Best Betts

9/4/2007 Stephen L. Betts   This week’s top new CD release is from a longtime favorite of mine. Aside from being one of the nicest women in Music City, Suzy Bogguss is a genuine song stylist who, in a 20-year career, has seemingly done it all. She made cowboy music cool, teamed up – and held her own – with the legendary Chet Atkins, and through a series of always engaging albums helped introduce the world to such stellar songwriters as Cheryl Wheeler, John Hiatt, Kim Richey, Nanci Griffith and Bobbie Cryner. Now she adds the smooth, jazzy vibe of her latest disc, Sweet Danger (Loyal Dutchess Music), to her dazzling repertoire, highlighted by lushly arranged ballads we’ve come to expect from her (“In Heaven”) and cool, bluesy numbers that might take some by surprise (“Chain Lover”). DOWNLOAD THIS NOW: Suzy’s aching version of Chicago’s 1976 pop hit, “If You Leave Me Now.”