17 years later, The Cox Family is back

With Allison Krauss producing, the Louisiana-based family band is returing on Oct. 23 with "Gone Like the Cotton," its first release since it started work on the very same album in 1998. The new disc will be out on Rounder, which initially released their music

"Seventeen years ago, we walked out of a little studio in Nashville after completing a good bit of the lead vocals for what we thought to be a true exemplar of the kind of music that represented our sound. Seventeen years later, we walk back through that same door," said group member Sidney Cox. "There's Alison, sitting in the same spot beside Gary Paczosa, right where we left him, just like nothing had ever happened. I remember Gary spinning around in his chair and saying, 'Where have you guys been? We've been waiting for you.'"

The Cox Family consists of Evelyn, Suzanne and Willard Cox on vocals and Sidney Cox on vocals and Dobro.

Krauss brought The Cox Family to the attention of Rounder Records in the late 1980s, where they released a string of albums, including 1994's Grammy-winning "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow,"a collaboration with Krauss.

The Coxes signed with Asylum Records and released "Just When We Were Thinking It's Over," their major label debut album, in 1996. Recording sessions for "Gone Like the Cotton" began in 1998, but shortly thereafter, label executive changes at Asylum left the Coxes without a champion. The project was shelved, and the Coxes were dropped.

Last year, a chance conversation about The Coxes with former Asylum label President Kyle Lehning and John Esposito, President & CEO of Warner Music Nashville (home to the Asylum catalog), led to the resurrection of the album. Krauss and original album engineer Gary Paczosa joined the project.

"I can't remember when I've been lucky enough to be witness to a story where such generosity and talent come together so perfectly," Krauss said. "I've had the time of my life getting to work on the record again. The Cox Family hold a place in my heart like no other and listening to them for all of us is like coming home."

"Fate and chance met in a conversation with Kyle( Lehning) where I learned of this hidden gem of an album from this amazing family band," said Esposito. "When we engaged with Alison and the Cox Family, we all got excited and knew we had to complete this album. Music and artistry are the cornerstones of Warner Music Nashville. Art is timeless, and we are thrilled to be a part of bringing this special album to the world 17 years later."

The Coxes contributed a song, "I Am Weary, Let Me Rest" to the surprise smash-hit soundtrack for "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and made a brief appearance in the film. Shortly after the Cox Family finished work on "O Brother," the elder Coxes, Willard and Marie, were critically injured in an automobile accident. Family matriarch Marie recovered completely from her injuries a few months later, but bandleader and fiddler Willard permanently lost the use of his legs. The group eventually resumed touring, but their recording career was indefinitely placed on hold.

Songs on the disc are:
1. Good Imitation of the Blues (Patrick Bryer)
2. Lost Without Your Love (David Gates)
3. Cash on the Barrelhead (Charlie Louvin-Ira Louvin)
4. Desire (Kim Richey-Stephen Kolander)
5. In My Eyes (Kostas Lazarides)
6. Good News (Kevin Brandt)
7. Let It Roll (Kevin Brandt)
8. I'm No So Far Away (Garth M. Fundis)
9. Honky Tonk Blues (Charles Cline-Curly Ray Cline)
10. Too Far Gone (Sidney Cox-Suzanne Cox)
11. I'll Get Over You (Richard Leigh)
12. Gone Like the Cotton (Sidney Cox-Suzanne Cox)

Musicians on the album include members of Krauss' Union Station band: Barry Bales on bass, Ron Block on guitar and Dan Tyminski on violin. Bruce Bouton on pedal steel, Sam Bish on mandolin, Jim Horn on sax, Viktor Krauss on bass, Sonny Landreth on guitar, Pig Robbins and Matt Rollings on piano and Andrea Zonn on fiddle all played on the disc.