LOOKING FOR THE MOON

Like Paxton’s last two "grown-up" solo records, "Looking for the Moon" was produced by veteran producer/musician Jim Rooney, who has also produced CDs for John Prine and Nanci Griffith, the latter of whom adds backing vocals to two tracks here. Anne Hills, a frequent Paxton partner, contributes beautiful soprano vocals behind Tom on five songs. Other supporting musicians include dobro-player Al Perkins (previously with Emmylou Harris’s Nash Ramblers, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Stephen Stills’ Manassas), guitarist Mark Howard, who has backed Iris Dement, Nanci Griffith and John Hartford, pianist Mark Wasner, who has written hits for Vince Gill and Garth Brooks, and relative newcomer Tim Crouch, who boosts the Nashville-recorded CD’s country tinges with his nimble mandolin and fiddle.