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go now to the Articles section of
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Press Page)
"Elders is an uncommonly gifted writer with any number of hues and tints at her command."
--John T. Davis, Austin American
Statesman
"A ten outa ten point ALLIANCE INDIE/ DIY AWARD on this one. Buy it!"
--Frosty Steward, The Alliance
"She's won more Austin songwriting awards than any of her better known peers like Butch Hancock or Lyle Lovett, and a review of the lyric sheet easily explains why: she's quite a poet. Her songs divulge experiences and emotions with a freshness and uniqueness that's captivating."
--Michael Lach, America Online
Critics' Choice
"Elders is among the rare singer-songwriters to whom the term 'artist' genuinely applies."
--Alanna Nash, Stereo Review
"...Words rather fail me... Elders is a
marvellous
and profound poet."
"Elders bids fair to become one of the leading lights in American
acoustic music."
--John Conquest, Music City Texas
Crayons "is her best CD yet
... it's destined to be one the year's 10 best."
--David John, KTRU, Houston
"A heady, thoughtful album -- very much a surprise in the heap of mostly uninteresting stuff that finds its way to the market every week."
--Tom Roland, The Tennesseean
"She merits a national audience, and this disc is particularly deserving. Elders' voice is rich and mature, but retains a freshness too often lacking in music today... Elders is in the same school as many of the emerging folksingers of today. She should be at the head of the class."
--Diana Penner, Indianapolis Star
"A poetess capable of framing her lyrics with notes, acoustical sonorities, delicate designs in sound that have tints of folk, jazz, blues and country. An expressive elegance... simple, direct."
--Massimo Ferro, Out of Time (Italy)
"Elders is a singer for all seasons."
--Christina Lee Knauss, Myrtle
Beach Sun News
"Emotionally satisfying - just the kind of music we put in heavy rotation from day one."
--Kevin McCluskey, Music Director,
WUMB-FM, Boston
"A unique pop-ethereal mix that works."
--Mike Horyczun, Westport News
"This woman's voice is so soft and sweet,
it sends pleasant shivers down the spine."
--Heather Baran, Pittsburgh
City Paper
"You can't help but listen -- really listen to this album.
( to hear Real Audio samples of
this music, go to the Listening
Porch of the Redbird Café;
click here 
)
* * * * (four stars)
Four stars aren't enough. Feeling the rapture of Peaceful
Existence
is tantamount to discovering the Holy Grail. . . .Peaceful
Existence
is as intelligent as it is spiritual, and matches the standard of
excellence
associated with the likes of Bob Dylan, John Prine, Nanci Griffith,
Warren
Zevon and Lucinda Williams."
--Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Rating: A+ This stunning artistic achievement is destined to be among the Top 5 Albums of The Decade."
"A true masterpiece . . . Peaceful Existence is the most successful product of a female singer/composer of recent times."
"News of Recording," LA VOCE (The Voice), Alessandria, Italy
"Quite possibly America's best unknown songwriter."
--Jim Campbell, Acoustic Musician
"Place her alongside Nanci Griffith and Iris Dement. Exquisite country/folk, tremendous songs perfectly communicated, sparse accompaniment. Magic."
(Auditorium Shores, July
1995; photo by Steve Hopkins)
"Elders has long been recognized as one of
the city's most gifted composers.
With Peaceful Existence,
she redeems all the accolades with one of the year's best albums."
--John T. Davis, Austin American-Statesman
"A bonafide masterpiece, a top ten for 1993."
--Crow Johnson, Zassafras Music News
"Never before have the elemental images of wind and rain, running rivers and faraway trains, been used to such an achingly stunning effect."
--Arthur Wood, Brum Beat/Virgin Records, United Kingdom
"Nobody imparts suppressed emotion better than Elders . . . a novel's worth of nuance."
--Dirty Linen
"Here's a first-class album by an artist who ranks right up there with Nanci Griffith, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Iris Dement. Highly recommended."
--Fiddle and Bow
"Betty Elders is living proof that not all
the great music in the world is found on major record labels."
--Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Stunning . . . ."
--South Florida's Music Spotlight
"This is quite possibly the most meaningful record by a female songwriter since Joni Mitchell and Laura Nyro's confessional gems 20 years ago."
( to hear Real Audio samples
of this music, go to the Listening
Porch of the Redbird
Café; click here )
"Betty Elders is the finest voice in country music today and this 1989 release is a must have."
"Betty Elders' got a million dollar voice, and equally valued songs. This CD? It's a reissue of a cassette from 1989, and it's Lucinda crossed with Nanci with a touch of Shawn thrown in. Really beautiful."
"A joyous celebration of life; topped only by the telling chorus line -- 'Pleasure springs from simple things and freedom from the truth'."
"Worth buying on the strength of the title track alone."
--Detour Magazine, England
"In another place or another time Betty Elders would be writing poetry...using songwriting the way the best poetry is used..."
--Music City Texas
Hear Real Audio samples of this
music, go now to the Listening
Porch of the Redbird Café)
(to find various articles/ reviews in depth,
go
now
to our Articles section of
this web site)
