Singer/songwriter Tracy Nelson recently released her latest album, Life Don’t Miss Nobody — a spirited and inspiring collection of standards, covers, and originals. It is an eclectic blend of material that emphasizes Nelson’s varied musical accomplishments over her impressive career.

Co-produced with Roger Alan Nichols, the album offers Nelson in collaboration with some mighty talented friends, including Willie Nelson, Charlie Musselwhite, Mickey Raphael, Jontavious Willis, Marcia Ball, Irma Thomas, Terry Hanck, Reba Russell, Dianne Davidson, and Vickie Carrico.

It is an opportunity to see how deftly Nelson transforms a song, one moment to the next. Her gift for sending a song on an unexpected journey is fascinating, and the ultimate destination is always one that informs the listener about the song, the singer, and the need for the singer to deliver that particular song. It’s a master class in interpretation.

Highlights on the album include the gospel number “There Is Always One More Time,” and an entertaining “Honky Tonkin’,” in which Nelson shares the mic with the legendary Willie Nelson. And there can never be enough versions of “Compared To What.” Nelson’s performance of the Gene McDaniels classic makes perfect sense of a damn near perfect song.