The first thing that immediately strikes you when listening to Laurie McClain is that she is a polished, seasoned performer that you have been listening to for many years, but in point of fact unless you live in Lincoln, Nebraska, you probably haven't. Laurie must be one of their best-kept secrets! Originally from California, but these days living in Nashville, Tennessee, Laurie has been singing for over 25 years -- it only in recent years after raising her three daughters she has re-discovered the folk venue scene -- house concerts, festivals & coffee-houses and consequently recorded some of her songs. Laurie sings beautifully with just that little bit of southern country twang in her accent; you can almost feel the sunshine in her voice.

She has recently formed the Laurie McClain Band, in which Laurie plays acoustic guitar & harmonica, with Sergio Webb on acoustic & electric guitar; Jeff Gilkinson on cello, harmonica and banjo; Rick Lonow on light drums and percussion; and Charlie Chadwick on upright bass and cello. However on this recording she has used a lot of guest musicians, namely Julie Adams (cello), Bryan Sutton (guitar and mandolin), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Kenny Vaughan (guitar), Muriel Anderson (guitar), Tim Sergent (Dobro), Nina Gerber (lead guitar), Bill Hullett (lead guitar), Mike Zickovich (accordion), Richard Smith (guitar), Catherine Styron Marx (piano), and Jody Nardone (Wurlitzer), albeit each on different tracks. Backing / harmony vocals are supplied by Pam Tillis,Lona Heins, Shara Johnson, Carter Wood, Larry Hazelbaker, Donna Henschell, Kelly Mulholan, Mike Williams, Tom Mitchell, The Angel Choir, Anne Hills, Kathy Chiavola, and Gerry Rau, but again not all on every track. The overall sound is very subtle with just the right amount of accompaniment for the songs. With her experience and talent, it is only fitting that Laurie should choose to release this, only her third album, The Trumpet Vine, sub-titled 'A tribute to Kate Wolf'. It seems a lot of her fellow Nashville musicians felt the same way.

Kate Wolf, California folk singer-songwriter, sadly died from acute leukaemia in 1986 at the age of only 44, just as she was reaching national acclaim. It seems incredible that Kate Wolf wrote close to 200 songs, although she only recorded about 60 of them. Her influence can still be seen in contemporary country and folk singers of today. Kate literally lived her life for her music. I believe at one point in her career, when times were hard, she lived in an old car. Other artists have recorded many of her songs, one of the most popular being 'Give Yourself to Love' a gentle song about conquering fear of intimacy and opening up the heart. It was written for two good friends on the afternoon of their wedding. Kate had a couple hours to kill before the wedding so she went into a bedroom with her guitar, closed the door and wrote it. She sang it at the ceremony, and her friend Nadine who was getting married cried, as did the minister. I have lost track of the number of times I have heard similar tales of how a simple human emotion, on the spot as it were, often sparks off the making of a really good song.

The song at track 4 is 'We've Loved Away the Nights'; the words are by Kate Wolf, but the tune is written by Laurie. It sits beautifully with the rest of the album, and demonstrates the feel that Laurie has for Kate's songs. Most people will already be familiar with Kate's songs. The songs Laurie has chosen for this album include 'Eyes of a Painter', 'Across the Great Divide', 'Green Eyes', 'Like a River', Here in California', 'Old Jerome', Cornflower Blue', 'These Times We Are Living In', 'Give Yourself To Love', 'The Wind Blows Wild', 'Back Roads', Unfinished Life' and of course the title track, 'The Trumpet Vine'. This track has a nice touch on it with Jerry Rau in a duet with Laurie. Jerry Rau was one of the first to recognise Kate's songs when he recorded 'The Trumpet Vine' on his 1980 LP Tracking Down The Feeling.

All in all, this is one of the nicest collections of a songwriter's work I have had the pleasure to listen to. This really is a fine album produced by a singer that deserves wider acclaim. Laurie McClain sings with a 'down home' honesty in her voice, and her choice of material indicates experience learnt from the University of Life. I recommend you buy this album, you won't be disappointed.