by Jonathan Widran
With all the American flag imagery on the packaging, it's a good bet that this post-September 11, 2001, compilation benefited the disaster recovery -- even though no such promise is made on the insert. It does say, &These classic recordings were made while America was first discovering LeAnn Rimes.& The obvious intention was to gather some of Rimes' inspirational and love songs that would uplift and encourage during the national crisis, and also make a nice little stocking stuffer that fits the patriotic mood. It's a nice cross section of American classics (her version of &God Bless America& is a showstopper), Christian-themed gems (&The Sands of Time,& &Middle Man&), and even a soft-spoken country-pop version of &The Lord's Prayer.& &Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart& is the one tune that actually goes beyond the heartfelt and into the truly fun. Her a capella version of &Amazing Grace& is also an impressive showcase for her well-known vocal chops.