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COUNTRY,
BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIMEY
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The
Johnson Mountain Boys -> The Judds
| THE JOHNSON MOUNTAIN
BOYS |
Rounder 0225 |
Let The Whole World Talk |
● CD $15.98 |
A sparkling album from this tradition oriented band,
featuring Dudley Connell's emotion drenched lead vocals and guitar, David
McLaughlin's mandolin, Eddie Stubb's fiddle, Richard Underwood's banjo and
Marshall Wilborn on bass. This band has had a growing reputation for some
time now and the reasons for it are more evident on this album than on the
previous 5 Rounder offerings. Songs and tunes include Let The Whole
World Talk/ He Said If I Be Lifted Up/ Virginia Waltz/ Maybe You Will
Change Your Mind/ Shouting In The Air/ Beneath Old Southern Skies and
6 others. (RP)
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| THE JOHNSON MOUNTAIN
BOYS |
Rounder 0246 |
Requests |
● CD $15.98 |
This compilation of most requested numbers from this popular
and highly respected contemporary bluegrass band should prove quite
popular--and with good reason. The selections offered here are bluegrass
staples--and the performances, with the exception of the unfortunate
arrangement of Black Eyed Susan, are first rate. Songs and tunes: I
Could Change My Mind/ Standing In The Need Of Prayer/ Don't Worry ('bout
Me)/ Cry, Cry, Darling/ Bluegrass Twist/ Unwanted Love/ Working On A
Building/ Blue Yodel #1/ Cold And Windy Night/ I Don't Love You Anymore
and Black Mountain Blues. (RP)
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| THE JOHNSON MOUNTAIN
BOYS |
Rounder 0260/61 |
At The Old Schoolhouse |
● CD $15.98 |
Recorded live in 1988 and designed as their farewell
concert, this set documents the sound of perhaps the most popular
bluegrass group to emerge in the 80s. The sound of the Johnson Mtn. Boys
has always been determinedly traditional, anchored in excellent, if not
flashy instrumental work. Particularly fine are Eddie Stubbs on fiddle
and latecomer Tom Adams on banjo, with bassist Marshall Wilborn and
mandolinist David McLaughlin's convincing lead and harmony vocals. But it
is Dudley Connell's emotive vocals that have given the band much of its
appeal, as on Let The Whole World Talk, the closest thing to a hit
a traditional bluegrass band has had in years. An impressive farewell bow
from a band that will be sorely missed.
(RP)
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| THE JOHNSON MOUNTAIN
BOYS |
Rounder 0293 |
Blue Diamond |
● CD $15.98 |
14 tracks, 38 min., recommended. These guys have long been
considered the saviors of traditional bluegrass; there's no arguing with
their taste, drive, or tight ensemble playing. Tom Adams (banjo) and David
McLaughlin (mando) are two of the hottest tradition oriented players
around. Eddie Stubbs is an exciting bluegrass, swing, and honky tonk
fiddler, and Dudley Connell is an impassioned lead vocalist. The song
selection here is outstanding, featuring classics from The Stanleys, Hazel
Dickens, Jean Ritchie, Connie and Babe, the Ray Price standard You Done
Me Wrong, along with Bob Dylan's Only A Hobo, which fits in
very nicely, and Buck Owen's There Goes My Love. My favorite is Duncan
And Brady, unearthed by Connell, who oversees the Smithsonian/
Folkways collection. (RP)
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| THE JOHNSON MOUNTAIN
BOYS |
Rounder 11509 |
Favorites |
● CD $15.98 |
CD-only compilation of best tracks from five Rounder LP's -
20 tracks.
|
| GEORGE JONES |
CBS Special Products A 21679 |
The Songs I Wanta Sing |
● CD $7.98 |
I guess you could call this is a "concept
compilation" disc. George has selected 10 of his own favorite songs,
packaged here in a low price release. Recorded between 1972-1980, includes
The Race Is On/ Bartender's Blues/ I'll Take You To My World/ She Loves
Me/ We Can Make It. Nothing here that isn't previously released, but
it's a decent introduction to George's middle period songs. (PG).
|
| GEORGE JONES |
Epic EK 34692 |
All Time Greatest Hits, Vol 1 |
● CD $9.98 |
Good remakes of classics from his lengthy career
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| GEORGE JONES |
Epic EK 35544 |
My Very Special Guests |
● CD $9.98 |
This disc, originally released in 1979, features 10 duets of
George with top stars of country and pop. Highlights include Bartender's
Blues with James Taylor, I've Turned You To Stone with Linda
Ronstadt, and Stranger In The House with Elvis Costello. Other
guests include Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Tammy Wynette, and Waylon
Jennings. Billy Sherill adds his tasteful production skills, and George
seems to be having a good ol' time on this recording. I really like this
one, an unusual addition to anyone's country collection. (PG)
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| GEORGE JONES |
Epic EK 36586 |
I Am What I Am |
● CD $9.98 |
Excellent 1980 set
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| GEORGE JONES |
Epic EGK 38323 |
Anniversary Ten Years Of Hits |
● CD $11.98 |
22 songs recorded between 1972 and 1982 - We Can Make It/
A Picture Of Me/ What My Woman Can't Do/ Once You've Had The Best/ Old
King Kong/ I'llJust Take It Out In Love , etc
|
| GEORGE JONES |
Epic EK 39899 |
First Time Live |
● CD $9.98 |
Nice set recorded live at Music Village in Hendersonville,
Tennessee in October, 1984. George is in good form and good spirits on
this set - No Show Jones/ Fox on the Run/ I'm Not Ready Yet/ Medley of
Old Hits, etc
|
| GEORGE JONES |
Epic EK 40776 |
Superhits |
● CD $11.98 |
Nice idea to pull together some of George's best 80s work
with Billy Sherrill, including the still haunting Grand Tour from
1974 along with the now classic He Stopped Loving Her Today (1980),
Bartender's Blues/ Tennessee Whiskey and the more recent Who's
Gonna Fill Their Shoes . Stupid idea to include the upteenth remake of
White Lightnin'/ Why Baby Why/ Window Up Above and A Picture Of
Me (Without You) . As usual for major labels, they fail to mention
anywhere on the album sleeve that the latter four songs are remakes. (RK)
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| GEORGE JONES |
Epic-Legacy E2K 52451 |
The Essential George Jones - The Spirit Of
Country |
● CD $24.98 |
Two CD career retrospective featuring 44 songs. 32 page book
includes detailed notes by Rich Kienzle, song info and rare and historic
pictures.
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| GEORGE JONES |
Hollywood HCD 110 |
Sings Leon Payne |
● CD $8.98 |
Compact disc reissue of Musicor 3204 from 1971 less two
songs. One of country's greatest voices sings the songs of one of the
greatest songwriters. Includes They'll Never Take Her Love From me/
Blue Side Of Lonseome/ With Half A Heart/ Let A Little Lovin' Come In/ The
Selfishness In man, etc. Satisfactory sound.
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| GEORGE JONES |
Hollywood HCD 389 |
14 Greats |
● CD $8.98 |
A fine, if slightly odd, collection. The first track is his
brilliant Epic recording of If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Your Memory
Will) but the rest features late 60s/ early 70s Musicor recordings -
mostly other artists' hits including Hello Darlin'/ Almost Persuaded/
Talk Back Trembling Lips/ Don't Be Angry/ Once A Day/ All I Have To Offer
You, etc.
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| GEORGE JONES |
Hollywood HCD 402 |
Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 |
● CD $8.98 |
9 tracks, 23 min., fans only. This hits compilation has
"budget" written all over it - no notes, skimpy selection and
sound quality that would even be substandard for a cheap cassette tape.
But there's no faulting these 9 heartbreakin' songs, which include World's
Worst Loser/ When I Woke Up From Dreaming/ Just A Girl I Used To Know/
It's Funny What A Fool Will Do, the oldtimey classic Ragged But
Right and Hank Williams' Wedding Bells. Companion volume to
Hollywood 389. (MB)
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| GEORGE JONES |
MCA MCAD 10398 |
And Along Came Jones |
● CD $9.98 |
Earlier this year Jones left Epic Records, where he'd been
making classics with producer Billy Sherrill for 20 years, being one of
the few country artists Sherrill didn't screw up with the schlock formula
production. Now, aided by Randy Travis's producer Kyle Lehning, George has
his finest new album in years. Lehning really hasn't changed much since
the basic fiddle and steel sound George used for years is again part of
the mainstream. This reaffirmation of his musical roots includes domestic
tragedies ("Where the Tall Grass Grows" "She Loved A Lot In
Her Time" and the masterful "You Couldn't Get The
Picture"), flippant honkytonkers ("Honky Tonk Myself to
Death") deliberately wretched novelties ("Heckel and Jeckel"),
and ballads dripping with pain ("I Don't Go Back Anymore,"
"Come Home to Me" and "Angels Don't Fly"). Ray Price
and Jones co-wrote "You Done Me Wrong," a hit for Price in 1956
(the original's on the Columbia Ray Price anthology previously reviewed in
this newsletter). At 60, seemingly free of the bottle for good, George
remains country music's greatest singer. This album proves it. (RK)
|
| GEORGE JONES |
Razor & Tie RE 2065 |
Homecoming In Heaven |
● CD $11.98 |
12 tracks, 33 min, recommended. This reissue of U.A. 6219,
also from 1962, seemingly has George welcoming and talking to God in a
place halfway between heaven and a honky-tonk. These 12 gospel tunes, with
Peace In The Valley & Wings Of A Dove reprised from the
previous Country Cousins LP (U.A. 6218), show our hard-living country
singer praising the lord for showing him the righteous path, courtesy of
songs from fellow honky-tonkers, J.P "Big Bopper" Richardson,
Darrell Edwards, & Willie Nelson. Would that life was so easy. While
not as convincing as his tearjerkers, and with hokier arrangements, about
a trillion times more palatable than the Amy Grants of the world.
(JM)
|
| GEORGE JONES
& GENE PITNEY |
Bear Family BCD 15790 |
George Jones & Gene Pitney |
● CD $21.98 |
31 tracks 77 minutes. fans only In 1965 producer Pappy Daily
had moved George Jones, his # 1 cash cow, from United Artists to the new
Musicor label. Musicor was also the home of melodramatic pop singer Gene
Pitney, known for true pop classics as Town Without Pity and 24
Hours from Tulsa. Daily and Musicor President Art Talmadge (a former
United Artists exec) put the label's two biggest artists together for four
Nashville sessions together. 20 songs, or nearly two LP's worth of
material. It seems that the honkytonk king and the teen pop idol got along
well enough, singing in their own styles. It's a reach, however, to call
the results worthwhile. Jones fans won't find anything bad, and Pitney
fans won't be offended either, except for a dreadful Louisiana Man
with honking tenor sax. There's simply not much going on here but garden
variety Nashville sound fare of the mid-60's. Filling out the album are
George's solo hit version of Love Bug and Pitney's entire solo
country effort, The Country Side of Gene Pitney, recorded in Nashville
with the Jordanaires. Most of it's not even as good as the other material,
at worst, Pitney's voice, strong on pop material suited to him, is often
gratingly abrasive, particularly on I Can't Stop Loving You. The
logic behind the music is seldom hinted at and at best, Michael McCall's
notes are shallow and unrevealing by Bear Family standards (couldn't he
have talked to Pitney?). In the end, there's nothing here that anyone
can't live without, except for hardcore Jonesphiles or Pitney freaks. (RK)
|
| GEORGE JONES
& TAMMY WYNETTE |
Tee Vee 6005 |
The President And The First Lady |
● CD $10.98 |
20 tracks, 52 mins, recommended In the 70s George and Tammy
had hit after hit with many soulful songs and this 20 track collection
features a terrific selection. Highlights, for me, include (We're Not)
The Jet Set/ Someone I Used To Know/ After The Fire Is Gone and We're
Gonna Hold On. Other fine songs include Take Me/ We Loved It Away/
Livin' On Easy Street/ Golden Ring and others. The only real clinker
si the maudlin The Ceremony. (FS)
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| GRANDPA JONES |
King KSCD 5102 |
28 Greatest Hits |
● CD $10.98 |
Retrospective of Grandpa's King recordings - Mountain
Dew/ Eight More Miles To Louisville/ Old Rattler/ Time, Time, Time, Time/
You Done Me Mean & Hateful/ Chicken Don't Roost Too High/ Are You From
Dixie/ Old Rattler's Treed Again/ Our Fathers Had Religion, etc.
|
| GRANDPA JONES |
MCA MCAD 10549 |
Country Music Hall Of Fame Series |
● CD $10.98 |
Though Uncle Dave's sound was similar to that of Grandpa,
since both sang and strummed five-string banjos, but Jones developed his
own style independently. Without question, Grandpa's essential recordings
are those he cut for King Records from 1946-1952, most of them
unavailable. This set of his complete 1956-1958 Decca recordings includes
one of only two chart hits he had in his entire career: the satiric,
Elvis-inspired All American Boy (a hit for Bobby Bare under the
name Bill Parsons). The rest of the Decca sides were varied, ranging from
new versions of King sides like Mountain Dew and Eight More
Miles to Louisville, original compositions and novelties. One tune, Falling
Leaves, is issued here for the first time. Since he cut only 15 songs,
to fill out the collection, a never-heard live version of Cindy
from a 1956 Grand Ole Opry performance rounds this set, one of the better
ones in this group of releases, out. (RK)
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| THE JUDDS |
MCA 11518 |
River Of Time |
● CD $9.98 |
Just when you thought the Wynona and Naomi had taken their
trendy Southern fashion plate images to the point of barf, they come up
with a briliant effort that is as close to perfection as they've ever
gotten. This set of love songs come from various composers, three of them
co-authored by Naomi and John Jarvis is so well assembled every song fits.
From Paul Kennerly's One Man Woman to the Kennerly-Ken Robbins
number Young Love with its smalltown perspective. They use a witty
Dixieland backing on Not My Baby and on both Cadillac Red
and the Carl Perkins-Paul Kennerly-Brent Maher Let Me Tell You About
Love, go rockabilly complete with hot guitar from Perkins and
Carribean accompaniment on Mark Knopfler's Water Of Love, guitar
from Knopfler himself. The loving traditionalism of Guardian Angel
is innocent, moving and satisfying. Their best in years, maybe ever. (RK)
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