Bluebird

Emmylou Harris used some slick country polish for this eclectic 1989 record. John Hiatt’s lovelorn ballad “Icy Blue Heart” gets an extra push from Bonnie Raitt’s backup vocals, with Raitt and Harris delivering sombre, forceful performances. “Heartbreak Hill” has sparkling acoustic strums and bright slide guitar lines taking the record into jaunty shuffle territory. But the most poignant moment might come from Harris’ own pen on the haunting “A River for Him”—a delicate and mournful piano ballad that conjures visions of countless tears.