CMT News

The 1861 Project, an album of 17 recently composed songs about the Civil War, features performances by John Anderson and Marty Stuart. The album was masterminded and produced by Thomm Jutz, who has also produced records for Nanci Griffith and Mary Gauthier. Designed to give voices to both sides of the tragic fray, the songs were composed by Jutz, Irene Kelley, Jon Weisberger, Dana Cooper, Peter Cronin, Mark Fain, Charley Stefl and Stan Webb. Anderson sings the opening track, "The Turning of a Field," while Stuart provides both vocals and mandolin to the plaintive "The Soldier's Dream." The songwriters sing the remaining tracks. The album, which will be available at various Civil War battlefields, is on the CohesionArts label.