VOICES REVIEW FROM THE U.K.
7/14/2009 12:00:00 AM

MAVERICK MAGAZINE, UNITED KINGDOM
Review by Arthur Wood

Various Artists
VOICES OF A GRATEFUL NATION 

Presented by The Welcome Home Project

Volume One:  Texas Rock, Blues & Folk   

Volume Two:  Texas Country & Americana



Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers and friends, join to sing for soldiers
The Welcome Home Project is a not-for-profit organization formed by a Texas-based group of music and media professionals.  Production of these recordings is credited to drummer Jamie Oldaker (Eric Clapton), while the associate producer is famed Austin musician, manager and historian Craig Hillis (Moon Hill Management)—both are members of the Project team.  Both volumes were released on Veteran's Day last year in the United States.  In the main, the material featured is by invitation, and has been especially composed.  Each disc contains seventeen tracks, and the lyrics feature voices of fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children, lovers and friends, as well as (American) military personnel serving their nation in foreign lands—both genders.  They reflect the joy (of a homecoming), sorrow (at the loss or maiming of a loved one) as well as the hell-on-earth reality of daily live in a 'war zone.'
                 While Volume One focuses on rock, blues and folk artists, there is a degree of crossover with the country and Americana artists featured on Volume Two.  For instance, Jesse Dayton opens the first disc with a soldier's (and parent's) heartfelt tale I'm Comin' Home, then shares the lead vocal with Johnny Bush on Volume Two's country-tinged Shippin' Out to Iraq Blues.  Rhythmically a blues, Welcome Home bears the composing credit, 'Donated by a Veteran,' opens with the lines: "Sitting here in the VA, watching the wounded as they come home' and is performed by Malford Milligan, Mike Cross and Carolyn Wonderland.  Other noteworthy contributors to this Project include Sally and Bukka Allen who harmonise on their song Everyone Has Faded, while Terri Hendrix visits the traditional Motherless Children, and Ray Benson croons the WWII era standard, Till Then.   
Arthur Wood