all of their studio and live albums and adding a disc's worth of pre-Creedence material. The ultimate blue-collar rock band, John Fogerty and CCR found success by wholly giving in to their fascination with the American South (despite hailing from Northern California) and exploring the turf that connected R&B and country--the same turf that their heroes at Sun studios tilled at rock's birth. As the songs on the first disc prove, they hadn't always taken this approach though perhaps they should have: The first four songs from 1961 (by Tommy Fogerty and the Blue Velvets), original compositions in the classic '50s rock & roll style they loved, hold up better than subsequent Golliwogs tracks that attempt to re...  (less)

that wereentertaining as well as thought-provoking." The Very Best Of Don Henley is the first career-spanning collection of all his classic hits, covering his tenures at Elektra, Geffen and Warner Bros Records. The CD includes such classic tracks as "The Boys Of Summer" and "The End Of The Innocence." This deluxe CD/DVD version adds a bonus DVD with 6 iconic music videos as well as 4 bonus audio soundtrack rarities.  (less)

thrilling. And that's only the beginning of the fun in this most traditional, most delightful musical, recorded live at Carnegie Hall in June 2005. As Nellie Forbush, Reba McEntire deploys a homespun Southern charm that works marvels against the urbane Emile de Becque, i.e., Brian Stokes Mitchell and his impossibly buttery baritone (check out his rendition of "Some Enchanted Evening"). Of course we shouldn't be surprised, since country star Reba had turned out to be musical-theater star Reba when she replaced Bernadette Peters in Annie Get Your Gun on Broadway. Here, she brightly delivers classics (yes, the show is packed with them) like "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" and "A Wonderful Guy." And let's not forget Lillias White, chewing the ...  (less)

the "heavier side of blues" on his fourth studio recording, emphasizing the approach used by the classic English blues-rockers. And he does just that with a hyperactive "Travellin' South" that Ten Years After would have been proud to claim and a hard-edged remake of the B.B. King hit "Never Make Your Move Too Soon". The title track, a Blind Faith favorite, is transformed into a frenetic live jam while Lowell Fulson's "Reconsider Baby", a staple of Bonamassa's live show, is given an extended workout and features some of his most potent blues licks. Sometimes Bonamassa is in too much of a hurry for his own good, but his penchant for speed works especially well on a couple of instrumentals. He races through "Revenge of the 10 Gallon Hat", a country-fl...  (less)

Grammy Award winner gained recognition not only for a successful solo career but also as an actor and ace session guitarist. One of Nashville's finest "pickers", Reed was also adept at writing hit songs. Elvis Presley successfully covered `Guitar Man', `U.S. Male' (with Reed on guitar) and `Talk about the Good Times'. Featuring Reed's original RCA Victor recordings, When You're Hot 1967-1983 comprises 26 Top 40 Country hits (including three #1s, `When You're Hot, You're Hot', `Lord, Mr. Ford' and `She Got the Goldmine') plus classic albums tracks (including his own renditions of his signature tunes `Guitar Man' and `U.S. Male') - 28 tracks in total. Other highlights include `Tupelo Mississippi Flash' (his tribut...  (less)

capture the country music legend at his most inspired. Commercial pressures meant that Williams rarely recorded gospel music for his releases; however, when he made these recordings for the Mother's Best Flour radio shows in 1951 Hank made sure that religious music was well represented. He performed old time jubilees, formal hymns, gospel songs and southern quartet music, and we've gathered them for this very special Hank Williams treasure. The Unreleased Recordings: Gospel Keepsakes includes a never-before-released version of one of the most popular hymns of the twentieth century, Williams classic I Saw the Light, as well as a previously unreleased version of the southern gospel standard Thirty Pieces of Silver.  (less)

several of the artists who wrote or made these songs famous to sing with her. Renowned musicians Roger McGuinn (of the Byrds), Kris Kristofferson, Judy Collins, and Tommy James make appearances on Those Were the Days . She also asked recent chart-topping artists Norah Jones, Keith Urban, Nickel Creek, Lee Ann Womack, Rhonda Vincent, Joe Nichols, and Alison Krauss to join her in the studio. The Country Music Hall of Famer, Grammy winner, and Oscar nominee said, "I am really very proud of this album. I love all of these songs and all of the artists who performed, it just felt special from the moment the concept came to my mind. I knew I had to produce it myself in order to get all of my ideas across exactly as I wanted them to be prese...  (less)

and purity of Willie, Merle and Ray Price, and in March 2007, these living legends and Country Music Hall of Famers united on-stage for a once-in-a-lifetime concert event. Backed by the Grammy Award winning Ray Benson and Asleep At The Wheel and Ray Price s Cherokee Cowboys, The Last Of The Breed: Live In Concert delivers a master class in Honky Tonk and Western Swing. 16 tracks.  (less)

there are message lyrics on Shine Eyed Mister Zen , but one needn't spend hours perusing them to appreciate Phelps's deft guitar work or strong but unassuming vocals. His cover of the Leadbelly classic "Goodnight Irene" is as bittersweet as one could hope for, and he infuses his own arrangements of traditional numbers like "The House Carpenter" and "Dock Boggs Country Blues" with his distinctive touch without in any way disrespecting the songs themselves. His own songs stand up well to the covers, too; "River Rat Jimmy" is a ballad in the traditional sense, with a tense moodiness that draws the listener in, and the slow shuffle of "Piece by Piece" (with harmonica from Dave Mathis) is equally evocative. True, it's not straight blues--there ar...  (less)

the Ozone," etc.), the Old Commander has plowed his own path through the fields of the American music scene as one of its few truly unique and iconoclastic figures. His special blend of old-time rock 'n' roll, redneck country, boogie-woogie and swing has virtually defined American roots music. Dopers, Drunks & Everyday Losers will delight old and new fans alike with its mix of new songs and classics from the Cody catalog. Highlights include updated versions of "Seeds and Stems Again", "Seven-Eleven" and "Wine, Do Yer Stuff."  (less)