The Ultimate Collection
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Audio CD (16 May, 2000)
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Reviews (8)

Best Collection of his mid-to-late 70's, early 80's hits
You won't find all of the hits from this particular segment of Haggard's career on another single cd, and I regard it to be his best period overall. What I like about this collection is that they included a few of the essential earlier songs as well. My main gripe is that "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down" - one of his best songs ever - is missing. Regardless, this is a great Merle cd. Where else can you find "Ramblin Fever," "Leonard," "My Own Kind of Hat," "Pancho and Lefty," "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive," "Mama Tried," and "The Way I Am" on a single cd?The live version of "Sing Me Back Home," from Live in Anaheim, is the best I've ever heard. There are a couple of corny love songs thrown in, but Merle is the realest of the real deal, and most of the songs included here prove that.

Close But No Cigar
Is there really such a thing as a bad Merle Haggard song?I'm not the most rabid of country music fans, but if you don't like Merle Haggard, you don't like fried chicken on Sunday.Each of the songs Hag made on this set are quality, done with feeling, but it's pretty audacious of the company to call this "ultimate".Not fair to new Haggard fans.Where is "Silver Wings", "Branded Man", "Today I Started Loving Her Again"?There are others.Number one in Hag's heyday meant only #1 on the country chart, but that was sufficient and the missing songs were way up there on that chart as country music came into its own.You can buy all of his works if you like, but you will probably be better served to go for "20 Greatest Hits" or even "40 #1 Hits" if you can't get enough of this country music giant.Shop before you buy.

price_199820012002@yahoo.com
This is a really good disc, but DO NOT buy this set based on the name of it. It is not the ULTIMATE by a long shot. If you only want to buy one Haggard cd of greatest hits, you must buy 20 Greatest hits(Original Recordings) by Capital. If that leaves you hungry for more, and you still only want one additional disc, then go ahead and get this one. After that, if you still want to pace your self gradually, start buying the theme cds Cheatin, Drinkin, Hurtin and Prison, and in that order. Or all at once if you can. Even if you were to go after the box set afterwards, you would still get many great songs you would not already have. That is the exact route I took and I could not be happier with my Merle Collection. Sure, you end up with some songs you already had, but it is well worth it for the ones you did not have. The forth disc of the Box set is sort of similar to this ULTIMATE collection, and the Hurtin and Prison discs are,for the most part, covered in the box set as well. So if you absolutley had to cut three of them out, delete the ULTIMATE Collection, Hurtin and Prison, and go with the 20 Greatest hits, Cheatin, Drinkin, and the box set, entitled Down Every Road. If you were able to start with the box set, Great! Then, you could avoid buying 20 Greatest Hits also. But do not be fooled, within Cheatin and Drinkin await some absolute greats that sould have been on the box set in place of a few others. ... Read more

Asin: B00004T93L
Sales Rank: 18345
Subjects:  1. Bakersfield Sound    2. Country    3. Honky Tonk    4. Pop    5. Traditional Country    6. Western Swing Revival   

Essential
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (18 June, 1996)
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Editorial Review

Drawn from Waylon's 20 restless years with RCA, we hear him constantly challenging and reinventing himself. Waylon understood simplicity, and heeded Buddy Holly's advice to master rhythm. Few more rhythmically adventurous country records were ever made. Rooted for the greater part in the '70s when Waylon was at his commercial and artistic peak, this 16-song collection includes classics like "Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line," "Good Hearted Woman," "Waymore's Blues," "Just to Satisfy You," "Storms Never Last," and 11 others. It's hard to fault each song individually, save to say that most of them come from albums which deserve to be heard in their entirety. --Colin Escott ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Not quite living up to the title
This is a good introduction to Waylon's music but I would have expected any collection of his RCA music titled Essential to include Luckenbach Texas - and that's only the most obvious omission among several. Compare this compilation with the more recent single CD (Ultimate), the American double CD (RCA country legends) or the Australian triple CD (Legendary) - this last compilation was issued in the UK titled Legends.

Once you get past the shock of some obvious omissions, look on the bright side - this includes some wonderful tracks instead of the obvious ones, especially a couple of great duets with Jessi Colter (his wife) - Storms never last and the medley, Wild side of life / It wasn't God who made honky tonk angels. Also included are Just to satisfy you (a duet with Willie Nelson that is also on Ultimate but not on RCA country legends) and Wurlitzer prize.

Even on this collection, some of Waylon's essential tracks are included such as Only Daddy that'll walk the line, Good hearted woman, Amanda, Are you sure Hank done it this way and Theme from the Dukes of Hazzard.

So this is a great collection in its own way, but other collections are stronger - look at those before deciding that this is the one you really want.

Waylon
Outlaw Country At Its Best A Man That Change The Game Of Country
Music Forever A Legend Indeed A Must Own For Jennings Fans.

A good CD for a long road travel
A good Country album featuring a powerful voice with all the brilliant chrome of a Harley Davidson. Had he been born in another latitude, Waylon may have ended up singing classical opera. But is great he didn't. Country music would have missed a great singer. The Essential W.J. is great for listening during a long road travel with sentimental songs like Storms never last and the Wurlitzer Price along with and lighter, heavy rythmmaterial like the Good Ol'Boys and Rainy Day woman. ... Read more

Asin: B000002WX8
Subjects:  1. Country    2. Pop   

Ultimate Collection
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Audio CD (10 August, 1999)
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Reviews (4)

Ultimate Collection?You Betcha!
Ultimate Collection is, IMHO, the best small compilation of the hits Conway Twitty released over his career.The best thing about the album is the inclusion of "That's My Job", which is my favorite song - that's what my father would always say when you thanked him for something he did for you - so it may only be an emotional favorite, so sue me.I do have to voice a gripe about the liner notes, though.The statement: "By the end of his life, it didn't really matter how good Conway Twity's records were. His day had passed, although his run had been among the longest." Liner notes are supposed to be a history of the artist, not a chance to kick someone who isn't around to defend themselves.

18 hits
i do have a bit of criticism for the liner notes writer, Colin Escott. in the next to last paragraph he states: "by the end of Conway's life it really didn't matter how good Conway Twitty's records were, his day had passed...". my problem with that is that the writer makes the assumption that Conway recorded for nobody but radio stations and that his VERY LOYAL fans had no part of his career...Escott is basically saying that without radio airplay, Conway had no need to record anymore as if that's ALL Conway thought about. Mr. Escott must think that when radio airplay stops, an artist isn't allowed to continue making great records for their fans anymore!?! i don't know...i never have liked that comment because it made fans like me and others feel like we're not important in the longevity of an artist, and we are...look at how long George Jones or Willie Nelson have been able to make the singles and albums charts YEARS after their airplay stopped! in another stand-out error, Colin says that Conway left MCA in 1980. In truth, Conway left MCA in late 1981 after "Red Neckin' Love Makin' Night" had been issued as a single (it would hit #1 in early 1982 a week before Conway's debut for Elektra hit the charts). this gave Conway 16 years at MCA originally, 1965-1981, and 4 years with the Elektra/Warner Brothers label, 1982-1986, then in 1987 he re-joined MCA, where he remained until his death in 1993.But getting to this great album. 11 tracks are on side one and just 7 on side two. i applaud Hip-O Records for seeking out the original recordings {including the two opening pop hits from 1958 and 1959}. i also love the inclusion of three Warner Brothers hits {"Slow Hand"; "I Don't Know a Thing About Love"; and "Desperado Love"}. not as many as i'd like to see...but it's a start. Music historians depend too much on Billboard chart statistics for my taste. "Julia" was #2 in Billboard but it was #1 in Radio and Records. "Crazy in Love" was #2 in Billboard but it hit #1 in Cashbox. The 40 #1 country hits on Billboard and his #1 Billboard pop hit add up to 41...but he had 14 additional #1 hits on other country singles charts...giving him his total of 55...and "Crazy In Love" was his 55th and final #1 in 1990. the last song on this collection is his duet with Sam Moore called "Rainy Night in Georgia" that became a video hit on the country video channels in 1993. all in all, a good display of music despite the borderline offensive comments by Colin Escott with reference to his broad statement that Conway only recorded for radio airplay and nothing else.

"Conway left his mark of high standards in the music world"
Hip-O Records gives a new meaning to the word "Ultimate", with this wonderful collection of legendary Conway Twitty.Conway probably sang some of the best remembered country songs ever recorded.A good example is"A RAINY NIGHT IN GEORGIA" with Sam Moore is the greatest. Twitty's duets with Loretta Lynn - "AFTER THE FIRE IS GONE" and"LOUISIANA WOMAN, MISSISSIPPI MAN" is featured on this album andis nothing less than classic.Conway's growling voice was unmistakable andthoroughly his trademark.

A stand out - "IT'S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE, ifyou can find a better collection of Conway Twitty's best of or greatesthits on any other CD, it would be a miracle.Andy McKaie with Hip-ORecords has come up with a complete and enjoyable journey through themusical career of the most beloved country ballad singer of ourtime!

Total Time: 56:22 on 18 Tracks/ Hip-O Records - HIPD 40049 (1999) ... Read more

Asin: B00000JWP0
Sales Rank: 27170
Subjects:  1. Country    2. Pop   

Honky Tonk Girl: The Loretta Lynn Collection
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (13 September, 1994)
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Features

• Box set

Reviews (8)

Queen Loretta
Loretta Lynn set the country bar so high she makes it darn near impossbile for other "girl singers" (as they call them) to make a mark.

And to complicate matters further, if she weren't such a great singer, people might truly appreciate her brilliance as a songwriter.

Loretta Lynn is so good that you have to pinch yourself when you listen to make sure you're not dreaming. Her voice is like country ham, biscuits and gravy served on the family china. And her sound is so rich and convincing, you wanna have a word with the two-timing characters that dare to cross her in her songs.

Loretta will never be surpassed in country music. She and George Jones outpace the best of them and leave pretenders to the throne (just turn on any country station in 2003) eating their dust. It's not their fault. It's just that God is very discriminating about who gets this kind of talent. Which just leaves us all begging for more.

Best overview available of the Queen of Country
Loretta Lynn was the first woman selected Entertainer of the Year by the Country Music Association and was one of the first women to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.To many, she is the Queen of Country Music, yet until this box set was released in 1994, a 20 track greatest hits cd was the most in-depth retrospective available on Lynn's career.Honky Tonk Girl goes a long way towards revealing why Lynn is so special.It contains 70 recordings over three discs.Many of its tracks were appearing on cd for the first time with their enclosure here.

Disc one covers Lynn's formative years (1960 - 1966).Leading off its Lynn's first single (and hit) on the Zero label "Honky Tonk Girl" as well as its B-side "Whispering Sea."Neither had been in print in over 20 years when included here and it is easy to see why.Lynn's voice is so wobbly throughout that you'd never guess a stellar career lay ahead at Decca Records under the guidance of top producer Owen Bradley.

Lynn's early records at Decca were very much in the traditional female country vein."Success," "The Other Woman," and "Blue Kentucky Girl" were the first big hits and all have a subservient theme.1965's "You Ain't Woman Enough" and 1966's "Don't Come Home A Drinkin'" changed that mentality.These feisty declarations were also the first hits Lynn wrote at Decca.Suddenly, Lynn was a voice and role model for women everywhere.Not coincidentally, her singing became a lot stronger as well.

The second disc showcases Lynn at her commercial and artistic peak (1967 - 1971).Lynn wrote most of her hits during this period and no subject appears to have been off-limits."Fist City" finds Lynn willing to get physical to keep her man while "Rated X" discusses the stigma placed on divorced on women."One's On The Way" humorously poked at the drudgeries of being a housewife with a lot of kids.Country pride also played a prominent role in Lynn's music during this era with "You're Looking At Country" and "Coal Miner's Daughter" which has become Lynn's signature song and spawned an autobiographical book and film.

Disc three covers Lynn's later years with Decca and its parent company MCA.With 1972's controversial "The Pill", Lynn stopped writing her own material.Her musical stylings expanded as well, with "Trouble In Paradise" finding Lynn experimenting with rock (and sounding extremely ill at ease).Pop-flavored ballads like "When The Tingle Becomes A Chill" also became more common as Lynn's distinctive sound became watered down during the mid-to-late 1970s.In the 1980s, Lynn's recording career went into severe decline, and the box set wisely limits the representation from this time period to the sumptuous ballad "I Lie" (her last top 10 hit) and her final MCA single "Who Was That Stranger."

In addition to Lynn's solo recordings, duet hits with Ernest Tubb and Conway Twitty are sprinkled throughout the set.The major hits with Twitty missing here ("Louisian Woman Mississippi Man" and "Feelings") can be found on Twitty's equally well-done four-disc companion set.There are a few major singles by Lynn that weren't included ("Home," "You've Come A Long Way Baby," and my personal fave "Red, White, and Blue"), but it is undeniably one of the best done box sets on a country artist.

Strong collection of Loretta's music
At the start of the sixties, female singers had a really hard tine getting noticed, except Patsy Cline. Loretta (along with Dolly and Tammy) helped to change this forever, by recording songs that appealed to women as well as men. While men (including myself) can be satisfied with women singing love songs, Loretta recorded some hard-hitting songs about life and it's struggles.

Examples of her diverse themes include her heritage (Coal miners' daughter), fending off other women (You ain't woman enough), everyday life (One's on the way), anti-Vietnam protest (Uncle Sam), the evil of drinking too much (Don't come home a-drinking), gospel (Who says God is dead?), birth control (The pill) and the occasional humorous song (You're the reason our kids are so ugly) - although my favorite humorous song of Loretta's (Mad Mrs Jesse Brown) is not included. All the others mentioned can be found on this collection. Of course, she sings love songs too and plenty of those are included on this set, although these are not what Loretta is best remembered for.

In this collection, you will also find covers of Blueberry hill (a song associated with Fatso Domino but first recorded by Glenn Miller), These boots are made for walking (Nancy Sinatra), There goes my everything (successful on the country charts for Jack Greene, but later covered by Engelbert Humperdinck and Elvis Presley, both of whom had pop hits with the song) and She's got you (a Patsy Cline song which Loretta also had a huge country hit with), plus duets with Ernest Tubb and Conway Twitty.

70 tracks cannot due full justice to Loretta, but this is by far the most comprehensive collection so far released. We all have our favorite tracks among those omitted, but all the essentials are here, despite some charted singles being excluded. ... Read more

Asin: B000002OSX
Sales Rank: 9986
Subjects:  1. Box Sets (Audio Only)    2. Country    3. Pop   

The Essential George Jones: The Spirit of Country
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Audio CD (18 August, 1998)
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Editorial Review

The quarter drops, and out comes the voice of Despair, anxious at first, then desperate, with the singer sliding up a wail meant to caress and exorcise his demons at the same time. He holds the cry as he might the last bottle on earth and then plunges to the low notes in a moan that leaves no doubt--when you talk about pain and suffering, George Jones has been there. The proof is in this 44-song, two-disc box set, a tear built into every groove, starting with the stripped-down production of Pappy Daily's early Starday hits ("Why Baby Why"), segueing to the Mercury years ("The Window up Above"), dipping into the United Artists and Musicor material ("Love Bug"), and then moving on to the Billy Sherrill era at Epic, where Jones secured his legend with his emotionally charged renderings of melodramatic material ("The Grand Tour"). The set is rounded out with a smattering of Jones's countrypolitan duets with Tammy Wynette ("Golden Ring"), as well as "He Stopped Loving Her Today," the preeminent modern country song and performance. --Alanna Nash ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (21)

Misleading
I'm glad I closely observed this cd before I purchased it, even as a gift for someone else. The concept is to provide one hit per year. The problem is that some years have more than one great song. The best example is 1974 which provides The Grand Tour on this set but but fails to provide The Door. The Door is one of the absolute "must haves" on any "Best Of" compilation. It's on every one but this one. It's on 16 Biggest Hits, it's on Anniversary 10 years of Hits, and it's on the Essential George Jones. Futhermore, this set gives a remake with Alan Jackson for 1970's A good Year for the Roses. How can a song recorded in the 1990's represent 1970. The original is a classic, this one is not. Buy The Essential George Jones and you will still get 44 songs, some from the same year and all originals.

EXCELLENT COLLECTION
This is one incredible boxed set, there is no question that George Jones will go down as one of the greatest singers in country music history, along with Patsy, Johnny Cash, and Hank Sr. One thing I took out of this was the little booklet where Patty Loveless, said "George Jones is my hero". Patty is one special singer and a personal favorite of mine. Everyone is aware of standards like "Two Story House" and "He Stopped Loving Her Today". But what I like is his humor in his songs, like "The Corvette Song", "White Lightening", "No show Jones", "Love Bug" (Later remade by George Strait),and the later "Beer Run" (With Garth Brooks). There is so little to feel good and laugh about in popular music (George Strait is an exception). It is pretty amazing that despite all of Jones's troubles he never forget his audience, and that is why his music lives on. This is a must have set for ANY country fan. Simply put, it is an excellent collection.

George Jones is the spirit of country
Fans of country music and George Jones will consider this a must-have, but it's essential for the new generation which is unfortunately missing out in the real SOUL of C&W, thanks to the proliferation of artists who are churning out wannabe-pop-crossover pablum instead of real C&W. George's plaintive voice soars on the ever-immortal "He Stopped Loving Her Today" and evokes haunting images of his ill-fated, stormy romance with Tammy Wynette in "If The Drinkin' Don't Kill Me, Her Memory Will." George Jones was a national treasure. There aren't enough stars for this one ... Read more

Asin: B000009RBG
Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country-Pop    3. Honky Tonk    4. Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan    5. Pop    6. Rockabilly    7. Traditional Country    8. United States of America   

The World of the Statler Brothers
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (24 August, 1989)
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Reviews (1)

a good deal.
Originally released as a double album in 1972, they've now found a way to fit it onto one CD.This Cd has all of your early Statler Brothers songs, 20 in all.It's one of the most complete sets of early ones available, Ihighly reccomend it. ... Read more

Asin: B0000024Z1
Sales Rank: 59508
Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country-Pop    3. Pop   

Tanya Tucker - 20 Greatest Hits
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Audio CD (26 September, 2000)
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Reviews (7)

Wow!
I bought this CD because of "Its a Little too Late". Tanya's distinct voice and awesome lyrics drew me to the song. Even though I bought this CD for one song in the beginning, I have to say that this CD is a big suprise because I love every song.Usually you get those albums that you skip over songs but not this one! I own 60+ country albums and this one is one of the top 5 that I am always playing. Tanya has the old country sound... none of the pop stuff played today. Some songs are up-beat, but all have great lyrics. Tanya will get your dancing and singing along. A few of my favorites are: "Walking Shoes", Down to my Last Teardrop", "Tell me about it", "Two Sparrows in a Hurricane", Hangin' In," It's a Little too late", "If your heart Ain't busy tonight", & "Delta Dawn". I'd recomend this CD to anyone who loves the REAL country sound!

Tanya's best of the nineties
Although Tanya signed for Capitol in 1986 and had many classic hits, this particular compilation focuses almost entirely on her nineties music. Tanya's first Greatest Hits for Capitol appeared in 1989 and the only track from that which is included here is My arms stay open all night. The next compilation was Greatest Hits 1990-1992. All ten tracks from that set are included here.

So, if you want Daddy and home, Strong enough to bend, Love me like you used to, Just another love, I'll come back as another woman, If it don't come easy, I won't take less than your love, One love at a time and It's only over for you, buy that first Capitol Greatest Hits.

One real oldie included here is Delta Dawn, a re-recording from 1991's Greatest Hits Encore, an album which contained re-recordings of ten of Tanya's seventies hits for Columbia and MCA.

There is one previously unissued track for Tanya's long-standing fans (like me), the opening Black water bayou. To me, that alone is worth the price.

The other tracks are all from the nineties, mostly after 1992. You can't fit all Tanya's Capitol hits on a single CD, but if you buy this and that first Greatest hits, you'll have all the essentials.

good overview of one of country's all-time greats
Tanya Tucker marrived at Capitol Records in 1986.By then, it had been five years since her last big hit at MCA and her peak recording years appeared to be long behind her.Yet hooked up with Jerry Crutchfield (one of her many producers at MCA),

Tucker immediately hit the top of the charts with a pair of Paul Davis-written tunes dealing with rocky relationships: "One Love At A Time" and "Just Another Love."Her voice was now stronger than ever, and the consistently first-rate material Crutchfield assembled over the past decade allowed Tucker to demonstrate her full versatility, be it rowdy toetappers ("If It Don't Come Easy," "Down To My Last Teardrop"), moving ballads ("Two Sparrows In A Hurricane," "Soon"), bluesy scorchers ("You Just Watch Me ," "Some Kind Of Trouble,") or defiant rockabilly ("Walking Shoes," "It's A Little Too Late").

After one more top ten hit "Little Things" in 1997, Tucker left Capitol, feeling she wasn't getting adequate promotion at the Garth-obsessed label (she was right).Unfortunately, Tucker has not been signed to a label since then.If you don't own any other Tucker retrospectives, this is the place to start with 20 tracks far surpassing other Tucker best-ofs. ... Read more

Asin: B00004YL5B
Sales Rank: 20141
Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Country-Pop    4. Country-Rock    5. Country/Bluegrass    6. Pop   

16 Biggest Hits
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (02 February, 1999)
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Reviews (4)

RVS - The best there is!
This CD is 16 awesome tracks by a true legend of country music. Today's so-called country stars can't even come close to this man's talent and genuiness. My only complaint about this CD is the omision of the #1 duet with Dolly "Rockin' Years". Also the #10 hit "After the Lights Go Out" should have been added as well. With this CD and "Backroads" you will own all the hits. Overall, the best there is!

As Good As it Gets
RVS is a solid country performer, and shows a lot of his influences, particularly Conway Twitty.This is not raw country, but features smooth production and some sweet pedal steel.The best cut is "From a Jack to a King."You can't go wrong here if you are a fan of RVS. For some harder edge stuff, go for George Jones or Dwight Yoakum.

A Great Greatest Hits Album.
This Is One Of Ricky's Greatest Hits Albums That Has Almost Every Song From 1987 To 1992 On It. This Is A Great Collection To Have If You Like RVS. Some Of His Songs Like "Crime Of Passion", "Somebody Lied", "I'll Leave This World Loving You", "From A Jack To A King", "I Am A Simple Man" "Rockin' Years" A Duet With Dolly Parton, "Keep It Between The Lines", And "Backroads" Are All Great Songs To Listen To On This CD. Buy It Today. I Think You Might Like It. ... Read more

Asin: B00000HZE4
Sales Rank: 19456
Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Pop   

Vern Gosdin - Super Hits
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (31 August, 1993)
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Reviews (5)

Vern, the overlooked legend.
I own about 200 albums.This is my favorite one.

Just Wish It Had "Turn,Turn, Turn" & "I Can Tell By the Way
you dance, you're gonna love me tonight"...

While Vern Gosdin is regarded as a hard country singer, the interesting fact is that he and his brother Rex actually started along the same path with those who pioneered California Country Rock music. For starters, Vern and Rex teamed up back in '63 with a teenage prodigy on the mandolin fresh out of the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers by the name of Chris Hillman and formed the "Hillmen"...with songs like "Ranger's Command" and "When The Ship Comes In"...

The two brothers then went and helped out another former Byrd, the late Gene Clark when he exited that band in 1966 and played with Gene on the "Echoes" album. Before leaving L.A., going Nashville, and making that hard right turn towards hard country music, Vern went on to play with or hang with the greats of Cal Country Rock - Hillman, Clark, Roger McGuinn, Clarence White, Gene Parsons, and Larry Murray. The Gosdins' poignant "There Must Be Someone" was recorded by Gene Parsons on the Byrds "Easy Rider" album.

Unlike his contemporaries, Vern chose to go hard country and became a straightforward country singer, as evidenced by the tracks on this cd. "Set Em Up Joe", the classic "Chiseled in Stone" "This Ain't My First Rodeo" are the highlights, and you can't beat the price. Still it would have been nice to have heard his version of "Turn, Turn, Turn" with Roger McGuinn sitting in, or Robb Strandlund's "I Can Tell By the Way You Dance" which became a major hit for Vern on this cd (after all, it is called "Super Hits") - or the honky tonkin' "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke, and Loud, Loud Music" that his contemporaries the Burritos recorded both in the Chris and Gram heyday and after in the Gib Guilbeau-Sneaky Pete version.

For someone like me though, who knew of Gosdin's reputation and from whence he came, this cd represented a good, solid introduction. The price isn't bad either. Just remember to expect Hard Country, not Country Rock. Vern sings it right, and sings it tough and tender.

Is it raning?
This is great music which gets to my heart. Is It Raining at Your House? is my favorite song of all time and being 50 I have heard a lot.
You could do a lot worse than buying this music and not a lot better. ... Read more

Asin: B0000028TO
Sales Rank: 18074
Subjects:  1. Country    2. Pop    3. Progressive Bluegrass    4. Traditional Bluegrass   

Come on Come On
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (30 June, 1992)
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Editorial Review

Skeptics might say that Carpenter's smash version of Lucinda Williams's "Passionate Kisses" pales beside the tougher original, or that Mary Chapin is but a folkie in poor-fitting country clothes. They're not exactly wrong, but her million-selling third album finds its charm in a spare Americana sound and smart, imaginative material. Carpenter bridges country and folk audiences, much as Emmylou Harris has done, and as few others have managed. And she's a better singer than generally recognized. Originals such as "I Am a Town" and the title cut are genuinely evocative, and "Walking Through Fire" and "I Take My Chances" have an emotional edge that is as raw as it has been rare on country radio in the '90s. --Roy Francis Kasten ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Carpenter's a square peg in the round hole of Nashville
Mary Chapin-Carpenter built her career largely on public radio airplay for her folky acoustic guitar-based songcraft. This album exploded her into the country mainstream, thanks to the huge hits "Passionate Kisses", "I Feel Lucky" and lesser hits "I Take my Chances" and "He Thinks He'll Keep Her". But while country radio may have loved her for awhile, it quickly forgot about her and the reason why is between the hit tracks: Carpenter has more in common with classic country singers than with the current batch of forgettable pop-country heard on the radio these days.

Carpenter is all about songs: Writing the sentiments of an educated, mature woman who's not afraid to make political statements that buck Nashville's (i.e. she's a feminist and a bit to the left) conservatism. All but two of the songs here were written or co-written by her.

HIGHLIGHTS:
The hits deserved to be. Carpenter finds the catchy heart of Lucinda Williams' "Passionate Kisses" and makes it the mainstream smash it was always meant to be. "I Feel Lucky" and "I Take my Chances" both find Carpenter playing it sassy and devil-may-care. "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" reveals Carpenter's feminist streak, in the tale of a woman who leaves her uncaring husband after 15 years ("For 15 years she had a job and not one raise in pay/Now she's in the typing pool at minimum wage..") "The Bug" is the lost album track that should have been a hit. The blue-collar philosophy of life ("Sometimes you're the windshield/Sometimes you're the bug..") is terribly catchy and a nice retool of a Dire Straits album track. The album cuts are what make Carpenter stand a bit above the pack: "I Am a Town" is pure southern Americana ("I'm the last gas for an hour, if you're going 25, I am Texaco and tobacco, I am dust you leave behind"), the tender duet with Joe Diffie on "Not Too Much to Ask",and "Only a Dream"'s taste of the deep bonds of sisters and the hurt that comes when the older one leaves home ("I turned on the light and all that I saw/Was a bed and a desk and a couple of tacks/No sign of someone who expects to be back/It must've been one h*ll of a suitcase you packed")

LOWS:
"Walking Through Fire" and "Rhythm of the Blues" are rather mediocre in the end. They just don't stick with you that well.

BOTTOM LINE:
If you're a Shania or Faith Hill fan, you'll probably HATE this. If you enjoy singer-songwriters (even if you THINK you hate country), give this a listen. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised. If you're a diehard folkie, you'll probably find this "overproduced" (which seems to be code for "any song with more than just a voice and an acoustic guitar").

3 1/2 stars

A classic album
Mary's music has always been hard to classify as, over her career, it has included elements of folk, pop, rock and country music. This album, recorded in 1992, appeared at a time when country was the dominant influence, but this is a long way from being a stereotypical country album. As such, it appeals to many fans who wouldn't normally listen to country music. With its strong-woman theme (especially on tracks such as He thinks he'll keep her), the album particularly appeals to women. Even as a man, I think that song is one of the highlights of the album - it reminds men not to take anything for granted where women are concerned (not that men should need reminding).

Perhaps the most famous song here is I feel like, a fun song in which Mary dreams about Dwight Yoakam and Lyle Lovett (two contemporary singers) fighting over her. It provides a lovely contrast from the normally serious songs that Mary is so good at. Another highlight is Passionate kisses, a song written and first recorded by Lucinda Williams. Mary's cover of the song was a huge country hit and helped to raise Lucinda's profile - remember that this was six years before Car wheels on a gravel road.

From the opening track (The hard way) to the closing title track, this album is packed full of outstanding songs including The bug (written by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits), Not too much to ask (a tender ballad - this is a superb duet with Joe Diffie, an almost forgotten country singer) and Only a dream (one of many excellent songs that Mary wrote for the album.

This album remains the best of Mary's career. Look up the track listing for the compilation, Essential, for which half the tracks are lifted from this album. That is a great compliment to the quality of this album but it makes it hard for anybody to buy it if they've already bought Essential. That's a shame because every track here is brilliant.

Forget the Essential compilation - this is the place to begin a collection of Mary's music. If you also want a compilation, choose one that doesn't draw so heavily on this album, such as Party doll and other favorites.

Lots of Great Songs
It's difficult for me to classify Mary Chapin Carpenter's (MCC) work.It seems to include a bit of country, a bit of folk, a bit of rock, etc.But she does it flawlessly.After all such designations are really arbitrary -- just models or conventions.The reality is in the music.The beauty is in the ear of the beholder.Many albums contain only one or two great songs (so CDs work better for me than cassettes), even hers.But not this one.This album is filled with fine "cuts."I bought it just for "Passionate Kisses," but "I Feel Lucky," "The Bug," "Walking Through Fire," and the wonderful "I Take My Chances" are IMHO great as well.Many of the other songs are enjoyable too.Strangely, the title song is not as good as most of the others IMHO.In any case, this album is one of my very favorites.Enjoy! ... Read more

Asin: B000002879
Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Country-Folk    4. Pop    5. Singer/Songwriter   

Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
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Editorial Review

Both the introduction to hard country for a generation of college kids and a key entry in what became the neotraditionalist movement, Dwight Yoakam's debut was a near-perfect re-creation of Buck Owens's Bakersfield sound. "Bury Me" and "Miner's Prayer" are heartfelt homages to Yoakam's real Kentucky roots, while honky-tonkers like "South of Cincinnati" remind how many Kentuckians eventually headed to Ohio for good jobs. Most immediately striking, though, are Yoakam's covers--particularly versions of Johnny Horton's "Honky Tonk Man" and Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire"--which subtly tune up the Bakersfield sound with a rock & roll super-charge. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Still One of The Best!
Dwight Yoakam's "Guitars, Cadillacs" is still one of the best country music albums of all time.This ground-breaking classic collection not only solidified his Bakersfield sound but shows off his amazing versatile talent.Yoakam also captures the honky tonk tradition and music from the Appalachian Hills.He stepped up to show the world how country music should be celebrated and played.

My favorites include "It Won't Hurt," "Bury Me," which celebrates the land and heritage of Kentucky.Maria McKee does an awesome job on the duet.There is no doubt that "Guitars, Cadillacs" is just powerful.Another beautifully written and sung song is "Bury Me," a kind of tribute to the coal miners.When I first heard it just reached out and grabbed my soul.His duet of the song with Ralph Stanley on Stanley's"Sunday Morning" is amazing! The entire album is awesome and authentic.

Yoakam is just an amazing song writer and vocalist.All types of music fans can appreciate his skills because of his versatility and pure sound.If you do not own this album, you are a poser!Please do not be a poser!

Guitars and Cadillacs is a #1 Honky Tonk Classic
Other than George Jones this man is the 2nd greatest Honky Tonker of all time.This debut is prime music for your buck.It's got his two of his best songs, "Guitars and Cadillacs" and "Honky Tonk Man".So go out and get it.

Genius starts here
Every cut on here is so good, from beginning to end. For me, it is perfect driving music, especially on a long, hot summer day through the backroads. "I'll Be Gone", is a favorite. Such a great voice. ... Read more

Asin: B000002L8V
Subjects:  1. Alternative Country    2. Bakersfield Sound    3. Country    4. Country-Rock    5. New Traditionalist    6. Pop   

Always & Forever
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
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Editorial Review

Sometimes a simple voice can carry the day. Take Randy Travis: his rustic, hickory-smoked warble can almost effortlessly conjure up everyday country pleasures--basic backwoods stuff that suburban folks have long forgotten. His brand of faithful retro took Nashville by surprise on Storms of Life, his 1986 debut, but Travis--thanks to poor song choices and a handful of awkwardly-penned originals--failed to maintain those lofty standards. But this, his second effort, from 1987, stands as his best--and his most commercially viable as well. It perfectly showcases those stunning vocals and opened the door for countless similar-piped honky-tonkers. His voice still waxes strong these days, but it's great to hear him hit homer after homer in this classic Always inning. --Tom Lanham ... Read more

Reviews (3)

It's wonderful!!!
This is the best! It's very relaxing and enjoyable.

One of the best country CDs ever!
I loved this!Randy really delivers on this one.From the rolicking "What'll you do about me" to the sentimental "My House" Travis really shows he can sing 'em all.The title song, "Forever and Ever, Amen" is destined to become a country classic, but then it is hard to go wrong with anything written by Paul Overstreet!I bought this CD because I loved the title single and I got a CD with 10 great songs!Bonus!

I really love his music.He does some really great songs.
I really enjoy listening to his music.Sometimes it just helps me relax ... Read more

Asin: B000002LBF
Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. New Traditionalist    4. Pop   

Ten Feet Tall & Bulletproof
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (10 May, 1994)
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Editorial Review

Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof takes its title from Travis Tritt's most irresistible single since "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)." This time the joke's not on the girlfriend but on the singer himself, who feels "Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof" when he has a few beers under his belt. As Tritt's comic verses tell it, though, the beers actually turn him into a midget clown with two left feet, one of them usually in his mouth. It's the kickoff for an impressive album that reveals just how much Tritt has grown as a vocalist in his few years of stardom. --Geoffrey Himes ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Outlaw Country is so hard to find these days
Travis Tritt has had an amazing career, but Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof I would have to say best shows the outlaw, southern rock side of Travis. Hank Jr and Waylon Jennings star on "Outlaws Like Us" trading vocals about their thoughts on music. It's a classic. "Southern Justice" gives me chills as it's a hard southern country rocker about a police officer. Skynyrd's Gary Rossington stars on this CD too. The title song is very up beat to. The ballads that were singles are good but the rockers are better. "Hard Times and Misery" is a prime example of this. "Between an Old Memory And Me" is probably my favorite of the ballads on the CD. If you like outlaw music, this one is a must, but if you like pop-country stay away.

The Winning Streak Continues
Tritt knows what works for him, & he sticks with it. Once again, he offers a mix of romantic ballads, outlaw country,& Southern-rockers. However, this time he teams up with Lynyrd Skynyrd's Gary Rossington towrite a straight blues tune, "No Vacation From the Blues", &it works well. The title track is a catchy, up-tempo hit, while"Foolish Pride" & "Between an Old Memory & Me"will appeal to the romantic. He turns up the rock & outlaw country on"Hard Times & Misery" & "Southern Justice". Fewpeople in country music have ever been able to juggle country & rock aswell as Tritt has & still remain extremely popular. ... Read more

Asin: B000002MQU
Subjects:  1. Country    2. Pop   

Tattoos & Scars
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (06 April, 1999)
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Editorial Review

This swaggering, tough-singing Kentucky duo consists of a pair of impassioned but unremarkable singers--Eddie Montgomery (brother of country star John Michael Montgomery) and his longtime musical associate Troy Gentry. They deliver a rowdy, whiskey-drenched, antiheroic brand of rocked-up honky-tonk that unabashedly conjures up memories of Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams Jr., and other rough-and-rowdy country "outlaws" of yesteryear. Montgomery and Gentry wear these influences well on serviceable cuts like "Hillbilly Shoes" and "Didn't Your Mama Tell Ya," but do them a disservice on unremarkable ballads like "Trying to Survive" and "If a Broken Heart Could Kill," and on their derivative-sounding cover of Charlie Daniels's "All Night Long." The utter lack of original material on their debut CD is somewhat suspect, yet on killer cuts like the painfully confessional "Self Made Man" and the morally insightful "Daddy Won't Sell The Farm" they do show a few sparks of innovation amid all the ragged honky-tonk smoke and fire. --Bob Allen ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Which album was that editor listening to??
Ok, so this is waaaay past due, but I was just looking through the comments on this CD and was dumbfounded by the main editor's comments. This has got to be one of the best debut albums that I've ever heard in my life. I will often listen to it several times through in a row, especially if I'm out driving. "Trying to Survive", "Self Made Man", "Tattoos & Scars" often get played multiple times on each pass, and of course there's the several that got big air play as well. I just don't get tired of this album. Like one of the earlier comments, "All night long" is probably its only flaw. While not a bad song, it doesn't really fit in with the rest. Overall, this is a must-have CD for any country fan...and even non-country folks would like a lot of it. It helped me transition from all rock to country, and I've never looked back!

Country with Cojones!
Dealing with themes of country boy alienation ("Hillbilly Shoes"), a bad boy's brokenheartedness ("Lonely and Gone," "Trouble Is," and "Self-Made Man"), rural pride ("Daddy Won't Sell the Farm"), and generation gaps ("Tattoos and Scars"), this CD doesn't disappoint male fans of "southern" music (fiddle, loud guitars, masculine subject matter, and non-urban attitude).If you bought "Carrying On" first like I did, don't waste anymore time.This CD, their debut, will not disappoint you.It was my favorite Christmas gift (2001)!!!

Tattoos and Scars best country album in quite some time
I probably should have written this review a long time ago, This album is GREAT, if you love kick you in the ...** country then this is the album to get, no filler tunes here. You get what you pay for. More albums should be like this. Brings back the feel of the 70's outlaws "Waylon, Johnny, Willie, and Kris" among others. Want good music then pick this up....NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Asin: B00000IIXF
Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Pop   

Longnecks & Short Stories
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (17 September, 2002)
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Editorial Review

Contemporary honky tonker Mark Chesnutt's 1990 debut, Too Cold at Home, came with an endorsement from George Jones himself, not to mention a title-track hit that left you thinking that maybe, just maybe, ol' George wasn't exaggerating. Longnecks takes the "maybe" out of the question once and for all. One of the finest country albums of the 1990s, it's filled with rip-roarin' boot-scooters ("Bubba Shot the Jukebox"), Western swingers ("Old Flames Have New Names"), and sad ballads ("I'll Think of Something") that successfully update Jones's east-Texas tradition. And when Chesnutt covers Charlie Rich's "Who Will the Next Fool Be," he adds a bluesy wail that'll have your jaw hitting the floor. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Should have made him a superstar!!!
This album had it all, 10 songs that could have all been singles; excellent honky-tonk sound; and awesome cover art.If this were released in 1955, it would have knocked Webb Pierce off his rocker!!!!!

Timeless music.I don't know what else to say.This is one of those cd's that you will be able to sing along with every song!!And who would have ever thought that Mark Chesnutt could cover early period Charlie Rich (Who Will The Next Fool Be) and actually make the song his?

I paid full price for this cd when it was realeased, now you can get it for budget price.You have no excuse not to have this.

MY FAVORITE CHESNUTT
Longnecks and Short Stories is Mark Chesnutt's very best.Classic country western sounds by one of the greatest voices in the business.

One of my favorites
Mark Chestnutt has always been a true Texan country crooner.Having collected all of his albums, this one stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Aside from the radio hits (Old Country, Bubba Shot the Jukebox )songs like Talking to Hank and Old Flames Have New Names shows his vocalrange.All around, the album maintains the listener's interest.If youlike Mark, this is a "must have". ... Read more

Asin: B000002OJV
Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. New Traditionalist    4. Pop   

People Like Us
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 July, 2000)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $13.98
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Editorial Review

Muscle man Aaron Tippin is the kind of serviceable singer whose career tends to depend on timing. His first hit, "You've Got to Stand for Something," came out at the height of the Gulf War, and seemed to be about more than it really was. Now, his seventh studio album has taken wing on the strength of the smart-mouthed single "Kiss This," built around a woman's barroom response to her philandering mate. Would Tippin's label have even considered leading off with such a rude tune if not for the success of Montgomery Gentry, who's made hillbilly cheek chic again? Likely not. But in balancing redneck chutzpah with good-natured machismo ("Big Boy Toys"), sweet love songs ("Every Now and Then"), working-class anthems ("Twenty-Nine and Holding," which recognizes the courage of the single mom), and a dance number ("The Night Shift"), Tippin has turned out his most satisfying album since his debut. Those rippling muscles aside, nobody will ever mistake him for an industry heavyweight. Yet this South Carolinian with the in-your-face drawl does his mighty best to anchor the blue-collar bottom for Country's increasingly fluffy fare. --Alanna Nash ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Another great album from Aaron Tippin
I own this album, and I definately recommend it to anyone else.I will admit that the album does have more slower balads than I might generally like, but it's still a good album.As well as the more well known songs ( Kiss This and People Like This), there are also some real gems that you don't often hear on the radio.Big Boy Toys is awesome.There is also a great duet with his wife to end it.Start to finish, it's a great album.

Glad to have him back in the swing of things
Nice to see Aaron doing what he does best...what a nice CD to listen too.Of course love the soon to be classic "Kiss This"...but there are many other well written and of course well sung songs on this CD.(Gotta luv the "BIg Boy Toy's")Only skip maybe 2 songs...hence the 4 star instead of 5 star rating.

Great CD.
This is such a great CD...I bought it for "Kiss This", but there are so many other good ones on there.A lot of songs expressing Aaron's heartfelt devotion to his wife, which is refreshing in country music (you can only take so many cheatin', leavin', cryin' in my beer kind of songs, you know?)There are a few songs I skip over when I play this CD, but not many. ... Read more

Asin: B00004VW18
Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Pop   

It Would Be You
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 May, 1998)
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Reviews (30)

Great!!!
It is an awesome CD with awesome songs. I recomend it to anyone who likes country music! I especially love his remake to Ty England's "I'll Take Today" very nicely done! hope to hear even more out of this great artist!

A hardcore honky-tonker!
Few men like Gary Allan have had as much radio success as he's had. He's a true country singer: with a gravelly voice (one of the music industry's best ever) and tendency towards honky tonk tunes, there's no denying that he could belt out a Backstreet Boy's song (though why he would want to elludes me), and make it as stone-cold country as anything Merle Haggard ever did. (And no, the comparrison to Merle Haggard is NOT accidental or unfounded.)

On this CD, his second, Allan showcases his honky tonkin abilities. True, the opening title track is a moving, rock 'em ballad (one of Allan's best vocal deliveries ever), but it's follow-up, "No Man in His Wrong Heart," is a gently flowing country number about a man who turn's down temptation.

On a cover of Marty Stuart's "Don't Leave Her Lonely too Long," Allan offers some friendly (albeit a bit mischievious) advice; on Conway Twitty's "She Loves Me, She Don't Love You," a man stands up for his woman (and his dignity), and threatens: "One more dance with her, and friend, you're gonna see/What it's like to hit the floor and do a little dance with me." Allan weighs the lesser of two evils on the honky-tonk shuffling "I've Got a Quarter in My Pocket," and promises undying love on the ballads "I'll Take Today" and "Baby I Will." But it's at the end of the album that Allan hits the highest point of his career: "No Judgement Day," a hidden track penned by Allen Shamblin, about a group of abused small-town kids who murder an old man, and the coverage thereof. Considered too controversial to "include" on the album at the time, a stripped down "vocal and guitar" version is found about a minute after "Forgotten, But not Gone" ends. This is one of my all-time favorite songs, and perfectly showcases Allan's vocals.

Gary Allan's "It Would Be You" is an incredible CD, as are all the album's he's recorded. He has a voice that defies logic; let's thank God that he's a country singer, and loves country music more than any other type. Then let's thank God that he singings his songs with heart and soul. There are a lot of up-and-comers out there who could learn a lot by listening to this album; maybe you could, too. Wanna know what country music really is? Buy a Gary Allan CD, and give it a listen.If you're not intoxicated by his voice and song choices, then you aren't a fan of country music.

Gary's Best Album
Out of all of his current albums he's released, easily Gary Allan's sophmore 1998 release IT WOULD BE YOU is my favorite. All his albums are great, but this one has so many great songs. The title track was a top 10 country hit, it's short but a great song overall with a killer chorus. The other singles included the ballad "I'll Take Today", which is touching and beautiful, and the bar romp on "No Man In His Wrong Heart". "Forgotten But Not Gone" is an excellent ballad, although sad, about a wife who is neglected and not appreciated. After there is a hidden bonus track titled "Judgement Day" which is another great song. There's some nice ballads like "Baby I Will", "I Ain't Runnin Yet", "She Loves Me, She Don't Love You", and more. There's also some great honky tonk real country songs like "Don't Leave Her Lonely Long", "Red Lips, Blue Eyes, Little White Lies" and "I've Got A Quarter In My Pocket". A strong effort from the underrated Gary Allan. ... Read more

Asin: B000006ORP
Sales Rank: 6800
Subjects:  1. Country    2. Pop   

Hard Rain Don't Last
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (18 July, 2000)
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Editorial Review

Darryl Worley's debut races through the holes Brad Paisley has recently punched through country radio. Like Paisley, Worley sings with a relaxed and pleasant twang, loads his swinging arrangements with plenty of fiddles and pedal steel, and then, just as key, keeps the drums low enough so that you can actually hear those other strengths. No song here is as indelible as Paisley's "He Didn't Have to Be." But "A Good Day to Run" and "Feels Like Work," which solve a blue collar grind and a lousy marriage, respectively, by grabbing hands and running away to a smoking Strangers-styled groove, and "Those Less Fortunate Than I," which knows running away is sometimes no solution at all, are more than close enough. And Worley himself had a hand in writing 10 of these 12 tunes. This one's sure to be one of the better country debuts of 2000. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Best country album of 2000
Living in the UK, I didn't get to hear most of the gems on this CD until a few months after its release. I finally got hold of a copy from the US in April 2001. For a month it didn't leave my CD player!

Even 3 years later it still ranks amongst my favourite albums. It and its successor "I Miss My Friend" have been in the CD changer in the car since I got the car last March, and are probably overall the most played CDs whilst driving.

This album is so good that it's impossible to pick a specific track, but if I must... either "A Good Day To Run" (I bought the album on the strength of this after hearing it on satellite radio in the UK), or from a musicians' point of view "When You Need My Love" - the totally over-the-top instrumental break is the highlight.

If you don't have this, buy it. Simple as that.

Hard Rain Don't Last
Great debut album. Nice dance songs, cool ballads, punchy Southern Rock ala the "Outlaws" and Rockabilly sounds ala "Buck Owens" make this cd varied and interesting.It needs to be listened to many times over. Was hooked to buy the CD because of "Good Day to Run" which is a classic country dance song. Music, lyrics and back up vocals are solid throughout. This is the type of cd that can make the usual Top 40, Rock listeners change the dial to country...it did me.

Real life.....real songs!
At Christmas, I asked for Darryl Worley's "Hard rain don't last".Instead, I was presented with "I miss my friend".Good thing for me...I am a music lover and just as importantly, I am a "good story" lover too. Each track tells a story...each track takes you from your living room into that particular situation.After watching the "I miss my friend" video on CMT, I was NOT shocked to discover that Darryl chose to recall the painful loss of his significant other several years ago and bear his own tears during the production stage.That is what country music does...it makes you think...it makes you smile...cry...laugh and most of all, it makes you fully understand that in this sometimes insane world we live in...you are not alone.No one does this better than Darryl Worley and I for one wish him all the best. ... Read more

Asin: B00004UAQJ
Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Pop   

Strong Heart
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (29 August, 2000)
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Editorial Review

Anyone with a voice and heart as soulful as Patty Loveless is incapable of making a bad record. Her low-down vocals on her own "You Don't Get No More" are bound to turn some so-called blues singers green with envy, and if you don't get a little misty behind her rendition of Matraca Berg's "My Heart Will Never Break This Way Again," check your pulse. Berg's ballad is a prime example of how Nashville at its best continues to turn out excellent new twists on old themes. Unfortunately many of the tunes on Strong Heart sound more like old twists on old themes. In a town that boasts a slew of brilliant songwriters--Buddy and Julie Miller, Steve Earle, and Rodney Crowell to name a few--it is hard to believe that these are the best tunes Loveless and producer Emory Gordy could find. Strong Heart is by no means a bad record, but after a three-year wait both Loveless and her fans deserve a better one. --Michael Ross ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Best song of the year,
Cd contains the best country song of the year, "The Last Thing on My Mind". Patty Loveless has the SEXIEST voice I've ever heard on this song. (the video is outstanding!) And that's no small claim. Jamie O'neal, Alison Krauss, Sarah Evans, and Shania Twain all have their own catchy-sexy/charismatic styles of singing. But I think Loveless has the best classic country voice, since Janie Fricke or even Tammy Wynette.

Great album
This is a really underrated album from Patty Loveless, and it has some of her best material. There was a time, back between 1994-1996 where Patty Loveless was on top of country music, and was winning all sorts of accolades. When she released her 1997 album LONG STRETCH OF LONESOME, it failed to yield a top 10 hit and it seemed country radio lost interest after that. Which is a shame, because they missed the boat on this album, and ones that would follow this one that were truly exceptional.

This album gets a lot of criticism because it is apparantely "too pop". Not at all. The title track, and a few other songs, have pop sounding arrangements, but the heart of it is still country. You look at artists like Shania Twain, and you will see this is definately country in comparison to Shania!

The album opens with the Matraca Berg written "You're So Cool", which would have been a great single. It has a nice sing a long quality to it. "The Last Thing On My Mind", written by Rebecca Lynn Howard, is a great ballad that was the second single from the album. One of my favorites is "My Heart Will Never Break This Way Again", an excellent country ballad that teams Loveless up with Trisha Yearwood and Claire Lynch. Great song!

The first single from the album was "That's The Kind Of Moon I'm In", it should have been a bigger hit but didn't really catch on with country radio. "Thirsty" is a nice duet with Travis Tritt. The title track is another favorite, as is the wonderful ballad "She Never Stopped Loving Him", which is the show stopping song here I believe. So much passion and it's a sad story, but it's great.

Overall, her 2000 album STRONG HEART may not have been as popular as past albums, but don't pass on it, it's a great album with some really good songs that country radio should have heard!

Versatile Talent
Say what you will about some artists being too country for today's radio, but the true fact is Patty Loveless is probably the only artist that is versatile enough to vascilate so easily between the sub-genres of country. Honky-tonk, bluegrass, traditional, modern, pop....she can do it all.This set should satisfy all palates of country music fans.From the taunting start off song to the playfulness of "That's the Kind of Mood I'm In" to the deep storytelling song "She Never Stopped Loving Him", Patty delivers the real deal on this CD.Too bad she didn't release more from this one, because she certainly would have had numerous hits.I recommend this one for all country music fans.Great CD. ... Read more

Asin: B00004WKA7
Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Folk-Rock    4. Honky Tonk    5. Neo-Traditionalist Country    6. Pop   

Live at Billy Bob's Texas
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 February, 2002)
list price: $15.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Features

• Live

Reviews (7)

BEST BILLY BOB'S EVER
Live at Billy Bob's is the "essential" Pat Green cd, so if you've never heard him, get this or "Here We Go (Live)" first. Both live albums are awesome, but Billy Bob's has better sound to it. I give this and Here We Go both 5 Stars, so either is a fine choice. GO PAT.

Darn Good Texas Country Music
Pat Green has revitalized interest in Texas country singers.This is a great album and doesn't sound "Nashville" ('cause it was recorded at Billy Bob's!).Pat Green's songs are written about all the good things in life: partying, girls, and Texas.A great album for anyone trying to escape the country music fallbacks of wining, crying, dog-left-me, wife-left-me, ain't-my-truck-great style of music.

Great Listening!
A long-time Pat Green fan, this album ranks right up there.His live performance of Southbound 35 is awesome, as well as the track Nightmare.
Everytime I play this album I wish I were at Billy Bob's in Ft. Worth drinking a Shiner Boch!You won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Asin: B00000J5XF
Sales Rank: 19632
Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Pop