Additional personnel: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Mark Knopfler, Dolly Parton, Dolores Keane, Dr. John, Gail Davies, George Jones, Gram Parsons, Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels, Guy Clark, Iris DeMent, John Starling, Johnny Cash, Kate McGarrigle, Mary Black, Patty Griffin, Pretenders , Randy Scruggs, Steve Earle, The Seldom Scene , Vince Gill, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Beck, Sheryl Crow, Linda Ronstadt, Carl Jackson.

This four-disc set of rarities by the godmother of alt-country is a grab-bag/treasure trove of esoterica that will be manna from heaven for hardcore Emmylou Harris fans, if not the ideal entry point for the uninitiated. It combines previously unreleased tracks with obscure items from dimly lit corners of Harris's catalog. This encompasses collaborations with everyone from Mark Knopfler to Sheryl Crow, cuts from tribute albums, and more. Whether she's breathing new life into Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors," Hank Williams's "Alone and Forsaken," or Townes Van Zandt's "Snowin' on Raton," Emmylou's heartfelt delivery and gorgeous, birdlike timbre stand as a testament to her status as eminence grise in the Americana music scene, a country/folk queen whose musical odds and ends are fully as engaging as her most celebrated works.

Uncut (p.104) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[The album] brings the full measure of Harris' artistry into focus....Van Zandt's road weary 'Snowing On Raton', given a typically graceful, stately Harris vocal, is just about worth the price of admission by itself."

No Depression (p.83) - "SONGBIRD is too ambitious to take in and appreciate quickly. It flows by beautifully....Harris is as good a judge of her own work as she was of the songs when they were still raw material."