Joy

Joy is a feisty redhead with a very distinctive style that was going to make her a major country star if her music was accepted by country radio - it wasn't. Two singles (Little tears, True confessions) were released to country radio but never given a chance.

Her no-nonsense attitude works particularly well on the hard-edged up-tempo and mid-tempo songs such as Little tears, True confessions, Wherever you are (a song recorded by Highway 101 when Nikki Nelson was their lead singer - find it on their album, Bing bang boom), Wishful thinking, Let's talk about love again, Hey hey mama.

Joy also shows that she can sing ballads. She was the first to record Cold day in July, a song later covered by Suzy Bogguss (on her album, Voices in the wind) and the Dixie Chicks (on their album, Fly - they also included the song on their live album). I am a huge fan of both Suzy and the Dixie Chicks - their versions are brilliant but having heard all three, I say that Joy's version is the best of the lot. The Dixie Chicks also covered Tonight the heartache's on me, another of Joy's songs (from her second album, Wild love).

Other outstanding ballads include Those shoes (co-written by Kevin Welch, who was then unknown), Why do I feel so good and two songs that Joy co-wrote - Bittersweet end and It's amazing.

Joy has the kind of voice you either love or hate, but if you love it (as I do), and you enjoy twangy country with an edge (as I do), you will love this album.