Traditional Pop Music

This CD is striking in so many ways....1969...the height of "flower power" and political turmoil over the war....the "Summer of Love"...and along comes a soft spoken Texan with nothing but his mind, heart and guitar to elevate us and to show us a higher truth. Certainly Our Mother the Mountain, The Old Quarter etc. are Townes' masterworks but this one shows a purity, sparseness and "less is more" than even The Old Quarter. This is my favorite Townes album, only a few songs, but maybe its better that way..his picking is precise and rhytmic but not clinical......his voice at age 26 (?)is strong, controlled and has a tinge of bittersweet at times...the sound is wonderful...of course the songs themselves are timeless and pure genius in my opinion...the imagery of "She Came and She Touched me" is nothing short of magical, the lilt of "Like a Summer Thursday" is like a snowflake dancing on a breeze. Tecumseh valley of course, needs no comment. I think this is the best version. Man Townes, what a gift you had and gave to us...God bless you...

This CD may not contain Townes Van Zandt's best known material, but taken in the context of when this performance was recorded the song selection makes sense. Townes was 25 when this was recorded at Carnegie Hall and hadn't written many of his most famous songs yet, therefore other reviewer's complaints that he didn't play "Pancho and Lefty" can be dismissed as ludicrous. If Townes hadn't written the songs yet, he couldn't have included them in his set (!). The previously unreleased "Talking KKK Blues" is Townes at his spoken blues best. The sound on this CD is phenomenal and what is striking is the way he projected in a concert hall like Carnegie Hall. I guess this struck me because I'm so used to hearing his live recordings in tiny dives like the Old Quarter in Texas or McCabe's guitar shop in California. Townes' voice was in top form and his guitar skills were also top notch during this time period, and while his song selection for this gig was his more subdued material I don't find this to be negative. This recording was lost in the shuffle between record labels but now that its been released it serves as a valuable document of Townes' early years and his budding genius. Despite the fact that the songs here could be classified as rarities, I would go so far as to say that this would be a good introduction to Townes Van Zandt's music. His humor and personality shine throughout the performance and it is refreshing to hear him at the peak of his powers.

If you want to listen to some early TVZ live you will enjoy this album. It's almost like a boot leg with his talkin' in between his songs. TVZ at his best and not apparently wasted on the wind.

This is my 3rd TVZ live album (others: Rear View Mirror, Live at McCabes) and it is very very good. Compared to the others that I have heard the two things very different about this album is that one, it is a very very young TVZ (25 year old) and secondly the large audience. A typical TVZ concert usually were to small audiences. My only complaint is that he sings only 6 of his "songs", the rest being a joke, talking blues and a cover.
All in all, an excellent album. And now I can't wait for the release of the mythical Live at the Old Quarter

This 1969 half-hour concert in NYC gives the young Townes a showcase for early work. He sings eight of his own compositions, two of them in the "talking blues style." He tells a joke. And he concludes with a movingly performed rendition of Peter LaFarge's "Ballad of Ira Hayes." While Townes' version of this famous story/song is not quite as good as LaFarge's own, or Johnny Cash's hit single, it has a quiet power. In fact, the concert suffers most from the fact that Van Zandt's song choices are all mellow. He probably had not yet written his livelier songs, such as "Two Hands" or "To Live is to Fly" or "No Lonesome Tune" or "If I Needed You" or "Rex's Blues." None of those are rockers, but each is a bit quicker than the material on "A Gentle Evening." As a picture of Townes' early in his career, this is a good product, with good sound quality. As a folk/country listening experience, it's a bit uneven, a bit too gentle, somewhat dated, and yet a bit too short to be worth the price. A better value is "High, Low and Inbetween" which also includes a second LP from the '70's, "Late Great Townes Van Zandt" (He became "late" on New Year's Day, 1997, so the title is satirical.) As to WHEN Van Zandt became "great" opinions differ, but that he WAS a "great" songwriter, most serious singer/songwriter fans are in agreement. On this release, by the way, he is in fine voice, better than on his later records, in my opinion.

The electric guitar innovator gets the Rhino treatment with this 16-track collection of Imperial, Rumboogie, Capitol, Atlantic, Comet and Black & White sides. This is by no means the definitive collection of Walker's work, but it does serve as a nice retrospective of his 1945-1960 output.

If you were born after 1960, a little refresher is in order. T-Bone Walker influenced at least two generations of blues guitarists. Albert Collins, Freddy King, Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughan and the late Stevie Ray Vaughan are but a few. For those who think of "Stormy Monday" as an Allman Brothers song, think again. And Eric Clapton didn't create "Mean Old World."

This compilation serves as a nice primer. It includes the aforementioned classic "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday's Just as Bad)" and "Mean Old World Blues." Also featured are "Papa Ain't Salty," "How Long Blues" and "The T-Bone Shuffle" and many more.

As usual Rhino offers the listener extensive, well reseached liner notes (this time by Billy Vera). The booklet comes complete with rare pictures and individual track information (personnel, songwriting credits, chart position, etc.). Kudos to Rhino for doing an excellent job, This compilation rates a strong B+. However, T-Bone merits more than 16 songs. A two CD set featuring some well-chosen rarities and underappreciated gems would have made this an A+ offering.

Nice introduction to the work of T-Bone Walker! He was one of the best of the bluesmen. The liner notes from the CD provide nice background to Walker's work. Many heard him live when he was well past his prime, not knowing the full skills of his art.

Even two songs illustrate. . . .

"Bobby Sox Blues" was an early popular song of Walker's. The backing group supports his singing well. He displays a smooth singing voice. The song itself spoofed the teenagers' giddiness over Sinatra and Eckstine.

And then there is his iconic ""Stormy Monday. . . ." This is one of the great blues tunes. Walker's voice serves this song well. The backing instruments have a clean sound and back the singer very nicely. The liner notes say that "If T-Bone had done nothing more in his career than write and record this one tune, his esteemed place in the history of American music would be guaranteed." His singing emphasizes classic lines such as:

"They call it Stormy Monday,
But Tuesday is just as bad.
Wednesday's worse,
And Thursday's also sad."

All in all, then, this is a fine introduction to the work of T-Bone Walker.

A lot of compilations have a title similar to this one, "the best of someone or other", yet still leave a lot to be desired.

That's not the case with this excellent Rhino collection, however. It may not be the definitive word on Aaron Thibeaux Walker (you'll need the two Capitol/Black & White and Imperial box sets for that), but it is the best single-disc retrospective available, and if you are looking for a really good sampler of T-Bone Walker's music, this is it.
Almost all of Walkers best-known songs are here, including his self-penned classics "They Call It Stormy Monday", "Mean Old World" and "I'm Still In Love With You", and "The Very Best Of T-Bone Walker" is an ideal starting place for the curious or the casual fan.

With this album and Don Quixote, Gordon Lightfoot approaches the zenith of his songwriting, fully achieved in Sundown and Cold on the Shoulder. As others have said, there are many classics here -- some known and others not so much. While "Summer Side of Life" and "Cotton Jenny" are justly well known, there are other, lesser known songs here that make my jaw drop open whenever I hear them: "Talking in Your Sleep," "Go My Way," "Miguel" among them.

This CD is also interesting in Lightfoot's canon because of its decidedly Canadian and yet country sound that is, in a subtle way, unlike anything else he's done. I also like the country vocal choir employed periodically throughout and used to great effect.

I do have quibbles though: I think the second half of the CD is just not as strong as the first half. There, I said it. Having said this, I must add that a Lightfoot album with a couple of lesser songs on it ("Cabaret" "Love and Maple Syrup") is still worlds better than 99% of what's out there.

Finally, I agree with some other reviewers: If you like Lightfoot, you must own this. Forget the compilations. I've been listening to the CD (and before it, this album on vinyl) for 30 years now. It is great music, timeless music.

This is a great CD, probably his finest. Ironically, "Cotton Jenny" - the one song that most will be familiar with - is the weakest song here. The second "side" in particular is far more diverse than most Gordon Lightfoot tends to be. Songs like "Same Old Loverman" and "Love and Maple Syrup" are just as good if not better than his singles from the era. Even if you have the Complete Greatest Hits, this is well worth owning!

Gordon Lightfoot's 'Summer Side of Life' released in '71 was his seventh album overall and his second under the Reprise label. Continuing his rise in popularity in the U.S. this -11 track- collection contains many memorable tunes, some of the best being; 'Miguel', 'Cotton Jenny' and my personal favorite, "Talking In Your Sleep.'

From the ethereally plaintive 'Talking in Your Sleep,' to the romp of 'Cotton Jenny,' this is quintessential Gordon Lightfoot. I'm haunted by 'Ten Degrees and Getting Colder,' but it's a good haunting. This is one of the earlier great 12 string songs that Gordon has continued to pour out over time. The 'Summer Side of Life' itself is a subtle treatment of the Viet Nam experience that combines Folk with soaring Gospel. 'Nous Vivons Ensemble' seems to be from another era, but still draws your attention, and Miguel has a warm and catchy riff that you find youself tuning back to...

In some ways it's a period piece, bringing you back to 1970. This is clear in the Cotton Jenny riff at the end of each verse (after the wheels of love line) - it actually has a late 60s pop feel. Above all 'Talking in Your Sleep' stands as timeless. It could fit in today's music, and is the crowning work of this collection.

The other songs have their points, it may just take a little longer for them to sink in, as is sometimes the case with Lightfoot. You start out with two or three hooks and end up wanting to listen to almost everything. I would have bought it just to hear the following verse "Now he's traded off his Martin, but his troubles are not over, for his feet are almost frozen and the sun is sinkin low."

Buy this CD right now! If "Miguel" isn't one of the top 100 most beautiful songs ever written on the planet Earth, then I've never ever heard a gorgeous Gershwin or Cole Porter or Lerner & Lowe or Paul Simon or Bob Marley or Woody Guthrie or Joni Mitchell or Bob Dylan or Lennon & McCartney song in my life!! Curiously, "Miguel" isn't on GL's relatively recent 4-CD boxed set (which is complete craziness!). The rest of this album features some of Gordon's most compelling writing, as well, with "10 Degrees and Getting Colder," "Cabaret," "Cotten Jenny" (a textbook example of metaphorically perfect lyrics), "Nous Vivons Ensemble," and "Talking in Your Sleep" being absolute keepers. From 1966 to 1982, Gordon put out about 12 perfect albums, where you wanted to hear every melodic, literate, high-quality song (with no "filler" on any of the records). Summer Side of Life is definitely one of the "magnificent dozen!" But "Miguel," all by itself is worth the price of the CD. By the way, I'm a songwriter myself, and I guarantee I would sell my soul to old Mr. Scratch and/or any of his minions for the privilege to have written such a compellingly memorable tune!!!

In celebration of the National Finals Rodeo's fiftieth anniversary, Sony BMG Nashville/Legacy's gathered together fifty songs of cowboys, their Western lives and the frontier landscapes they roam. Spread across three discs are artists closely associated with cowboy music, including Gene Autry, The Sons of the Pioneers, Roy Rogers, Red Steagall, Don Walser, Chris LeDoux, Don Edwards, Riders in the Sky, and Michael Martin Murphy, as well as dozens of country artists who reach back to a time before Country & Western split into two genres. Much like rodeo's sometimes tenuous relationship to the working life of a cowboy, the characters depicted in these songs are often romanticized images of a cinematic West. That's not particularly surprising given that most of these songs are songs about cowboys rather than by cowboys, written in retrospect decades after the closing of the frontier. Many served as nostalgic soundtracks to baby boomer films and television programs of the 1950s, and some as modern day odes from subsequent generations of misfits and outlaws.

Cowboy and western themes - independence, the fulfillment of work, tranquility and loneliness on the range, the human bond with horses, dangers on the trail, and the rough lives of nomadic societal misfits - have remained remarkably consistent across increasing distance from the mythologized source and seven decades of changing musical tastes. Circling back from Brooks & Dunn's electric "Cowboy Town" to Gene Autry's acoustic "Back in the Saddle Again" one finds little instrumental similarity, but the fresh air of hard work and personal freedom creates a link between them. The independence and orneriness of cowboys proved a natural draw for both the original outlaw movement and its revivals, with songs from Waylon Jennings, Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver, and Jessi Colter ranging from reflections of fellow travelers to hero worship.

The call of the West stretched beyond country artists to the Irish flutist James Galway, who waxed an early-80s cover of "The Wayward Wind" with vocalist Sylvia, and Canadian folk singer Ian Tyson, who recorded the traditional "Leavin' Cheyenne." Tyson's original "Someday Soon," memorably recorded by Judy Collins in 1969 is featured here in Suzy Bogguss' superb 1991 hit cover. Most important to the survival of cowboy music over the decades is the enduring nostalgia for Western archetypes and the music itself, with missionary artists Don Walser, Don Edwards, and Riders in the Sky building careers expressly to keep old songs alive. Contemporary country artists borrow the nostalgia for an occasional remake, such as the Outlaws rock-reworking of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" or for an opportunistic pairing, such as Clint Black and Roy Rogers' duet, "Hold on Partner."

Though the bulk of this set is collected from the 1960s and 1970s, disc three is peppered with some some hard-charging modern country. As the program moves through tracks by Tracy Byrd, George Strait, Lonestar and Brooks & Dunn, it becomes evident that this collection is both a document of songs about the west and the soundtrack to modern-day rodeo events. Montgomery Gentry's cover of "Wanted Dead or Alive" probably fires up the crowds, but as an historical document it harkens back more to Bon Jovi's 1986 original than the Old West. Given the set's dual identity, one can note that the omission of works by Tex Ritter and Jimmy Wakely (not to mention Glen Campbell's "Rhinestone Cowboy," though perhaps it was too ironic or simply not available for cross-licensing), but there are plenty of rodeo-themed songs here, including works from actual cowboys Rod Steagall and Chris LeDoux. In contrast to compilations that cover cowboy music as a cherished historical artifact, Legacy's set shows the music still earning its daily keep at the rodeo. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]

I got the album when it came out in '69 and have listened to it ever since. Never boring. Always beautiful. If I were stranded on a desert island with only five albums, this would be one.

This recording, along with one made by Tim Hardin (Tim Hardin 3 Live in Concert), demonstrated a path that I wish late 1960's pop musicians would have followed more often. Joni Mitchell produced some fine work in this genre ~ jazz styling of popular tunes. It is a tradition that springs in part from Billie Holiday's work with small ensembles. Mose Allison also comes to mind.

If you like this genre, whether from artists doing there own material or doing covers, this is a recording from Tim Buckley that I strongly recommend. Tim Hardin's live recording is another one you should have.Tim Hardin 3 Live in Concert

As much as I love Tim Buckley's first two albums, this is where he really finds his true voice, heading into jazz territory with an open heart. From the first note to the last, his emotions are naked, deep, filled with yearning & loss & soaring joy & regret, often at the same time. And that magnificent voice! It plumbs the depths, it touches the skin of heaven, and it conveys the experience of several lifetimes as it caresses & shapes each word like a master sculptor. The music itself is a match for its singer, melodic & inventive, surprising the listener with sudden unexpected changes & shifts. But for all the experimentation going on, the songs themselves never get lost. This is a timeless work, one to be heard again & again -- most highly recommended!

The absolute summit of Tim Buckley's career. This is the most haunting, lovely, stunning album ever. It will take you to places you've never been before and leave you wanting more.

The story of Tim Buckley has a disquieting familiarity - dead at 28 he had already been through the classic cycle: raw prodigy, hot property, creative disillusionment, unpopular experimentation, and bitter confrontations with industry executives. Of the many gems produced during his brief, intense career - Happy Sad shines most brightly.

Buckley emerged fully formed as a folk singer, one of many at the time. With a 12-string guitar that rang out lush and strong, and an astounding voice dancing far and wide across a 4-octave range, he made for a very compelling one-man show. Buckley's voice was slightly reminiscent of Steve Winwood's; it had that same choirboy spirituality. Some of his high notes were simply chilling.

By the time he made Happy Sad, Buckley was looking for a milieu that melded jazz and folk - no easy trick, but he manages it flawlessly here. This CD feels very integrated, the otherworldly sensibility flows seamlessly from one track to the next. That said, he is clearly taking creative risks, jazzy detours that did not endear him to his folk following. Using his voice both as a storytelling vehicle and improvisational instrument, Buckley jams with the other players, most notably the ethereal vibes of David Friedman.

In Happy Sad, Tim Buckley seems bound and determined to avoid generating hits suited for airplay, almost as if he is deliberately thwarting studio executives. This was his most commercially successful project, however, that is not saying a great deal.

Find a rainy day and a person you love, nail the door shut. There is a special magic in this CD that doesn't come along very often. While Buzzin' Fly and Gypsy Woman stand out, every moment of Happy Sad has something wonderful to tell you.

Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme are the swingenest couple and these are thier swinginest sides!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome songs, great jazzy arrangements and perfect voices!!!!

The newest incarnation of this CD is on the GL Music Co. label out of Las Vegas. The recorded sound is first-rate; and Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence are in top form. Although every song is not a winner, as far as my own tastes go, I found about two thirds of the material most enjoyable. I especially marvels at both singers remarkable breath control and unwavering ability to stay on pitch. I'm glad I got this CD. I continue to find pleasure in it even after several spins. Please make every effort to avoid the Curb label version of this CD. On that version the sonics are tragic.

as usual, curb records destroys what should have been great music! the sound is like something coming out of a barrel.spend the extera bucks, and go with another label.

These sides are culled from an lp on a small label from the early 60's. This cd features tunes from the swing era with a great swing big band, Steve & Eydie never sounded so GREAT. They sing And The Angels Sing and Bie Mir Bist Du Scheon, with spirit. I'm obnly 16 years old but when I was 13 my Grandparents took me to Las Vegas and we saw Steve & Eydie, they were great and so is this cd. Ignore the ignorant one atr reviews and belive this sassy 16 yo girl, who knows what she's talkin' bout baby...

After reading another review of this CD, I expected to hear a terrible-sounding disc, but it sounds just fine to me. The choice of songs is good, and the price can't be beat.

Probably the last great piece of work of Judy Garland's life caught on tape before her death, "Judy Garland...Live at the Palladium with Liza Minnelli" is a DVD everyone who loves music should own. Not only do you get two fabulous entertainer's together, but the music is ageless and enthralling.
Recorded on November 16th, 1964 in London, England, the DVD features the mother/daughter duo of Judy and Liza and shows not only are they two of the greatest singers, but it shows the love they have for one another. Liza was only 18 when this was filmed, but she performs like a complete pro, while Judy shows she still has the pipes and the presence. Liza looks amazing with the black hair parted at the side, and I have to say I really like seeing her pre-"Cabaret" look. However, you can tell Judy has aged. She was only in her early forties, but obviously having her variety show on CBS cancelled just eight months before really took its toll on her. Nevertheless, she proves she's still the entertainer everyone loves. I love her wittiness and banter with Liza and the audience, and she especially loves it when the fans help her sing "Over the Rainbow". Watch Liza's expression as she watches her mother perform this song. There is absolute love in her eyes for her beloved "Mama".
The DVD features songs with both Judy and Liza together, as well as solos. The best performance I think is the first number Judy does to open the concert, "Just Once in a Lifetime". It gives me chills whenever I watch this. Other great songs covered are "Just in Time", "Hello, Dolly', "The Man that Got Away", "San Francisco", and "The Music that Makes Me Dance". You get 12 full songs along with 2 great medleys. You will watch this over and over.
The quality of the material looks aged as the producers didn't clean the original print, but once you get into the concert your eyes will be fixated on these two legendary performers. You will not be sorry you bought this DVD.

This is a Show That must be seen, if you weren't in London at that time, here is your chance to see two great Talents on the same Stage. Judy always at her best and Liza following in the Garland Tradition, one Show Stopper after another, you will feel like you are right there.

This dvd gets better every time I view it. Judy is not at her singing best, but it truly shows the love Liza had for her mother. And it shows that together they would have been the most awesome act ever. (if after Liza's eventual success they did this alot)

But in reality the dvd film itself is quite bad in a cinemagraphic (sp?) way. Its b and w and very very amateurishly done as if a fan had done it for free ... lol. But to see Liza get bravos from a London crowd in her first concert with her mother-WOW.

Judy Garland's Palladium performance remains a historic event as she shares the spotlight with Liza Minnelli. This 1964 concert displays the undeniable chemistry between mother and daughter, which makes for a powerful and intimate experience. Transferred from video to film for British television, the rough-edged broadcast adds to the live atmosphere. Reportedly, the unedited video recordings may come to light in a future DVD release.

Judy Garland appeared with her daughter Liza Minnelli at London's Palladium Theater on November 16, 1964--and the crowd went wild. Together Judy and Liza weave a magic spell over their audience not to mention anyone watching this excellent DVD of the portions of the concert that were televised on British TV.

The auspicious Garland overture signals Judy's turn to take the stage; she belts out "Just Once In A Lifetime" and "Just In Time" with all the panache of a showbiz legend. Judy never misses a note and her sitting at the piano for "Just In Time" creates an intimate one-on-one mood with her audience so that she could lead them wherever she wanted them to go. Excellent!

Liza Minnelli fans will enjoy Liza singing several songs on this DVD; she performs the classic "Gypsy In My Soul;" It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Who's Sorry Now." One Amazon reviewer writes that at times Liza seems gawky and not at ease with the audience to the extent that her mother is--but, of course, Liza was a mere eighteen years old when this was filmed. We need to give Liza credit for doing as well as she did-- especially when she was paired up with her legendary mother. Working with her mother onstage must have presented a challenge to Liza; Judy Garland was tough to follow. Indeed, after one song Liza comes back on stage and says "How can I follow that?" Of course, this was a scripted line; but it was truthful, too.

Judy shines throughout on this concert DVD; she does duets with Liza and sings several more songs solo. Judy and Liza do a magnificent job with a medley of "Hooray For Love/After You've Gone/By Myself/S'Wonderful/How About You?/Lover Come Back/You And The Night And The Music/It All Depends On You." Wow! Judy sings other classic ballads with flair, grace and self confidence; she sings "The Man That Got Away;" "Music That Makes Me Dance;" San Francisco" and more.

In addition, Judy helps the audience to do a very moving sing-along duet with her of "Over The Rainbow." The audience clearly enjoys it after initially being a bit shy.

The footage is rather good although there are imperfections on the image apparently due to technical problems that could not be resolved before the release of this DVD. The sound quality remains excellent throughout.

If you want to see Judy Garland at the top of her game with her daughter Liza very ably assisting, this is the DVD for you. I highly recommend this DVD for Judy and Liza fans alike; and fans of classic concerts in general on DVD won't be disappointed.

Enjoy!

Although I'm an atheist, the Staple singers represent for me the expression of the greatest joy gospel can produce. This particular album is a peak, where music and voice of men and women definitly belong to beauty, which is to me the one and only meaning of a so called god. So I still believe in music, good times and emotions, and such artists help a lot to live in such a mediocre and low lifeprice world.

A number of these songs (#2,7,8,12,15,16,17 eventually,19,20,24,26) lean into the Funky Blues; an indication of the hard funk they would come to explore in the 70s. The rest are solid Folk arrangements, that intriguingly, could easily have been picked up by Elvis Presley for one of his Gospel albums. A young Mavis hits THAT note on "Old Time Religion," "I Know I've Been Changed" and "My Dying Bed"! While "Masters Of War" is one of Pops most impassioned vocal performances. Clocking in a few seconds shy of 79 minutes, this is essential Staples Singers, especially for those into their folk roots.

This is an outstanding CD. Although not every track is a gem, the best tracks are absolute classics. Highhlights include "New Born Soul", "I Know I've Been Changed", "Motherless Children", "Old Time Religion." This is actually a combination of two long out of print albums. Mavis Staples sings beautifully throughout, and when the songs and arrangements are good she shines even brighter. Heartfelt gospel harmonies, guitar accompaniment by Papa Staples, tasteful accompaniment by bass and drums on some tracks. This CD has long stood the test of time in my collection.

This album is the very best of the very best of the marvelous Staple Singers. Virtually every cut is jewel-like. They do Dylan's "Masters of War" better than he does. Much as I love how the Staple Singers do Dylan, this album is about gospel and it is a brilliant showcase. Listen especially to "A Dying Man's Plea" and the superb rendition of "Swing Down, Chariot." This is an album to be savored again and again over the years.

Great Day is the link between the Born-in-Bethlehem stone gospel " Vee-Jay" Staples (PRAY ON)... and their classic and timeless anthemic 60's FOLK-HIPPIE-SOUL message songs like Respect Yourself, and I'll Take You There
Simply exquisite heavenly music. I found a CD copy in Japan ...probably 15 years ago now...after having worn out a few vinyl copies.
This music will live on forever... Could angels in heaven sound any more beautiful than Pops, Mavis Staples, and her brother and sisters Pervis, Cleotha and Yvonne?
There's a very strong secular raw blues and west african vibe here that takes the spiritual level far above expectations. In the lyric on "PRAYING TIME" Pops breaks into a riff singing "You go and I'll go with you" straight out of Howlin' Wolf, and Sonny Boy Williamson then the kids kick in an otherworldly backup: "My Lord!" Scary and riveting.
Every song is a wonderful gem and they all segue into eachother beautifully, but I agree with the reviewer who singled out DYING MAN'S PLEA especially Pops guitar and delivery on that solo intro is so pure... Robert Pete Williams, Blind Willie Johnson...then the stone soul gospel groove kicks in.("one kind favor i'll ask of you... 'see that my grave is kept clean, dig my grave with a silver spade, ease me down with a golden chain...") Whee-ew!
Oh yeah and have another listen to the organ on " I Can't Help from Cryin' Sometime" (played by Maceo Wood) Holy Smokes(!) this is some kind of FUNKY magic. Hypnotic and haunting. GREAT DAY just sounds better and better as time goes by.

I listen to his music and I can't help but close my eyes and remember the good times in my life. I get the same warm and fuzzies when I watch a Jimmy Stuart or Bing Crosby Movie. They just don't write them or sing them like this anymore. If you can listen to "Nobody But You" and not feel a tug in your heart....you need to check for a pulse!!!!

I have the Anthology album, and I've listened to it too many times to count. If this were an LP, I would have worn it out by now. Don Williams is my all time favorite country singer. I never get tired of hearing his songs. They always seem to put me in a good mood. Too bad I didn't discover him until after he stopped touring in 2006! It would have been great to hear him in concert. The only thing that's missing from this and many other albums, is "To Be Your Man". It's one of my favorite songs that he sings in Smokey and the Bandit 2. I'll watch that movie just to hear that song. (and Charlotte's Web by the Statler Bros.) I would recommend the Anthology album to anyone who likes Don Williams.

Don Williams is always good, sometimes even great! I've got 10 of his CDs, and I enjoy them all, even though there is a lot of song overlap between albums. Who cares? They're all good!
Take care...

Don Williams has always been one of my favorite artists. This 2-disc collection contains everything I could want from him, with songs like "Good Ol' Boys Like Me," "Nobody But You," and "Listen to the Radio." You could listen to this for hours-even days-and never grow tired of it. Williams is one of the great artists of all time, and any fan of his needs this album.

What fun to hear these songs again. The sound is great, and Amazon delivery was first rate.

An alblum from the past that is as good today as it was then. If your old record player is gone with the past, you can start over with CD's and if you are a Burl Ives fan this should be your first purchase.

Many of the old favorites that I listened to growing up on the old 78's, but now there is no clicking, hissing, and all the other noises that came from the worn old records, just the clean clear voice of Burl Ives. If you love these old songs, this is a great disk to have.

My parents had this album and "The Return of the Wayfaring Stranger" when I was growing up. We used to listen to them when we went to bed. I loved it and we wore the records out. I have been searching for Cd's of this for years and really hoped that they would be released so that I could share these with my children. They are part of this country's history through song and deal with life as it was and is.

This is a nice acoustic album. Just Burl and his guitar on most songs. There are some additional songs added to this Cd that were not on the original album. They don't quite fit in with the original style, but they are still good.

This CD along with "Return of the Wayfaring Stranger" are truly gems of Americana. It is a such pleasure to listen to these songs which Ives performs in the way that they must have been sung originally.

If ever there was a perfect distillation of the art of folk ballad singing, this is it. There's no pretense here, no big point to prove. Just the clear folksy voice of Burl Ives and an unobtrusive guitar. The intimacy of the setting allows you to savor the material for itself, even as Ives makes the material his own. Regardless of its age or origin, or of the subsequent commandeering of many of these ballads by popular folk groups, each song in here becomes a Burl Ives Song, just as much as "One for my Baby" or "September of my Years" became irrevocably a Frank Sinatra Song. (It may be no coincidence that both Ives and Sinatra also gained recognition as actors - there is a definite feeling of an actor's commitment and identity in these songs - you almost feel that you are hearing them as they happen.) And although the songs are short, you never get the feeling of being hurried through them. It's a shame that relatively little of Ives's folk output has made it to CD, being passed over in favor of his children's material or countless "Little Bitty Tear" commercial compilations.