Bandits, Ballads and Blues is almost certainly the final album by James Talley, the Nashville singer-songwriter who cemented his place in history as one of the great musical storytellers with a quartet of albums in the 1970s, and it ranks among his best. It’s his 15th album, his first since 2008, and the title is more or less an overview of the kinds of material that made the cut for the record — some songs about outlaws, some ballads and some blues. Producer Dave Pomeroy assembled a superb group of players and backing vocalists (including The McCrary Sisters), and the result is an album full of excellent stories and inspired musicianship.
Best Folk Album
