Honky-Tonk Music

How do you not like Junior Brown? This is classic stuff: Highway Patol, My Wife Thinks You're Dead, and awesome duos and fabulous instrumentals.
It's the whole package. If you're only going to buy one Junior Brown CD, I'd suggest this one.

I first became acquainted with Mr. Brown on
Austin City Limits, which at that time (in my
area of the good 'ole US of A was still showing
acts worth watching (Webb Wilder, et, al). I
was blown away watching plunk the strings on
that 'thang' he calls a 'Guit-Steel'! It's so
Country, it's well, Anti-Country! But just to
prove he hasn't strayed too far from the farm,
Junior has Jimmy Rogers original cut as the
closer. I loved it! Pick Up On It!

This (debut?) album is possibly the best country-cross-over album since Gatemouth Brown's (no relation, except musically) "Black Jack" and "Makin' Music" duet album with Roy Clark.

Jr. Brown has a pleasant baritone voice, about which he's reasonably modest, and a sense of humor about his material which recalls both Willie Dixon's blues writing and mainstream country writing of the 50's and 60's ala George Jones. Check out "You're Wanted by the Po-lice [pronounced like that, two sylables]. and My Wife Thinks You're Dead".

THEN listen to what's going on instrumentally on the rest of the album, BEFORE you tackle the all-instrumental "Sugarfoot" and "Guit-Steel", because, otherwise, you WILL be picking your lower jaw off the floor. Surf? Hawaiaian? Hendrix quotes? Chet Atkins? Texas swing? Sonny Rhodes? Black southern "sacred steel guitar"? He's got it ALL in the mix there.

The ONLY REAL country album I've listened to repeatedly, in the last decade...

rfgs

Damn if that isn't the TRUTH. Junior Brown is a GOD. A GENIUS. He puts what passes today for "country" to shame. Lately, his recordings haven't measured up to the quality of this or his other, earlier recordings, but so what. This man loves the classics and does very well by them. The fact of the matter is that to truly appreciate Junior you MUST SEE HIM PERFORM LIVE. It is an experience you cannot forget, and once you see him, you MUST see him and hear him OVER AND OVER AGAIN. There are simply no words to describe his blistering guit-steel skills - they have to be seen and felt to be believed. Consider yourself lucky if and when Junior comes to your town. If rocking, roadhouse country is your thing, do WHATEVER it takes to see him!

Who is this madman with the big hat and where did he learn to play like that? What an awesome cd!!! If you ever see him on Austin City Limits, you will be amazed.

Country the way it was meant to be.

Joe Ely was probably 3 or 4 albums into his career before my old record collecting pal Pat in Oklahoma turned me onto him in 1980. After hearing his brilliant synthesis of Country, rockabilly,Tex-Mex and R&B I had to have everything he had recorded up until then, right away. Several dollars later I was the proud owner of both LPs and 8 tracks so I could enjoy Joe Ely at home or on the road. Now many years and many fine recordings later I find that this recording,Joe's second releasese is the one I listen to the most. It contains all of the elements of his music listed above, and he was backed by one of the hottest bands he ever had. There's no filler here, but the songs I love the most are 'Because Of The Wind', 'Boxcars" and 'Fingernails". You can't miss with any Joe Ely release (well you can, but they're out of print) but here's where I started and you won't regret hearing this talented Texan's early work either.

Any progressive country collection that doesn't include this album and at least one of the other four albums Ely cut for MCA from 1978-1982 has a serious gap in it.

Ely has absorbed the influences of fellow Texans like Buddy Holly and Waylon Jennings and gone on to produce some of the best honky tonk, Tex-Mex, rockabilly music of his generation.

This, his second album, includes songs written by former Flatlanders bandmates Jimmie Dale Gilmore ("Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown") and Butch Hancock ("Boxcars" and "West Texas Waltz"). But While Ely would on almost all of his albums rely on these two songwriting pals for great songs, Ely's songwriting is equally strong. He begins the album howling at that big, yellow "Cornbread Moon," and later cries in his beer at that "Honky Tonk Masquerade" and eventually brings down the house with the greatest song Jerry Lee Lewis never wrote, "Fingernails."

Ely's signature sound is provided by bandmates Lloyd Maines on pedal steel and Ponty Bone on Accordian.

At only ten songs and 34 minutes, this album may seem skimpy, but this is the kind of music you wish you could hear in your favorite smoke-filled honky tonk as you put back a few cold longnecks. HIGHLY Recommended.

In 1978--the year after his stunning self-titled debut--Joe Ely released the best album of his career, HONKY TONK MASQUERADE. Except for a raucus version of Hank Williams' classic "Honky Tonkin'," all of the songs on this album (like his debut) were either written by Ely or fellow Lubbock, Texas songwriters Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Ely's own tunes run the gamut from honky tonk ("Cornbread Moon"), lonesome ballads ("Because of the Wind"), to barrelhouse rock 'n' roll ("Fingernails"). Each song is a classic--even Hancock's two-steppin' "West Texas Waltz" will keep things lively on the dance floor. In addition to the terrific songs, Ely's crack band (especially Ponty Bone on accordion and Lloyd Maines on pedal steel) makes this a memorable listening experience. It's been almost thirty years, but this album has lost none of its power. If you don't own anything by Joe Ely, this is the place to start. [Running Time - 33:57] ESSENTIAL

Joe Ely was (and still is) a hugely talented singer and musician who always did things his way. In the late seventies, he recorded three classic country-rock albums. His debut album was untitled, while his third was Down on the drag. In between came this one, which was the best of the lot. Joe's music did not fit easily into any radio station's play list, being too country for rock and too rock for country, but he did visit the UK a few times during the late seventies and acquired a cult following, although it seems that the main interest lies in those first three albums and, to a lesser extent, the fourth album, Musta notta gotta lotta.

Joe Ely wrote many of his own songs but also recorded some fine covers. Often these covers were of songs by fellow country-rockers Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, both of whom have reciprocated by covering Joe's songs. Thus, this album is made up five songs by Joe, three by Butch, one by Jimmie and just one other song, the Hank Williams classic Honky tonkin', which is ideally suited to Joe's style.

The musicians are Joe Ely (acoustic guitar), Lloyd Maines (steel guitar), Steve Keeton (drums), Gregg Wright (bass), Ponty Bone (accordion and piano), Jess Taylor (electric and acoustic guitar), Chip Young (electric and acoustic guitar), Shane Keister (Moog and acoustic piano) and Farrell Morris (percussion). There aren't many singers who would use such a selection of instruments, but that's what makes Joe's music so distinctive.

Cornbread moon is a great up-tempo song to open the set. Because of the wind is a beautiful ballad. Boxcars is a bluesy train song. Jericho (your walls must come tumbling down) is a great upbeat song with biblical metaphors. Tonight I'm gonna go downtown is a wistful ballad. Honky tonk masquerade is a great cheating song. I'll be your fool is a wonderful ballad. Fingernails is a great song about playing the piano. The brilliant blues-rocker and pianist, Marcia Ball, later covered Fingernails for her album, Blue house. West Texas waltz always, a lightweight, fun song, reminds me of Lucille, the Kenny Rogers classic, because of some similarities in parts of the melodies. Play them back-to-back and you'll understand what I mean. Honky tonkin' rounds off the album brilliantly.

If you only buy one Joe Ely album - indeed, if you only buy one country-rock album - make it this one. Note that this album has also been released as half of a twofer, the other half being his excellent untitled debut album.

used to hear all trhese songs on the radio ... back in the 60's n early 70's .... this is some good listening ...

Dad has this CD, and it didn't take me long to realize that I wanted it in my collection too. This is good, fun music.

My dad was a Roger Miller fan, I have been for 40+ years and now my 12 year old daughter is a huge fan. It says a lot for music when it can appeal to such a broad spectrum across the generations. Thanks Roger for the great music.

Roger Miller first made his mark as a songwriter when Andy Williams recorded his song, In the summertime. As a singer, his earliest successes were with novelty songs like Dang me.

When Roger started writing more serious songs, he really hit the jackpot. The song he is best remembered for, King of the road, describes a man who needs somewhere to sleep overnight. He hasn't got any money but he is willing to do two hours' work to pay for his bed. Another of his classic songs, England swings, describes his image of London as he saw it in the sixties. I don't think London was really as he describes it even then but it's a great song. Walking in the sunshine is another joyful song. Contrast those songs with Husbands and wives, a very sad song about marital problems.

Having been grateful to others who recorded his songs while he was struggling, Roger did his bit for those that followed. He helped Kris Kristofferson by being the first singer to record Me and Bobby McGee, a song that has since become a country standard but also made the pop charts when covered by Janis Joplin. He also recorded Little green apples, written by Bobby Russell.

Roger had five hits on the British pop charts (King of the road - a number one hit, Engine engine number nine, Kansas city star, England swings and Little green apples). He had an even greater number of hits on the American pop charts and more still on the country charts.

This compilation of Roger's music contains all his essential hits, together with covers of other classic songs. Although the best single CD of his music is the fill priced compilation, All time greatest hits, this budget collection will suffice for most people.

NOTE - this review is linked to more than one Roger Miller compilation. My review refers to the British release on the Spectrum label.

It's okay, but I would have preferred the originals. My fault because I neglected to listen to the samples.

The Faron Young Cd I just didn't care for. I only liked one song on it.

Some of the Greatest Songs of one of the Greatest Country artists of all time. There will never be anyone to match his voice and style.

Wonderful CD. Faron Young just the way I like him. Every song was as honky tonk as I hoped or as we always say,"Good Beer Drinkin Music."
Jodi S.

This CD showcases some of Faron's best known Capitol recordings, including his four number ones. I walked into a meeting one day and heard Faron singing. One of my employees had bought this CD and played it as a tribute to me. Was I thrilled! For anyone who enjoys classic country and wants a taste of Faron Young, this is the CD to buy.

"Your Old Used To Be" is the only one of Faron's songs his wife--Hilda--helped him write. Johnny Paycheck (Faron's frontman, then known as Donny Young) sings harmony on this recording.

You won't hear anybody like Faron on the radio today...He was, and is, a true original...his wink and smile even on a sad song tells you "it ain't so bad"...unfortunately, his life was not as happy as his sound and grinning face when he did what he truly loved...entertaining. It is sure good to know his music is still able to be found. This CD is a great start to get to know a true entertainer...who never sang a song he didn't make his own.

Ferlin Husky produced a small number of crossover Country to Rock hits. Among them, Gone is an exceptional Roots-Rock ballad. But the rest of the album is pretty mediocre Country. So if you want easy access to Gone and a couple other Ferlin Husky hits, buy the CD. If you want an album that you can sit back and enjoy all the way through, this isn't the one for you.

Excellent. Brought back memories of high school more than 50 years ago.

Only if you're a fan of his music can you appreciate this CD. It brings back many memories. A great buy

This is a very old CD. The reason I bought it is because of my favorite song from my childhood - Wings of a Dove. Somebody needs to remake this song.

Ferlin Husky. What a name. What a voice. I had fallen hard in love for the first time and had just broken up for the first time. "Gone" was popular. At 16 I knew it had to have been written just for me. I hadn't heard it or thought of it for years. Hearing it, I'm 16 again and my heart is broken again (snif). For me, there's no other song quite like it. The rest of the album is wonderful too, but "Gone" - Damn! Give me a Kleenex will ya?

I have never heard a lady sing so beautiful, like Loretta Lyn does. She has the voice of an angel,singing these songs,just like she would be singing them personally to God. The song The Third Man, will make you cry, because it is true all the words in it. How Great Thou Art has never been sung before,with so much love,and realism like she does it. There will never be another singer who could touch the voice of Loretta Lyn. She is the best lady country singer we ever had. I do own her original album.

I've owned the LP version of this CD for a bunch of years, and was delighted to find it remastered on CD. I assume this album was recorded some time in the sixties. Certainly it's Miss Lynn at her vocal best. Her voice is strong in all its vocal range. The hymns on this CD represent traditional songs sung in small churches like the one I was raised in. Actually, I'd have bought it just to have 'If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again'. I recall seeing on the 'Biography' broadcast on Miss Lynn, that Tammy Wynette was with her when Miss Lynn's mother died, and this was the song she sang to comfort herself. All the songs are terrific in my view, maybe a little too plain spoken for today's young generation, but it's traditional country at its best.

I had never heard of Amber Digby before listening to and buying this CD. I'm a devoted fan now. This is without a doubt the best Honky Tonk album ever.

Excellent product and from what I here from this CD Amber will be going a long way her talent.

I first heard Amber Digby on XM13 (Willie's Place - formerly Hank's Place) on satellite radio, and was immediately taken by her Texas honky-tonk inspired voice. This release has some her very best stuff, including "I'm Ashamed Of You", an XM13 staple. For those of you who haven't heard her, and like traditional music, you're in for a treat.

The three top female singers in country just happen to have started in the 60's, although today, remain the three most influential careers of the genre. The late Tammy Wynette soars here with her vocal talents still intact, especially with "Silver Threads And Golden Needles". Loretta Lynn is classic country and outshines everyone on "Please Help Me I'm Falling". Kitty Wells joins the trio for her trademark, "It Wasn't God Who Made Hony Tonk Angels", and the great Patsy Cline joins the ladies for "Lovesick Blues". Dolly's incredible vocals as well as writing talents are displayed on "Sitting On The Front Porch Swing" and "Let Her Fly". There's not a bad cut on the whole disc. With all due repect to the late Davis Sisters, the three performing "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know" is pure country magic. I only wish CBS records would release a follow up, I have read many more songs were recorded. Fans of the late Tammy Wynette would be "in heaven" to hear more from 'The First Lady Of Country Music'. If you enjoy original, classic country, this is a must !

When this album was released, I wondered if the title should have been titled Custer's last stand. After all, none of these wonderful ladies were getting much airplay on American country radio and it seemed that their careers were finished. This album sold surprisingly well considering the lack of airplay. As things turned out, this album was the last major success in Tammy's career - she only recorded one more album (appropriately, a set of duets with George Jones) before her death. Loretta eventually had another major success with her 2004 album, Van Lear Rose. Following a quiet period in the mid nineties during which time her albums sold poorly, Dolly has been consistently successful with several successful albums. So my pessimism was (thankfully) unjustified.

This album is firmly rooted in traditional country, with all three having their share of lead vocals. Most of the songs are country classics. It wasn't God who made honky tonk angels was the song that made Kitty Wells a major country star of the fifties. Kitty joins Dolly, Tammy and Loretta on this rendition.

Put it off until tomorrow was written by Dolly in the sixties. It was a big country hit for Bill Phillips back then and was again a big hit when the Kendalls revived it in the early eighties. Dolly has recorded it several times, solo and with others.

Silver threads and golden needles was first recorded by Wanda Jackson but was a top twenty pop hit in America for the Springfields (with Dusty as lead singer) and was later revived by Linda Ronstadt.

Please help me I'm falling is a cover of the Hank Locklin classic, though Janie Fricke's version of this song is even better. Wings of a dove was a huge American hit for Ferlin Husky. I forgot more than you'll ever know launched the career of Skeeter Davis, although she was then part of the Davis sisters.

Wouldn't it be great is a Loretta Lynn song that she had previously recorded on her own. That's the way it could have been was recorded in the seventies by Tammy - it was also recorded as a duet by Kenny Rogers and Dottie West.

Lovesick blues is the old classic first popularised by Hank Williams (though his version was a cover). Patsy Cline also covered it and she makes a posthumous guest appearance on this track thanks to the wonders of technology.

I dreamed of a hillbilly heaven is an old Tex Ritter song, adapted for the time it was recorded. There are just two songs that were new to me when I bought this - Sitting on a front porch swing and Let her fly and they are both brilliant.

Any fans of traditional country in general or any of the three singers in particular will love this album.

I really love this CD. I combines the talents of three legends of country music and is an absolute stand-out. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone to likes any or all of the singers featured (Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, and Loretta Lynn)or to anybody who likes classic country music. I had this on cassette when it first came out in the early 90's and didn't get around to getting the CD until recently. I'd really missed this great music. Hope you enjoy it too!

Put this cd on and close your eyes, and you're in Pure Country Land. Beautiful, tuneful soulful sounds that country fans can't get enough of....Play this when you're glad, when you're sad, when you're up, when you're down, when you're in love with life and when you think life has dealt you a cruel blow. Just get it and play it!

This is one of the best CDs. Having 3 Legends team up. WOW!

This 1958 album is a great mix of for-real rural-rooted country music and first-generation rockabilly. Jackson is just such a great singer! The half-dozen country-oriented bonus tracks make this reissue even that much sweeter. Recommended!

This sterling reissue of Jackson's eponymous 1958 debut shows just why she is so highly regarded by both straight-ahead country and rockabilly afficianados. Jackson straddled multiple styles, often pairing country ballads and rockabilly on opposite sides of a single. Capitol's reissue is a treasure chest sporting original cover art, bonus singles and B-sides, detailed liner notes, and period photos.

Jackson's debut showcased her country side, including covers of Kitty Wells ("Making Believe") and Jim Reeves ("Just Call Me Lonesome"). She tackled everything from an early Don Everly ballad ("Here We Are Again"), to top-40 ("Happy Happy Birthday," a hit for the Tune Weavers) and sophisticated standards ("Let Me Go Lover," previously waxed by Peggy Lee). She turned uptempo for a trio of scorchers, including a pair of '50s standards ("Long Tall Sally" and "Money Honey"), and the incendiary anthem, "Let's Have a Party." Bonus tracks include the first-ever recording of "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" and a cover of Chuck Willis' bluesy "Let Me Explain."

Backed by world-class picking from Buck Owens, Joe Maphis, and Ralph Mooney (among other luminaries), Jackson is utterly authoritative on everything she sings. This, and the accompanying "Rockin' With Wanda," are equally essential.

4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional reviews.

I bought this album after realizing that "Riding With Private Malone" was recorded by the same man who sang "Thinkin' Problem." I was only six when the latter was a hit, so David Ball wasn't really on my radar until Private Malone came along. After discovering that the two songs were recorded by the same guy, I wanted to look into more of his music and was very pleased with what I found.

Some reviewers in the past have complained that Ball is "too country," but I personally consider that a good thing. Ball's sound falls somewhere between the neotraditionalist sound of George Strait and Mark Chesnutt and the classic honky tonk tradition of Hank Williams and Bob Wills.

There are some really fun upbeat tracks and some good old fashioned cry in your beer sad songs, as well as a few that strike a bit of a middle ground. Overall, this album may not be for fans of the more pop oriented brand of modern country, but for those who love the tradition of the genre you would be hard pressed to do better than this.

This is a very good collection of music. My dad loves the corvette song. He misplaced his copy and I had to replace it for him. Its the only CD that he listens to in his car.

If you are looking for something towards the more traditional county, then this is for you. Really not twangy, but just a pure county. I only checked out David Ball after his "Private Andrwe Malone" song. But I really go for a traditional county flair. But after listening to the rest of the Cd I saw that it was just what I was looking for. A more traditional county style. Actually after listening to this CD I went further and checked out his previous CD's and they are along the same, traditional county and please get them. I hope he does have another CD come out cause I am waiting.

Somewhere along the way I started listening to the so-called "alt-county" and to a number of Texas-based artists. David Ball, while not really in the alternative category, is another one of those distinctive voices from Texas who deserves a close listen because he not only has a parcel of talent as a singer and musician but also understands and studies tradition and form.

Mr. Ball, a vocalist who does not aspire to be another Nashville hair-hat clone, belts our some great stuff on "Amigo." He is smooth without being trendy and tells some great stories without resorting to gimmicks. The band performs flawlessly, whether adding a pedal steel flourish, a touch of Mariachi horns, or some honky-tonk piano.

"Amigo" is indeed a friendly sort of albums, full of tales of drinking, lost love, soul searching, soldiers, and other themes that resonant from the heartland. There is nothing harsh here but rather a collection of tunes that require a bit of volume and possibly some toe-tapping. And what a collection of songs---a dash of everything from ballads to swing, to the type of real country that floated across the AM radio back in the '60s.

This music is fun to play for your friends who don't like---or claim not to like---any country music in any form. If you can hijack the car stereo on a road trip and calm them down enough so they actually listen, they might just like it, too.

(I guess because it's such a big place that Texas can conjure up folks as different as the 13th Floor Elevator, Ray Wylie Hubbard, The Gourds, Lyle Lovett, Stevie Ray Vaughan, ZZ Top, MojoLingo, Breedlove, and Asleep at the Wheel, and still have room for David Ball.)

I don't buy a lot of music anymore - Johnny Cash and the Oakridge Boys were my kind of country. I heard "Riding.." on my way to Tennessee so with an old vette in my past and my second son with a LAR Marine unit in Iraq it touched me deeply. Strangely enough I like almost all the other songs too. Amazon is great, as always. I'm one of those 10% that don't live within 15 miles of a WalMart so it was the only place to shop.