I'm a bit new here, so sorry if this repeats something.

Lately I've been thinking of the third- and fourth-act revitalization of some artists' careers after years of floundering on lame labels with poor marketing. Every now and again, a producer will take on a project to restore some dignity to a worthy artist.

Johnny Cash - Rick Rubin restored some of the darkness. Apparently he's got Neil Diamond up next.

Soloman Burke - Joe Henry et al found him some great songs and production.

Loretta Lynn - Never heard it, but Jack White dragged her back into the limelight..

Bob Dylan - I would argue that Daniel Lanois instigated a "comeback" some years ago that fully blossomed within the last five years. He certainly reintroduced Emmylou Harris with Wreckingball.

Maybe you don't agree with all of these, but you get the idea.

So, can you think of an artist that deserves a similar treatment - somebody that could use a shot in the arm?

I'm thinking Aretha Franklin could make another cool record. If those Memphis guys will work with Frank Black, they could work with her again.

For some reason, I think Taj Mahal could make a really cool record with somebody like Malcolm Burn.

I suspect it'll be people like Meatloaf and Darryl Hall next.

Not that we need that sort of thing.

Though I wouldn't mind if people like Kris Kristofferson and Harry Belafonte got a little twilight career boost & tweak

I wish that Ray Charles had left us something a little more substantial that the duets Starbucks arrangement.

We can cross Big Star off the list. That new one is a big turd full of pinworms.

I didn't hear it myself, but that Al Green record from last year or so got some high marks.

I wholeheartedly agree with you Dylan comment. Love and Theft and Time Out of Mind are damn good albums that rival some of his older stuff.

I have Solomon Burke's You Can Count on Me but it has never done it for me as much as his older stuff does.

Good topic.

What the hell is your avatar?

The avatar is some sort of fuse used to detonate big explosions in WWII. But it looks like a little man!

Yeah, the last two Al Green records reunited him with Willie Mitchell, which is at least cool in theory.

I'd like to see T-Bone Burnett work with the remnants of The Band.

excellent topic!

I agree with many already stated--particularly Cash and Dylan.

Bettye Lavette has a new album coming out on Anti next month with Joe Henry on Production with songs written for her by Aimee Mann, Fiona Apple, Sinead O'Connor and others.

I suppose you could say Brian Wilson has had a big comeback.

When is there going to be a Boz Scaggs comeback...I've been dying to do a little lido shuffle.

Nice one! I checked out some clips on the Anti- web site last week (she was completely foreign to me before that) and thought it sounded like something that could bring her back in a big way.
Billy, where in her back catalog should I begin? I'm intrigued.

I only have Souvenirs which is a compilation from her period with Atlantic/Atco. Its very good and I recommend it. Its all I've been exposed to though. She spent most of her career on smaller labels and I'm not sure how much of her catalog is in print anymore. AMG doesn't even list any studio albums from prior to 1980. Hopefully a career resurgence will lead to some reissues. I'd be curious to hear more.

I'll also add that I think its an unwritten rule that if you're a soul singer named Betty or Bettye, you have to be good. Can't think of any bad ones and lots of qual (Betty Davis, Betty Harris, Bettye Swann, Bettye Lavette, Betty Wright).

Don't forget Santana. (although I'm not a fan)

B.B. King has a duets type disc that is in the works that I am really excited about.

Howzabout Stevie Wonder?
He could definately use the boost.

And I love the Taj Mahal call.

Howzabout Rod Stewart?
Pair that motherfucker up with somebody who'll ruffle his feathers a bit and bring back the rough edge that helped make his eary 70's stuff so fucking great. Might come off as contrived, but I would welcome back the Rod of the Every Picture... years.

I'd kill as many people as it would take to help Stevie get his groove back. Talking Book, Songs In The Key..., Innervisions; UNFUCKWITHABLE.

As for Rod, there's no need for him to challenge himself. Boomers are perfectly content to lap up album after album of him butchering timeless standards.

I'll go in another direction; Public Enemy. I think they know that in the current socio-political climate they should be able to just kill in wax again, but can't for whatever reason. Trouble is, there's very few people who could get them back on track without making them sound trendy/gimmicky (ie, Pharrel, Timbaland). Rick Rubin is the obvious choice, but I think they'd avoid him because of their acrimony toward Def Jam.

Paul McCartney.
someone needs to slap him around and force him to have an edge.

Billy Ocean.

Leon Russell

That was another one I was considering.
But he never really has hadmuch of an edge. I'd just like to see him reunite with George Martin. That would be interesting.

shit, throw Delaney and Bonnie in the mix and release it under "The Heroin and Ass Rape Allstars"

What about George Jones? I know he had some kind of sessions disc come out in the early nineties, but give this dude some songs with some real fucking pasion in em and let ol' No Show go to work.

Or, just find me a video of him doing a concert in "Donald Duck Voice" and be done with it.

Definitely. No one has fallen as far as this guy in terms of his creative highlights in the 70s to the doldrums of the 80s and 90s. He needs help.

This is what I was thinking...when did he HAVE an edge?

Plus, the guy's in what - his 60's?

I remember a couple years ago he put out that covers album that was supposed to be his return to rocking...everything I heard from that album was so tame you coulda put a 4 year old to sleep with it.

Maybe this doesn't work so well with people who insist on writing terrible songs. In terms of Cash, Loretta, Soloman, and Emmylou, they were guided to some songs they wouldn't have considered. Although I'm no fan of Johnny Cash taking on Soundgarden.

If Paul McCartney can't write good songs, what good is he as a singer? He's no interepreter in the same way that, say, Rod Stewart could tear up some good material after 30 years of suckitude.

I would love it if Gibby et al. could get the Butthole Surfers back to their pre-Pioughed prime.

Gotdamnit - I hear it now:

Meat Loaf, produced by Cedric & Omar of Mars Volta.

Please, Republic of Texas, do not make it so.