Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal: Americana Summertyne Festival, Sage Gateshead

UNTIL the past couple of years Rosanne Cash struggled to pull an audience like she did here. Now, with her husband John Leventhal and two acoustic guitars in support of her lead, and his harmony – plus a bunch of story-ballads – her star is burning brighter than it ever did before. Much is down to the impact of albums like The List and her finest ever piece The River And The Thread.

In the North-East, not only were Rosanne’s vocals pure and perfect, but her husband’s guitar work was beyond most people’s belief and expectations.

He supplied the rails for Cash’s lyrics to slide so effortlessly on. After many trips to her birthplace of Memphis and deeper south the couple have farmed enough ideas to make a worthy record representing the heritage of America’s fabled South.

Reminders of her heritage came from the likes of Tennessee Flat-Top Box, a song recorded by both Rosanne and her father, Johnny.

This was followed by The Sunken Lands, The Long Way Home and 50,000 Watts, which spoke of the importance of "race music" and Etta’s Tune, written for an old band member of her father, Marshall Grant and his wife. After that came Seven Year Ache and a mighty cover of Ode To Billie Joe. Was there an encore, you bet.

Support Anderson East also played his part and is well on his way to gaining a foothold on this side of the pond

Maurice Hope