Two of adult contemporary pop’s biggest stars are hitting the road for a singer-songwriter tour of epic proportions. Sheryl Crow and James Blunt represent two facets of the soft rock scene—Crow pens sometimes heartfelt, sometimes rollicking hits that are a bit tougher and wiser than they were when she first started out, while Blunt has a monopoly on the deeply sad, quiet and yearning, long-lost lover hook.

The two seem to be unlikely tour-mates, but perhaps the older woman/younger man pairing is an attractive combination (especially with these attractive musicians filling the roles). Crow can also show Blunt the ropes. After years of personal and professional hits and misses, Crow seems to be sailing along; her recent album, Detours, is garnering some of the best reviews of her career.

James Blunt, on the other hand, is just beginning his career, and has seen some of the same success that Crow experienced when she first burst onto the music scene. Blunt’s sophomore release, All the Lost Souls, eschews any songs resembling the ubiquitous (and cheesy) “You’re Beautiful,” his first hit. Rather than sell out to the simpering side of soft rock, Blunt’s latest record models him after some of the more sensitive ‘70s singers. Crow’s music has also been compared to ‘70s artists, a resemblance she capitalized on with a cover of Cat Stevens’s “The First Cut Is the Deepest” a few years back.

The sonic union of Crow and Blunt may have been somewhat of a surprise, but will likely lead to a pleasant melding of vintage and contemporary AC pop sounds that only these two VH1-supported artists could create.

Sheryl Crow and James Blunt hit Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino August 22 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $59, $69, $79 and $134.

By Casino Connection Staff

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