In This House" is a little too soccer-mom and melodically dull, but at least with all of these she seems to want to sing them instead of need to. And finally tacked on to the end is the studio track "Attitude", written with John Rich (of Big & Rich), which is punchy though bordering on productlike with its self-referencing. Between all the tracks on disc two (which towards the end have a dip in energy), Wynonna exalts her family, with her kids and at that time her newlywed husband (which is kind of creepy, since he was arrested for child molestation a couple years later).

The audience is definitely on Wynonna's side, and for any Judd fan, Her Story is a fun addition to their collection. Of course this shouldn't be the first, second, or third place to start to listen to Wynonna's vast body of work, but it's interesting nonetheless. Hopefully this is just the close of part one of her career.

Grade: B-
Best Cuts: "That Was Yesterday", "I'm The Only One", "Is It Over Yet"
Weakest Links: "Burning Love", "People Get Ready", "The Best"

Her Story: Scenes From A Lifetime hit #25 pop albums and #2 country albums.
"Attitude" hit #40 country singles.

Listen: "Is It Over Yet" [Click here to listen]

Buy: You can pick up Her Story: Scenes From A Lifetime at sites like here and here.
(you can also get it on DVD)

Here's Wy doing "I Want To Know What Love Is"....



And here's the clip for the showstopper "That Was Yesterday"...