"* * * ½" (out of four)
The storied guitarist for Stax band Booker T. & The MG's has crafted a loving tribute to The "5" Royales, specifically his hero, songwriter/guitarist Lowman Pauling. Cropper and co-producer Jon Tiven honor the bygone '50s R&B group and a golden era with 14 feisty, soulful tracks sung by such guests as Delbert McClinton,Lucinda Williams, Bettye LaVette, B.B. King, Sharon Copeland and Steve Winwood. A fine Royale treatment.
- Edna Gundersen, USA Today
"****" - Mojo
"Given what a mixed bag tribute albums usually are, Dedicated is not only a surprise for its consistency, but a shining example of what they can -- and should -- be. "
Thom Jurek, AMG
“Mr. Cropper has remade an album’s worth of “5” Royales songs with various singers and guest players on “Dedicated” (429 Records), and it’s a good platform for his playing, whether he’s seizing Pauling’s licks or, in “Help Me Somebody,” replacing the vocal line with sighing lead guitar.”
- Jon Pareles, NY Times |
