Before we commence Ricki C’s review of the new Kim Crawford tribute CD, a few words from 10Ahead drummer Jim Johnson: “When Kim passed away, 10Ahead had begun work on our next album. We had five songs started, just basic tracks, and we wanted to finish those as a tribute to Kim. Her scratch vocals were unusable, so we asked Donna Mogavero to sing Kim’s lyrics. Donna was happy to do so, since she played with us at Kim’s Celebration of Life show, and loved Kim’s music. These were all new songs though, so Donna had to interpret what Kim was going for in her lyrics. She did a magnificent job. We spent almost a year working on these five songs, along with Donna and Jack Burgess from Donna’s band adding keyboards. Joe Viers at Sonic Lounge Studio recorded, and helped produce the tracks. Thanks to everyone that supported us in this project.”
The first sound you hear on the excellent new 10Ahead CD is the whipcrack snare of drummer Jim Johnson. Aaron Pauley and Billy Zenn blaze in on guitar & bass, and we’re off to the races. Then Donna Mogavero’s gorgeous vocals kick in, singing Kim Crawford’s heartbreakingly ironic lyrics (“I’m out of her darkness / I’m out of her shadow / I’m not done yet”) and I realize I’m listening to the best indie-release CD from a Columbus band in years.
Actually lines like those above recur throughout A Tribute To Kim Crawford: “The best laid plans have been shot to hell,” “It’s never too late to begin / But when it’s over, it’s over,” among others. At times - in light of Kim’s sudden death on January 4th, 2023 - it makes it almost hard to listen to the songs, but then I realize there could be no better tribute to Kim than for the surviving members of 10Ahead to get her music out into the light, to let people hear how great a songwriter Kim was.
Mention must be made here of how great the production of the CD by 10Ahead and Joe Viers is; the guitars crunch, the drums boom, and yet every syllable of Donna Mogavero’s vocals is clean & clear above the rock & roll rama-lama being laid down by 10Ahead. I’ve heard a lot of Columbus rock & roll presented to the record-buying public with production values that border on amateur and/or non-existent & criminal; A Tribute To Kim Crawford certainly is not one of them.
I could go track-by-track and talk about or analyze them, but that’d be too much like homework, and I don’t think any of the musicians on this record ever did much of their homework back in school. And while we’re on the subject of the musicians, let’s say this; I only know drummer Jim Johnson personally, but I’m betting that between he and Aaron & Billy (plus Donna’s keyboard player Jack Burgess, who adds some great shadings to the songs), there’s about 250 years of rock & roll experience in the grooves of this record. You don’t play rock & roll in your sixties & seventies because you think you’re gonna be The Next Big Thing, you play it because you love rock & roll. Playin’ Tuesday nights at Eldorado’s is not the same as - say - Nationwide Arena on a Sunday.
I first met Kim Crawford in 1990, the first time I was lucky enough to play Comfest with my then-new solo acoustic act. I was a Comfest rookie, so they stuck me with the noon set on Sunday at the singer/songwriter stage. Believe me when I say; after two days of Comfest and late night shows Friday & Saturday, noon on Sunday at the singer-songwriter stage was NOT destined to be well-attended. Kim’s solo set followed mine at noon-thirty. We were both complimentary of each other’s tunes and essentially played to one another and a couple of confused Short North families with kids who just happened to be taking a walk in Goodale Park and came upon Comfest and some free early afternoon music.
I saw Kim play a lot of different ways over the next 23 years - solo acoustic; with her electric bands; doing rhythm guitar & vocals in Willie Phoenix’s Soul Underground w/ Myke Rock and Jim Johnson; and I caught a show or two of hers with 10Ahead. But somehow I’m always gonna remember her at that long-ago Comfest set - swayin’ long & lanky - while little kids who are now in their mid-30’s looked on, smiling and groovin’. Kim, we all miss you. Thank you for the music. - Ricki C. / late April, 2024.
left to right, below; Jack Burgess, Jim Johnson, Donna Mogavero, Billy Zenn, Aaron Pauley / inset; Kim Crawford
The first pressing of A Tribute to Kim Crawford is completely sold out. Stay tuned to Pencil Storm for future information.
Ricki C. is 71 years old. His first favorite rock & roll song was Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue” when he was five years old, riding in his sainted Italian father’s Oldsmobile. He figures his last favorite rock & roll song will be by either Elliott Murphy or Ian Hunter, sometime in the future.