''Freedom's Child'' is an album by the American musician Billy Joe Shaver, released in 2002. Shaver supported the album with a North American tour. It was a hit on Americana radio stations. Kinky Friedman mentions "Freedom's Child" in his novel ''Ten Little New Yorkers''. Robert Duvall appeared in the video for the song.

Production

Recorded over three days in Nashville, ''Freedom's Child'' was produced by R.S. Field. Shaver chose from around 24 songs he had written.

Jamie Hartford Jamie Hartford is an American singer, musician, and songwriter. Career Jamie, the son of John Hartford, was raised in a musical environment, meeting and learning from artists such as Johnny Cash, the Everly Brothers, Cowboy Jack Clement, and Jo ...

and Will Kimbrough played guitar on the album. The sound mixed country with blues and rock. Some versions include an unlisted track, "Necessary Evil", by Shaver's late son, Eddy; it was Shaver's first album without his son since 1987. "Corsicana Daily Sun" and "Day by Day" are autobiographical songs. "That's Why the Man in Black Sings the Blues" is a tribute to

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

. "Déja Blues" is a duet with Todd Snider. "Magnolia Mother's Love" contains just Shaver's voice and a mandolin. A version of "Good Ol' U.S.A." appeared on Shaver's album ''Tramp on Your Street''.

Critical reception

Uncut Uncut may refer to: * ''Uncut'' (film), a 1997 Canadian docudrama film by John Greyson about censorship * ''Uncut'' (magazine), a monthly British magazine with a focus on music, which began publishing in May 1997 * '' BET: Uncut'', a Black Enter ...

'' wrote that Shaver "mixes up gritty, almost Stones-like house-rockers with honky-tonk drinking songs, raw rockabilly romps and loss-tinged acoustic ballads."

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

praised "That's What She Said Last Night". '' USA Today'' concluded that Shaver "writes of patriotism, his heroes and a mother's love without resorting once to a cliche or a rhyme that sounds as if it were used simply to finish a line." '' No Depression'' noted that Shaver "most often delivers his songs in the high and spiritual southeastern tones of Roy Acuff and the Acuff-influenced part of Hank Williams, if in a less dramatic, more laconic way." The '' Orlando Sentinel'' stated that the songs "reject glossy studio production to embrace a rambunctious, roadhouse feel." '' The Washington Post'' deemed the album "a reflection on a lifetime of hardship and reward, struggle and sweet victory, it is country music clean to the bone at its gritty, thoughtful best." AllMusic called the album "a fine and moving album from one of country's least-appreciated major talents." The ''

Reno Gazette-Journal The ''Reno Gazette Journal'' is the main daily newspaper for Reno, Nevada. It is owned and operated by the Gannett Company. It came into being when the ''Nevada State Journal'' (founded on November 23, 1870) and the ''Reno Evening Gazette'' (fou ...

'' listed it as the third best album of 2002.

Track listing

References

{{authority control Billy Joe Shaver albums 2002 albums Compadre Records albums