Lakeshore Records release the soundtrack to Big Stone Gap. It’s 1978 and the ever-ordinary Ave Maria Mulligan lives a simple life. Ave Maria lives with her mother, runs the pharmacy, directs The Trail of the Lonesome Pine Outdoor Drama, and hopes that Theodore Tipton, her best friend and the high school band director will take their platonic friendship in a romantic direction. Ave Maria waits, and before she knows it, she turns 40.  Now the old maid of Big Stone Gap, Ave Maria decides that happiness is for other people - that is, until a long-buried family secret throws her quiet life spectacularly off-course...

The soundtrack for Big Stone Gap contains 14 tracks (39 min, 26 sec). Of these, 10 (33 min, 25 sec) are various artists songs, with the remaining 4 tracks (6 min, 01 sec) showcasing highlights of John Leventhal's score.

This wasn't a score I particularly got much out of. John Leventhal's score is sweet, but there's not enough of it to make it worth buying the album for. The various artists tracks are a little twee, although I did enjoy 'Seven Year Ache', 'Shenandoah' and 'Patchwork Sky' - but, again, there's not enough here that I'd want to own this album.

This is really only one for fans of the movie who want a musical souvenir.

Track listing:

01 - 'Seven Year Ache' - Rosanne Cash
02 - 'Rocky Island' - Ralph Stanley
03 - 'Shenandoah' - Michael Trigiani **
04 - 'White Wings' - If Birds Could Fly
05 - 'The Morning After' - John Leventhal
06 - 'Lost Indian  Papa' - Joe Smiddy and The Reedy Creek Boys
07 - 'Patchwork Sky' - Michael Trigiani
08 - 'Letters' - John Leventhal
09 - 'Flat Nickel' - If Birds Could Fly
10 - 'The Ballad of Red Fox' - Michael Trigiani
11 - 'Spec and Ave' - John Leventhal
12 - 'Selling Mutual's' - John Leventhal
13 - 'The Lonesome Pine' - Michael Trigiani
14 - 'Barbara Allen' - Rosanne Cash ***

** arrangement by Michael Trigiani
*** arrangement by John Leventhal

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Darren Rea