First and foremost, The Chain is a tribute by Deana Carter to her father, Nashville session guitarist Fred Carter, Jr. But it’s more — by collaborating with her dad on classic songs he helped make famous, she taps into the freewheeling spirit of early-‘70s country-rock. The genre-crossing approach of those days is invoked on this well-chosen collection. Deana pairs with Dolly Parton on her winsome “Love Is Like a Butterfly,” Kris Kristofferson on his seductive “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” and George Jones on the poignant “He Still Thinks I Care.” Even more intriguing are her second-generation duets with Harper Simon (son of Paul) on “The Boxer” and Shooter Jennings (son of Waylon) on “Good Hearted Woman.” All these guest appearances wouldn’t matter if the music here weren’t so lovingly arranged and performed. Deana’s sweet yet raspy vocals blend girlish innocence with womanly wisdom, a quality especially pleasing in her renditions of “Lay Lady Lay” and “Old Man.” Her smoldering take on “Crying” is another highpoint. Father Fred’s picking sets a restrained yet virtuosic tone for these acoustic-centered tracks.