Lorraine Rawls "Through Her Eyes"
Lorraine Rawls' music celebrates the beauty, history and romance of the west, of wide open deserts and prairies, and the rugged people (and horses) who call that rugged land home. The album glows with her beautiful singing, tasteful country-bluegrass arrangements and excellent musicianship. Her clear, heartfelt images serve as a welcome dispatch from a simpler, if not easier, way of life. - RM From SING OUT MAGAZINE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cowboy Magazine
THROUGH HER EYES (by Lorraine Rawls)

INTENDED OR NOT, this album is something of a musical salute to the spirit of the West as it still exists today. Not only does it address the fearless men and women who make their living in this fantastic part of the world, but it also pays tribute to so many things western--the mountains, the canyons, the rivers, the coyotes, the horses, the hawks, all the great natural world that is a partner of mankind.

Lorraine Rawls is a keen songwriter who expresses her western images in a lovely alto voice that is as powerful and melodic as wild birds calling in a Western wind.

I am the tracks of the wagons
Looking west to the promised land.
I am the wife, I am the children.
Gaze in my eyes, and you'll understand.

...I am the hoofprints of the bison
Grazing on this great vast plain.
I feel the weight of a dying nation.
I may not ever trod this way again...

___The Promised Land

There are some nice little extras in this outstanding Gail Steiger production. The great Ian Tyson lands his fine vocals to the chorus on "The Promised Land," and Spanish guitar master Skelly Boyd helps out on "Cancion de Corazon."

Lorraine Rawls is one of those musical performers you never want to miss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Western Times - The Best of the New West
The new queen of Western music: Lorraine Rawls
Western music--and I'm not talking about that pop-rock impostor masquerading as country-western -- is alive and well and in good hands, with artists such as Lorraine Rawls and Sourdough Slim (featured last month in Western Times) at the forefront of the genre.

Lorraine Rawls' third CD release, "Through Her Eyes," is being met with critical acclaim. Though
having more depth and sophistication than the recently passed-away queen of Western music, Dale Evans, the sincerity of her product and the integrity of her approach make her a logical successor to carry Evans' musical torch.

This CD should appeal to a wide audience, as her voice and her songs reflect a wide range of musical influences. ON one song you might hear sounds reminiscent of Dale Evans, on anohter you might hear a taste of Stevie Nicks, and on yet another you might close your eyes and taste Joni Mitchell. But don't be fooled: This is NOT pop-rock country-western. Rawls is far more down to earth than that, an avid horsewoman, who lives on a farm with her husband and son in appropriately named Talent, Ore.

Among the highlights on this well-packaged CD, with its wonderful Western and horse art, is an appearance by legendary singer-songwriter Ian Tyson, whose vocals blend nicely with Rawls' on "The Promised Land."

I give this album a big THUMBS UP and think WT readers should find it thoroughly enjoyable.

And a show WT readers won't want to miss will be taking place on August 22, when Rawls will be appearing in concert at Anderson River Park in Anderson, Calif., with redoubtable Sourdough Slim (see ad on page 52).

"Through Her Eyes," as well as Rawls' first two CD's, is available on the internet at
www.Mootownmusic.com. --Jan O'Farrill


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Lorraine Rawls' calls the country around Talent Oregon her home. The address certainly fits this talented singer, songwriter, wagon driver, and all around nice lady.
Plains Born is Lorraine's second album, and it ably demonstrates the musical gifts that have earned her recognition by the Academy of Western Artists as 1998 Female Vocalist of the Year.

From it's heartfelt dedication to the final strains of Adios Ke Aloha, Plains Born hits the trail with a generous blend of thoughtful, lively, and sentimental songs of the West.

The album offers some 50 minutes of quality music, with selections that honor the western spirit. Lorraine has worked with producer Mark Nelson, a very talented musician and songwriter in his own right, to provide a fine mix of both traditional and original pieces. The albums title cut is Lorraine's own excellent arrangement of Charles Badger Clark's classic poem, "Plains Born". Other selections include Wild Colonial Boy (an 1840's Australian ballad), Mohave, Blue Mountain, a touching rendition of Old Alberta Plains, and The Coyote. The latter tune is distinguished by the outstanding guitar work of no less than Rich O'Brien, 1998 Western Music Association Instrumentalist of the Year. The album offers smooth harmonies and top notch instrumentation, resulting in an extremely pleasing listening experience. Any aficionado of Western music genre is bound to be more than pleased with Lorraine Rawls and Plains Born.

- Charley Hendren 1998