Arkansas Traveler is an alternative folk album released by American singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked in 1992. Her fourth album for Mercury Records, the songs focused around the roots of her music. The album included collaborations with several other artists, including Taj Mahal, Alison Krauss, and Norman Blake.

Reception

Reviewing the album for Rolling Stone, Mark Kemp gave it four stars out of five, calling it "ambitious".

William Ruhlmann of AllMusic also gave the album four stars out of five. He also found it an ambitious album, calling Shocked "feisty" and "exuberant". He also noted the album's lack of commercial success.

References

Category:1991 albums

Category:Michelle Shocked albums

Category:Mercury Records albums

Artist/Band Information

Michelle Shocked (b. February, 1962) is the stage name of Michelle Karen Johnston, an American singer-songwriter.

History

Shocked received her first international exposure in Europe, particularly Britain, with her debut album The Texas Campfire Tapes.

Her break into U.S. national renown came with the release of her 1988 album Short Sharp Shocked on college radio rotations around the country, which was met with strong acclaim from listeners. On the crest of this independent momentum, her 1989 album Captain Swing on Mercury Records was released.

In 1995, she contributed an original song to the soundtrack for the film Dead Man Walking called "Quality of Mercy". In 1996, she released a studio version of an underground release Kind Hearted Woman (black cover) on the short-lived Private Music label.

Starting in 2002 with the release of Deep Natural, Shocked established her own label, Mighty Sound. She reissued expanded versions of her entire catalog, made possible by having retained complete ownership of her work when she signed with Mercury in 1987.

An acoustic version of her song "How You Play the Game" was featured as the opening and credits soundtrack in the DVD of the 2004 documentary film Bush's Brain.

Shocked continues to make music as an independent artist. In June 2005 she released a trilogy of albums called Threesome (Don't Ask Don't Tell, Mexican Standoff and Got No Strings). In September 2007 she released album ToHeavenURide.

On May 12, 2009 her new album, Soul of My Soul, was released on Mighty Sound (distributed by Megaforce/MRI through RED Distribution).

Personal life

In 1992, Shocked married journalist Bart Bull. They divorced in 2004. Her half-brother is musician Max Johnston. Shocked is a Pentecostal Christian.http

Discography

Albums

Selected recordings:

* The Texas Campfire Tapes (1986)

* Short Sharp Shocked (1988) #73 US, #33 UK

* Captain Swing (1989) #95 US, #31 UK

* Arkansas Traveler (1992) #46 UK

* Kind Hearted Woman (1994, with label release (on Private Music) in 1996)

* Artists Make Lousy Slaves (with Fiachna O'Braonain, 1996) sold only at performances, now issued as CDRs and MP3s at michelleshocked.com

* Good News (1998) sold only at performances, now issued as CDRs and MP3s at michelleshocked.com

* Deep Natural (2001)

* Dub Natural (2001) sold only at performances, later issued as a bonus disc with "Deep Natural"

* These three are included on a triple album packaged as "Threesome.":

** Don't Ask Don't Tell (2005)

** Mexican Standoff (2005)

** Got No Strings (2005)

* ToHeavenURide (2007) Live Gospel cd

* Soul of My Soul (2009)

Re-releases

Mighty Sound re-released two-CD versions of her Mercury releases – The Texas Campfire Tapes (April 22, 2003), Short Sharp Shocked (September 23, 2003), Captain Swing (March 16, 2004) and Arkansas Traveler (September 14, 2004) – each with extra tracks.

Singles

References