One of the best gifts ever created by God is our mothers for, without them, we could not be here living our lives. Hence, it is right to honor our mothers not only every Mother’s Day but every day. And, one of the best ways to do this is to dedicate a song to them.
Another gift of God to humanity is music. Music has always been an integral part of life. Whether you are deaf or not, music is a feeling. So from one to another, it has its form or way of reaching a person. Music heals; it soothes every man’s soul. In addition, music serves as a company when you’re alone and feeling blue. Most importantly, music sends a message that the sender wants the receiver to know. That is how wonderful life is with music.
Integrating mothers and music, country music has a lot of songs solely dedicated about these. One of the best is “The Sweetest Gift (A Mother’s Smile),” which is a favorite of many country, gospel, and bluegrass artists.
“The Sweetest Gift:” A Mother’s Smile
A poignant and popular gospel song, “The Sweetest Gift (A Mother’s Smile)” is a harmony-rich tune crafted by James B. Coats. It is a song that narrates a mother’s visit to her son in prison. Its lyrics are sentimentally written that exudes a powerful message. In addition, it suggests that the visit of the mother was referring to a heavenly visit. This statement is very evident in the lines of the song that goes:
She did not bring to him parole or pardon
She brought no silver, no pomp nor style
It was a halo sent down from heaven
The sweetest gift, a mother’s smile
Since its release, “The Sweetest Gift (A Mother’s Smile)” has been well-loved and recorded by many other artists. In 1946, husband-wife duo James and Martha Carson recorded a version of the song. Other recordings followed: Seldom Scene, Blue Sky Boys and Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard on their 1973 Hazel & Alice album.
The Trio’s Version
In 1976, country music superstar Dolly Parton invited fellow stars Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt as guests on her Dolly Show. The two latter artists both rendered solo performances before having the stage together with Parton for a trio performance. Consequently, the three would then record hit collaboration albums — Trio (1987), and its sequel, Trio II (1999).
Fans eyes were glued on their television screens with ears wide open as the three sang “The Sweetest Gift (A Mother’s Smile).” It proved that Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt are true divas on their own. Truly, it was a night of God-given talent and exquisite performance.
WATCH: The TRIO, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, sing together onstage and perform “The Sweetest Gift” in 1976.
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