Alison Krauss - The Scarlet Tide

I've always liked cellos and every once in a while I'll come across a song that features a cello. The interesting thing is that in every case I remember, I really like the song. Off the top of my head I can't think of many... the Much Afraid by Jars of Clay has a fair amount of strings and I think some cellos in a few songs. Good album.

Anyway, there's a cello in this song and I think it's awesome. Other than the cello there's just a piano, Alison Krauss and another vocalist. Very simple arrangement, but very powerful. I've listened to it many times and it still amazes me.

I was recently reading an interview with Ben Harper and he was talking about how he wants his slide guitar playing to sound like a cello. He even says "It's my opinion that every great guitar player wants to sound like a cello." That might be stretching it a little. But still, there's something about the sound of a cello that surpasses other instruments. It's strong and delicate at the same time. I don't know any other instruments that have that same quality.