Editorial Review

In 1994 Cash stunned the music world with this commanding collection of 13 solo acoustic performances that roll from gospel to cowboy to sarcastic folk. Minimalism had long been Cash's meal ticket, but this time around, producer Rick Rubin stripped it Read more

Features

• Original recording reissued

Reviews (88)

Good, but not great
I love Johnny Cash, I love every edition of the American Recordings series, but this is the weakest of the series. Don't get me wrong, this is a good CD, I enjoy every minute of it, but if your're a Cash rookie, get the Essential Johnny Cash, this is for hardcore Cash fans like myself, but the Essential is awesome as well. For Classic Cash fans get the Man Comes Around before you get this. The first American Recordings, this one,good but not great.

Landmark Album Which Marked Johnny Cash's 3rd Career Comeback! But "Personal File" CD is Better!
Yes, JOHNNY CASH: AMERICAN RECORDINGS is a great CD, mostly because it is a key milestone in his career, even though it is not nearly his best album at all, in my opinion.
RosieB
I have long been an admirer of Johnny Cash.I was stationed in Vietnam when he, June and his group were there and I cannot express enough our appreciation of him and his group.I consider him a "troubador" and a great interpreter of all kinds of songs...as evicenced in this CD.I intend to get all of his songs from 68/69-90's which I missed out on for various reasons, e.g. not promoted the way they should have been and being stationed overseas so much.My thanks to Rick Rubin for his excellent treatment of Johnny.I loved hearing just him and his guitar...the best. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. Pop    5. Traditional Country   

Editorial Review

Willie Nelson has never been one to do the safe or expected, and this Booker T. Jones-produced album of pop standards from the '30s and '40s certainly fits the profile. It's also one of the better albums of Nelson's career, allowing Willie to dip his fragile, quivering tenor all around the beat in songs like "All of Me" and "Unchained Melody." Jones's organ, piano, and string arrangements are low-key and swinging (except on the almost wooden "On the Sunny Side of the Street"), and Nelson's vocals on "Georgia on My Mind" and "Moonlight in Vermont" are filled with a dignified and slightly jazzy country soul. The 1999 reissue adds a pair of bonus cuts to the mix, including the lullaby-like "Scarlet Ribbons" and the somewhat out-of-place "I Can See Clearly Now." Read more

Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (54)

Who would have guessed?
Willie sings these old standards, making them complete, filling them out with a lilt that matches no other.Rich tones and and his soft voice grabs you until you are sucked into a dreamlike world.You'll love these songs listening to them while sitting with your someone special.

vintage Willie.
Some of the better Willie recordings. He does seem to "fudge" a little bit on pitch, which is not a fatal problem.

Vintage Willie Nelson
I enjoyed this set of songs.I bought it especially for "Stardust."I was not disappointed, but it is not as good as Rod Stewart's version. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Outlaw Country    4. Pop    5. Progressive Country    6. Traditional Country    7. United States of America    8. Vocals   

Editorial Review

The simple truth is that Johnny Cash could read the phone book and make it compelling. At times this set sounds like a deathbed recitation rather than a collection of songs, but the man's aura and mystique carry the day. Atop Rick Rubin's spare arrangements, Cash makes every song he interprets his own. Read more

Features

• Original recording reissued

Reviews (124)

SOLITARY MAN
VERY GOODDISC. ALSO HUNDRED HIGHWAYS & LEGEND OF JOHNNY CASH. I AM COLLECTOR OF COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC FOR USE WHEN I HAVE EUROPEAN VISITORSHERE.

TWO CD's
My married daughter, knowing I would probably enjoy this album, purchased one and sent me it one week after you filled my order for it.She was, ovviously, correct.Now, I am enjoying it twice as much!

Why didn't I buy this sooner?
There is so much postitve press for Johnny these days, that I wrote it off as hype.I was so wrong!Fans of rock, blues, folk, gospel, country, and maybe even heavy metal will all find at least one song on this release that will take their breath away and make the disc worth purchasing.The song selection is inspired, and the Heartbreakers provide respectful backup to Johnny's time-worn vocals.Notice I said "respectful", not respectable.The musicianship is stellar.The band shuffles, ambles or swaggers as the song demands.For me, the song "The Mercy Seat" is worth the cost of the cd all by itself.The lyrics are chilling poetry, the music is incredible and Johnny's interpretation of the song conveys deep emotional impact.The same goes for "I See A Darkness" and "One".I never quite understood what the song "One" was all about.When Johnny sings the lyrics, I understand.That's what makes Johnny and this cd so special:with each and every track, you will connect with what he's talking about.He makes every song REAL."That Lucky Old Sun" sums up the sorrows of a family man, while "Nobody" is a tongue-in-cheek ballad about the pains of someone who has no one to love.Yet Johnny as narrator is equally convincing on both tracks.I really appreciate the dark and depressing passages throughout this cd, and the moments of happiness and hope shine through like sunlight through dark clouds.I highly recommend this and every other Rick Rubin produced Johnny Cash cd. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Pop    4. Singer/Songwriter    5. Traditional Country   

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Pop   

Editorial Review

Never mind the project's odd couple, "He's got a girlfriend; so does she" marketing shuck. This is a musical love affair in all its splendor. Produced by the seemingly chameleonic producer T Bone Burnett (who previously revived traditional bluegrass with spectacular success on Read more

Reviews (56)

2 Great Singers.12 Great Songs.1 Ho-hum Album.
I don't get the politics of Tony Bennett saying "yes, dear" to KD Lang at the end of the 1st number, but sad to say, the whole album seems an overproduced mistake, including sappy saxophone interludes and treacly high-pitched violin countermelodies.
Lacks punch
I am a huge Bennett fan and have enjoyed this cd (although K.D. Lang?s voice doesn?t impress me that much.)That said, someone recently loaned me the cd of Louis Armstrong singing the same songs and it had a totally different feel.Truly Armstrong is inimitable.His versions are full of pizzazz, mischievousness and just plain fun.I?m sorry to say that after hearing the originals I found the Bennett/Lang rather mediocre.

Tony and k.d.sing the oldies
I loved this c.d. Tony and k.d. have terrific voice control and they complimented each other on the duet tracts.
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Subjects:  1. Jazz Music    2. Pop    3. Pop Vocals    4. Vocal   

Editorial Review

The myth of the American West--lawless lands, resolute heroes--takes on a grave, elegiac quality on this first, and best, collaboration from Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson. There's little bravado here, just a sense of ticking time, of frontiers lost, cowboys singing their last songs. In the end, Read more

Reviews (22)

To Ricci K. Saliba
To the reviewer below......Kristofferson is still alive. It's Jennings who has passed on.

Still Alive
With two of these old-timers gone now (Kristoferson and Cash), this classic record is a must-have for those who want to keep the memory of old southwestern cowboys alive.These sun-beaten and rough-living, yet kind and honorable men are an all-but-gone breed who worked with and lived off the land instead of destroying the desert to build it up and make it like Everywhere, USA.A great piece of America has been lost, yet the Southwest still lives on through the distinct and beautiful voices of Willie, Waylon, Johnny, and Kris.

Mellowed with Age
Listeners of any age will probably enjoy the boys getting together to sing a few, but we older people get the special treat of learning that some things, at least, actually improve with the passing years. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Pop    4. Traditional Country   

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (7)

Some GREAT Tunes, Some So-So, Bare Bones Packaging but Still a Good Duets Collection of Johnny and June
JOHNNY CASH & JUNE CARTER CASH: 16 BIGGEST HITS is a decent collection of songs, some are excellent, some are just okay. If the song list looks interesting to you, then you will probably enjoy this CD. This record company has a whole line of 16 BIGGEST HITS that they do for many of their artists, so this is the one for Johnny and June.
A great disc to own.....and, a word of caution
This disc comes highly recommend. OR, another containing the same material......however, not both [unless you are a 'completist'].
PRETTY GOOD IDEA .
Its funny, in all the years that I have been a fan of Johnny Cash I never considered a "greatest hits" of John and June duets. Interesting. Actually, to tell you the truth I never knew there were that many to fill an album. While Junes appearances lighten up a few CASH tunes, I never really considered that she was responsible for much of his sixties chart success.. (not to be mentioned the fact that SHE wrote the song RING OF FIRE..)
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Subjects:  1. Country    2. Pop    3. Rock & Roll    4. Rockabilly    5. Traditional Country    6. United States of America   

Editorial Review

With its breakout single, "Feels Like It Should"--a high-octane driving anthem in which he sings of putting "the Boss" on the radio and singing along to "Born to Run"--Pat Green leaves no doubt about this album's primary influence. The opening title track offers hard-riffing guitars over hard-driving drums in another Springsteenesque anthem of love's redemption. The rest of the album is strong and consistent enough that it could well catapult Green to the sort of nationwide popularity with both country and rock fans that he enjoys in his native Texas, where what started as a grass-roots following among the college crowd has turned him into an act capable of filling stadiums. Whereas his material once extolled the joys of living in Texas and drinking beer, he now displays a lot more range and maturity, with the heartfelt balladry of "Dixie Lullaby" eulogizing his father and a duet with Sara Evans on "Finder's Keeper" reinforcing his country credentials. Producer Don Gehman worked with John Mellencamp on many of his biggest hits, with the combination of Stonesy guitar and country fiddle on "Won't Let Love" evoking that artist's musical progression. What Springsteen is to New Jersey and Mellencamp is to Indiana, Green could become to Texas. Read more

Reviews (10)

Is this really pat?
I'm a long-time Pat fan but am not impressed by this CD.There are a couple of good songs, but the majority are soulless.It sounds like Pat spent too much time with a vocal coach which has him singing in a generic voice.My wife thought it was someone in Pat's family singing but not him.There are a few songs where Pat sounds "right" but not in most of them.Not worth the money.

Sounds Just Like It Should!!
This is a great CD! People who say Pat Green "sold-out" are the same people that would complain if he churned out CD's that all sounded the same. When you're on top, people want to see you fall and some people are bothered by him earning a wider range of success. The music is great, it's just not like his early stuff. He writes songs about where he is in his life and he's grown up just like you'd expect. But the new songs are still the great sing-along in your car at the top of your lungs quality we love Pat Green for.

A consistently good country/rock performer
Pat Green has matured; you only have to listen to the first five songs on this album to tell that.Maturity hasn't mellowed him much, though--he still sings passionately, with all his heart...now, however, it's about love and life instead of beer and partying.
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Subjects:  1. American Trad Rock    2. Contemporary Country    3. Country    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock   

Editorial Review

The recordings Johnny Cash started making for Rick Rubin's American label in 1993 launched a journey through the Great American Songbook--from traditional tunes to alt-rock--that continued until, literally, the end of his life. What wasn't known at the time was that Cash had anticipated the Read more

Reviews (38)

downunder
What a pleasant surprise to have even more material available from the Man in Black. Even after nearly 50 years of an amazing career this album is a must for any true Johnny Cash fan. It depicts an earlier incarnation of the American series of recordings concept. He did these because he wanted to (as usual) & it shows.

Sacred and secular, this is the real Johnny Cash
The hype on these long-lost home tapes is that they were unheralded precursors to the stripped-down, raw-boned "American Recordings" series that sent Johnny Cash's cool quotient through the roof in the 1990s... In a sense that's true, although I would argue that these recordings are a different sort of creature altogether... Where the "American" albums were a calculated bid to present Cash as a back-to-basics country avatar, an icon for the college rock scene to revere, these earlier tracks were, as the title implies, a much more private affair.
A Most amazing evening
I purchased this at the recommendation of a friend. I sat and listened to this double set end to end. Touching, at times I cried. Johnny Cash is one of those people that can bring you to your emotional knees. Intonation, wording, just plain folk singing. I was suprised that the religiosity wasn't a facctor despite my common seizure like response.
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Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country-Pop    3. Pop    4. Traditional Country    5. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Read more

Reviews (107)

This is cool stuff !!!
Bored with all the lame rock stuff out there? I saw some television special on this band and they are very interesting. They are talented and play a form of music that nobody else their age does.
A very different offering
I really love this CD! it is one of the most diverse collections of music I have ever heard. Nickle Creek break from their blue grass roots here and come in to their own. It is also worth noting that this is the first album without Alison Krauss at the production helm. The blending of their voices, and the virtuosity they have is incredible. Helena, When in Rome, Sara's cover of Dylan's Tomorrow Is A Long Time and Best of Luck are my favorites. I also like Somebody More like You as it features Sean's voice. Yes, this may disappoint some fans that were expecting a little more blue grass, but it has inspired me as a musician to think outside the musical box.

Wildly Overrated
I know that fans of the band will click furiously that this review is "not helpful" because it doesn't sing Nickel Creek's praises, but so be it.
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Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Bluegrass    3. Contemporary Bluegrass    4. Contemporary Country    5. Country    6. Pop    7. Progressive Bluegrass    8. Singer/Songwriter    9. United States of America   

Reviews (1)

Dave's really taking off.
Another excellent release from this former member of the "Trophy Husbands". Dave's a smart writer and his brand of "Americana Country" is gritty and versatile. I see a great future for him. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Neo-Traditionalist Country    3. Pop   

Reviews (4)

Mark Chesnutt tips his hat to his heroes

Another Winner from Mark Chesnutt
If you've been waiting for some REAL country music, your CD has just arrived! Mark's never sounded better than he does on this new cd.The first single is off and running as the title track of the disc, the Marshall Tucker classic "Heard It In A Love Song".This is without a doubt one of the best versions I've heard of this great song.Other standouts are Mark's take on the George Jones under-rated song "A Day In The Life Of A Fool" and his cover of Tammy Wynette's "Apartment #9".Mark's latest cd will not let you down!

Heard Another Honky Tonk Chesnutt
Prime Cuts:You Can't Find Any Kissers, That Good That Bad, Lost Highway
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Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. New Traditionalist    4. Pop    5. United States of America   

Reviews (13)

Most enjoyable
First the bad news - the title track is terrible. Singing is not the forte of these gentlemen. But picking is. Which brings us neatly to the good news - the playing is excellent. To an ex-inhabitant of Oz, the medley "Waltzing Matilda"/"The road to Gundagai" (the NSW country town unfortunately spelt incorrectly) was especially enjoyable.
The Day Finger Pickers Took Over The World
I bought this cd for my father for fathers day. I was raised listening to Chet and Doc Watson and various bluegrass. This is a great album. 100% bonafied finger pickin' heaven.

Tr�s bien ...
J'aime bien cet CD.Tommy et Chet sont de tr�s bons artistes.Ce CD s'�coute tr�s bien mais je trouve une peu trop "country" certaines plages. Un 8 sur 10 quand m�me.Bravo! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Country-Pop    4. Instrumental Country    5. Pop    6. Traditional Country   

Editorial Review

As a superstar who's revered by both the young country audience and traditionalists, Alan Jackson is at his finest when he's steers clear of trifles like "Chattahoochie" and takes those youngerfans to school. Here he does just that by paying respects toHank ("Midnight in Montgomery"), swearing allegiance to George Jones ("Don't Rock the Jukebox"), and calling out all those newcomers who've decided it's time to get twangy now that country's hot ("Gone Country"). All of it pales next to "Here in the Real World," however, as perfect a honky-tonk weeper as mainstream Nashville has produced in 30 years. Read more

Reviews (54)

My Favrote
i got this CD when i was 5 and i still have it i have gone to all of His concerts (in miami) and i absoloutely love Living On Love. i have listend to this cd for a long time it has to be one of his best ever!!!

Excellent buy
The CD is comprised of some of the best songs Alan Jackson has sung.It's one big hit after another.Great to sing along to.

Lovin' It
This is a great collection of hits.It's great to be able to buy these cds where you like every song on the cd and not just one -- that's why I but the collections of hits, but then you can't go wrong with Alan Jackson! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. New Traditionalist    5. Pop   

Editorial Review

In the late 1950s and the '60s, country music was essentially a singles medium. This album, first released in 1967 and reissued on compact disc in 1988, collects Patsy Cline's biggest hits--all of them from the country singles market--including "Walkin' After Midnight," "Sweet Dreams (Of You)," "Crazy," and "I Fall to Pieces." Producer Owen Bradley surrounds Cline's full-throated, emotionally charged vocals with lush, sophisticated arrangements that set the standard for Nashville's "countrypolitan" sound. Before Shania Twain found a new (though not necessarily improved) way to combine country and pop in the 1990s, this was the top-selling country album of all time by a female artist. Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (16)

Emotive CD
A wonderfully emotive Cd for those of us who were youngsters in the fifties and sixties - how many of us have danced to Patsy's music with our sweethearts?

Patsy Clline's Greatest Hits
A lot of her big hits, I enjoyed having so many on the same CD

Oh that Voice!
If there is one musical genere I dislike, its Country. Give me some Bluegrass, yet Country music just doesnt reach me. But then there is Patsy Cline, whos voice alone is absolutly breath-taking. Even though these tracks were mostly recorded in the 1960s,I still think that she is one of the best Country singers of all time. Some of the material is a bit dated, as evidence with a little doo-wop thrown in, yet these are a great collection of songs. I encourage people to see to put down thier Britney Spears, Christine Agularia, and Jo-LO CD's, and try on some Patsy Cline for a real amazing voice. No, this isnt going to want to make you groove, but its a voice that has to be heard. This one is a true classic in any music genere. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan    4. Pop    5. Rockabilly    6. Traditional Country    7. United States of America   

Editorial Review

A poll-winning fiddler since her teens, Alison Krauss was an established bluegrass star when her label persuaded her to step out from her usual projects with Union Station, her crack band, and sanction this compilation of various band and solo guest performances. The ploy worked, yielding a wonderful, odds-beating crossover hit with Krauss's cover of "Baby, Now That I've Found You," a carousing late-'60s pop chant transformed into a delicate, vulnerable declaration of love. Focusing on Krauss's lovely, yearning soprano, the track elevated the musician above her resolutely democratic role in her quintet, catapulting Krauss to the biggest bluegrass success story in over 30 years. Krauss has stayed true to her bluegrass roots, as well as to Union Station, but this cross-section of contemporary bluegrass songs, joyous gospel, and canny rock covers testifies to the young artist's luminous appeal. Read more

Reviews (109)

A City Boy Gone Country
I must admit this CD was in my shopping cart for quite a while given its genre.I finally make the plunge when I needed it for free shipping and the first time I played it, I couldn't believe the beautiful purity and fullness of her voice.
Overrated
I've heard all the hype about Alison Krauss and her musical influence on artists such as Nickel Creek.I wanted to see what I was missing out on given Alison's reputation and tried this as my introduction to her music.This highly rated CD was a major disappointment to me.She sounds like a little kid singing and all but a couple of songs sound the same.A little too country style for my taste.

Perfection
I admit, I'm not a huge country fan or bluegrass fan...but, Her voice! It's so clear and perfect.I get chills each time I listen Alison Krauss.A few of my favorites on the album are "Baby, Now That I've Found You", "Sleep On", "In The Palm of Your Hand", and of course "When You Say Nothing At All."Yes, I'm a casual fan, but there is absolutely nothing casual about her voice...its pure perfection! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bluegrass    2. Contemporary Bluegrass    3. Contemporary Country    4. Country    5. Country & Western    6. Pop    7. Progressive Bluegrass    8. Traditional Bluegrass   

Editorial Review

In an age when the old-timey soundtrack to Read more

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (35)

Not the greatest
I purchased all 3 volumes of this set, and vol 2 & 3 are much better. Vol 1 is 80% instrumental, I prefer more vocal.

The Circle stays unbroken
With this rerelease a new generation can relearn the tradition of pure country that has influncenced not only nashville purists but rock as well. Much as John Hammond preserved blues traditions, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has recorded tradional songs with tradional artists that would have been forgotten to this generation raised on Nashville star and American Idol. The importance of this music can be seen in the resurgence of traditonal country music and and its impact on rock and roll in the movie "Walk the Line" where the two are virtually inseparable in Sam Phillips Memphis and the million dollar quartet.This Album is a must for anyone interested in the history of country,rock or pop music.

Great but lacks a bit of the magic of the original vinyl
This is great American music and I fully agree with all the previous rave reviews that so eloquently praise this performance. I am giving it 4 stars only because the 30th anniversary discs digital transfer though good was not all I had hoped it would be. If you have ever heard this disc on vinyl you would know what I am nitpicking about. I wish the producers had given this disc all the attention it so justly deserves. Hybrid SACD stereo would have been ideal, but even standard CDs can reproduce a bit more of the magic once heard on the original vinyl. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Pop    3. 70's    4. Bluegrass    5. Country & Western    6. Country-Rock    7. Folk    8. Progressive Bluegrass    9. Traditional Country    10. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Though Kris Kristofferson has long seemed ageless, the approach of his 70th birthday plainly has the songwriter looking back, taking stock and coming to terms with his legacy and his mortality. The result is his most consistently compelling release in decades, as well as his most stripped-to-the-bone intimate. The spare production by bassist Don Was captures Kristofferson in all his rough-edged, plain-spoken, and big-hearted glory, with occasional support from guitarist (and longtime Kristofferson compatriot) Stephen Bruton and drummer Jim Keltner putting the focus on songs that combine the poetic grace of Kristofferson's early classics with a conviction that has grown stronger with the passing years. "Wild Americans" offers a roll call of outspoken heroes--from American Indian activist John Trudell to country maverick Steve Earle--while "In the News" lambastes the very concept of a holy war. Yet it's the spiritual side of Kristofferson that really touches the soul, from a father's wonder at the "Holy Creation" of his children's birth to the bittersweet benediction of "Thank You for a Life." With the title cut, "The Last Thing to Go," "The Show Goes On," and "Final Attraction," he takes a look back at the life of a troubadour and decides that, for all the bumps, this road has been one of incomparable rewards. The listener shares the riches. Read more

Reviews (36)

Just plain fantastic
So full of integrity, craft, sweetness, sadness, and passion.I want to listen to it constantly.And now that I have the whole thing nearly memorized, "How can I keep from singing?"

Kris Kristofferson's Old Road
Anything Mr. Kristofferson does recording wise is always super.He needs to keep those CDs coming out.

Glad He's Back
It's really good to see Kris has slowed down enough to write again.Usually when they start releasing greatest hits albums and tribute albums ("The Pilgrim"), the singer is over the hill, but he has proven it wrong this time (so has Merle Haggard and, of course, Dylan).Hope he keeps writing and singing forever. By the way, one of his best songs ever, in my opinion, was on the first "Highwaymen" album.It's called "Here Comes That Rainbow Again", inspired from a scene in "The Grapes of Wrath".Check it out. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country-Rock    3. Pop    4. Progressive Country    5. Singer/Songwriter    6. Soft Rock    7. Traditional Country    8. United States of America