Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters

Even before hearing Ronnie’s personal thank you to his fans and supporters at the conclusion of this disc, Now My Soul quite possibly represents his finest hour, if not his most heartfelt. He has not only survived the game thus far, Earl has gone on to battle such critical obstacles as diabetes, manic depression and chronic fatigue syndrome. Which may account for some of the passion behind the music on this release. Earl plays like his life depends on it as guests Kim Wilson, Greg Piccolo and the Silver Leaf Gospel Singers lend succour and support to his well-heeled force field. From jazz instrumentals like the opening "Blues For J” to the soul-baring leads off Otis Rush’s "Double Trouble,” Earl appears in total command of his destiny. Wilson’s vocals across four cuts are nothing short of a perfect fit. Yet the penultimate track is found in Earl’s own "Kay My Dear” — in loving tribute to his late sponsor. You can hear Earl cry. "Abandoned” further mines the depths of Earl’s soul as Wilson nails both vocal and harp parts. It doesn’t get any better than this.