Shelby Lynne – Just A Little Lovin’ (Lost Highway Records)

Few careers in pop music were as unlikely as Dusty Springfield’s career. The British vocalist (1939-1999) made her mark by interpreting a wide variety of material through a blue-eyed soul filter. So perhaps it’s fitting that Alabama native Shelby Lynne would make the bold career move of covering songs that Springfield interpreted during her distinguished career. For Just A Little Lovin’ – a 10-track collection that mines Springfield’s catalog alongside one original song – Lynne enlisted the help of legendary producer Phil Ramone (Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra).

But while this is a Springfield tribute, it’s important to note that the material here can be traced to a number of artists beyond Springfield. Tracks including “The Look Of Love,” “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” and “I Only Want To Be With You” have been recorded enough times to be considered pop standards. But Springfield’s use of space and sparse accompaniment are what separated her versions from the pack. In that respect, Lynne truly captures Dusty’s effortless approach to the material. In giving new life to these well-worn tracks, Lynne pays homage while opening new possibilities for the songs. Lynne also taps into Springfield’s relaxed approach on the retro-tinged original song “Pretend.”

With songs written by a diverse list of composers including Burt Bacharach, Tony Joe White, Randy Newman and Felix Cavaliere among others, Just A Little Lovin’ proves that Lynne is adept at placing her own stamp on classic pop songs. In addition, the disc will encourage listeners to research the origins of the songs and the composers who penned them. www.losthighwayrecords.com