Will Kimbrough: Goodnight Moon
[purchase]
Though he fronted a few great but underappreciated rock bands in his time, Nashville veteran Will Kimbrough had long been known as one of the best musician's musician in Nashville. But until the release of his contemplative solo debut in 2000, he'd primarily made his reputation as a hired gun, touring and recording with the likes of Amy Rigby, Josh Rouse, and Todd Snider.
This changed everything. It was short, with no top 40 hits, but it had plenty of hooks, and plenty of room for Will's talents -- as a vocalist, a guitarist, and a songcrafter -- to shine. The rest of the world started to take notice of Will as more than just a sideman. And a few years later, this simple, beautiful lullaby found its way from the tail end of This to the always-excellent Oxford American's annual Southern Sampler CD, which is where I found it, and fell in love with both the music of Will Kimbrough, and this song in particular.
It's no accident that my daughter has spent a lifetime falling asleep to this song. Listen for the atmospheric swirl of electric guitar, the break in Will's otherwise honeyed tones, and the piece de resistance, the languid, spotlit horn solo.
