Country music from a fan's point of view since 2008
Sylvia Hutton (aka Sylvia) was a hot newcomer when I first became seriously interested in country music in the early 1980s. She enjoyed a string of hits from 1979 through 1987 and then largely disappeared from public view when she was dropped from the RCA roster. During her hit-making days she was often criticized – with some justification – for being too slickly produced, but I always felt that there was more to her and her music than her detractors gave her credit for. She re-emerged in 1996 when she released an album on her own independent label. She has recorded only occasionally over the past 20 years, but the music she has released during that period has had the substance that many felt was lacking in her major label days.
It’s All in the Family is her first full-length album in 14 years and the fourth for her Red Pony Records imprint. About halfway through 2016 I had heard that she had a new album on the way and checked her website from time to time for updates. Somehow I managed to miss its release and hence, the delay in reviewing it. But better late than never.
Like its predecessors, It’s All in the Family is a highly introspective collection of serious songs. There are no catchy numbers like “Nobody”, “Drifter” or “Snapshot” to be found, although it does occasionally have a less artsy and more commercial feel than her earlier independent work. Her longtime collaborator John Mock is back on board as her co-producer. He also plays a majority of the instruments on the album, from guitar, banjo and mandolin to the bodhran, tin whistle and concertina. On the instrumental number “Grandpa Kirby Runnin’ the Hounds”, he and Stuart Duncan play the fiddle and banjo that belonged to Sylvia’s grandfather Connie D. Kirby, who had played at local barn dancers in the early part of the 20th century. There is also a little pedal steel here and there, and quite a few of the tracks feature an orchestral arrangement consisting of cello, violin, viola, clarinet and French horn. The orchestra, although tastefully restrained, provides a little more oomph than the more stripped-down sound of Sylvia’s other Red Pony albums.
As the title suggests, It’s All in the Family is mostly a look back at Sylvia’s childhood and family history. Sylvia had a hand in writing nine of the album’s twelve tracks. She recounts her memories of passing trains in “Every Time a Train Goes By” to a mother’s reminiscences and advice to a daughter on her wedding day in the title track, and the final moments of an elderly woman on her deathbed in the closing track, “Do Not Cry For Me”. The Celtic-flavored “Immigrant Shoes” recalls the arrival of Sylvia’s ancestors at Ellis Island. The inside album cover is decorated with photographs from Sylvia’s family album, dating as far back as 1911, through a 1984 photo of her with her musician grandfather.
Although there are no direct references to specific events, many of the songs deal with overcoming adversity, failed relationships and difficult circumstances, and one gets the distinct impression that Sylvia has faced her fair share of challenges. She remains optimistic through it all, however, stating in “A Right Turn” that it was “worth every long hard mile”. Although she occasionally feels discouraged as in “Hope’s Too Hard”, written by Kate Campbell, she ultimately concedes in “Here Lately” that given the chance to do things over, she wouldn’t change a thing. One of the album’s more mainstream-sounding songs, featuring some nice pedal steel, advises to “Leave the Past in the Past”. “Cumberland Rose”, a 2011 single written by Craig Bickhardt and Jeff Pennig, also appears on the album even though it doesn’t qite fit in with the theme.
It’s All in the Family is a collection of well-crafted songs, beautifully sung and tastefully produced, that lays to rest for once and for all the myth that Sylvia was just another pretty face. It’s more thoughtful and cerebral than anything that gets played on the radio these days, and with its folk and Celtic influences may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but those who remember and enjoyed Sylvia’s 80s music will like this collection.
Grade: A
My Kind of Country 
Whenever an artist releases what might be considered lightweight material it’s difficult to know exactly where to lay the blame. It may have been instigated by the artist, their producer, their record label or some combination of all three. No question that Sylvia is an excellent singer but likely had some limitations placed upon her regarding the songs she recorded in the 1980’s. But to be fair although many of her hits have not necessarily held up to the test of time she did receive substantial airplay during the 1980’s that resulted in a string of top ten hits including a career record with “Nobody.”
All singers are a product of their era and must release material that reflects those times to be successful. It’s unfortunate that Sylvia was not given the opportunity to expand her boundaries back in the day. With stronger material and a supportive record label she may have extended her chart hits and created another career record or two. Nice to see that she now has the freedom to directly connect with her fans and distribute new songs via the internet.
I think she is unfairly categorized as having sung exclusively lightweight material. What was “lightweight” about songs like “Sweet Yesterday”, “Like Nothing Ever Happened” or “I Never Quite Got Back (From Loving You)”?
You’re right that she did have some singles with a bit more depth. But the songs that seemed to capture most of the country audience was the uptempo pop/country tunes. During the 80’s my country station tested most of her big hits in our ongoing music research to see which ones were strong enough to remain in our oldies library. Although the three that you mentioned are indeed quality songs only “Like Nothing Ever Happened” made the grade along with Nobody, Snapshot , Fallin’ In Love & Cry Just A Little Bit and her duet with Michael Johnson – I Love You By Heart. I personally liked a lot of her early hits (including Tumbleweed & Heart On The Mend) but they seemed to fall by the wayside after “Nobody” hit.
I remember reading somewhere that her record label was concerned with Sylvia being compared to Crystal Gayle – for the ridiculous reason of them both being female singers with long hair!!!!!!
They purposely kept Sylvia from singing any song that felt would bring comparisons to Crystal, so they went in a completely different direction musically. Nobody was a good song that took off like skyrockets. However, I do think it was a mistake to follow that same idea with the song Snapshot.
I liked Sylvia a lot. My two favorite songs of hers were Tumbleweed and Fallin’ In Love. Her time of popularity was way too short in my opinion. She is very talented and I look forward to hearing this album. Glad to see her back.
I remember hearing “Nobody” quite a bit in the early ’80s. It was on some urban radio station that also played stuff like “The Pina Colada Song” (Not the one from Garth Brooks!), Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” etc. I had no idea that that was a country song or a country singer. I was surprised some years later to come across a Sylvia CD in the country section at Tower Records and to see that song on it.
This is the second time that you’ve told that story regarding this song.
BULLETIN: You are not required to comment on every post
Thank you for keeping track of my posts. Perhaps you can compose a semi-annual summary.
I do not have the time nor the extensive staff required to track your constant off-base and redundant musings.
“Drifter” was probably my favorite of her songs
I pulled out my Sylvia Anthology cd over the weekend. Boy, did I enjoy listening to it (for about 5 times in a row). I would highly recommend any Sylvia fan picking it up. It has about 24 songs on it and is a very comprehensive collection of her all-to-short career. It has every song I remembered her releasing.