Donna Fargo

Donna Fargo's 1977 album Fargo Country was one of her most successful endeavors, spawning two number one country singles (the soaring ballad "Do I Love You (Yes in Every Way)" and the spoken word weeper "That Was Yesterday") and reaching number 11 on the album charts. The record is rooted firmly in the middle of the middle of the (dirt) road, with every song nearly buried by the layers of soaring strings and bombastic backing vocals. "Sing Me" even takes a strangely successful detour into disco country territory. Fargo doesn't have the strongest of voices but she manages to convey some emotional power during the few moments she is allowed to sing on her own. She also writes some decent songs on Fargo Country, even better than the big-name writers like Harry Chapin, Paul Anka, Neil Sedaka and Shel Silverstein who contribute tunes. Definitely better that whoever wrote the ridiculous "The Cricket Song" a cutesy ditty complete with a children's chorus and some laughable baritone male vocal backing. Listening to the record you can't help but wish that she hadn't been swallowed up by the country-pop machine, her voice and style give hints that there was much more to Fargo than lightweight albums like Fargo Country displayed. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide