Lee Roy Parnell Reissue CD Review
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DUSTY RELICS anniversary since his death Columbia have international and crossover success very Woman Left Lonely, Everybody Loves A re-released 20 classic albums in this special much on his own terms, never once Winner and My Crewas wellthe beautiful value-for-money boxed set that includes an compromising his music or ideals for Jesus Song.Sound quality is faultless and at introduction from his son John Carter Cash commercial aspirations. Untike the many 59 minutes, the CD represents excellent and liner notes by noted journalist Rich Johnny Cash compilations that have been value. The album is well packaged with first Kienzle. They span from THE FABULoUS put together over the years, this boxed set class liner notes making it a must for all Kris JoHNNY CASH, the first album Cash made for provides country music fans with a chance and/or Rita devotees.John Roffey the Columbia label in 1958 after leaving Sun to hear some original records by one of the www.kriskristofferson.com Records through to HERoES, a duet album giants of country music. Among them they with Waylon Jennings released in 1986 include many of Cash's best-loved songs, shortly before Cash left Colu mbia to join but by no means all- anyone wanting a Lee RoyParnell Mercury Records. This box provides a rare round up of hits would do better with one LEEROYPARNELL/ opportu nity for fans to buy in one of the many excellent compilations. What LOVEWITHOUT collection some of the crucial records on compilations tend to lack, however, is MERCY which his considerable reputation was coherence. lt is precisely because they were sPv 2662s2cD built. recorded at a particular point in time, that **** There's not enough space her to go into these albums have a sense of identity TheTexan guitarist detailof each album, so l'm just going to absent from compilations. They are a a n d si n g er- so n gw rite r's u n i q u e ta le nts a re pickout personal highlights. RIDETHIS snapshot in time, dated in a positive sense. perfectly showcased in his fi rst two vital TRAIN, a concept album from 1960 is not Alon Cockett albums strictly railroad songs, instead the train is www.sonymusic.com Texas-born Lee Roy Parnell may not have the vehicle which enables Cash to made much of an impression when he criss-cross the cou ntry th roug h na rration released his extraordinary self-titled debut his talent was not and song.lt is a varied collection from Kris Kristofferson ffiE KffiT$fEfiS$l album in I990. However, mTlm sln Loadi ng Coal, aMerle Travis son g about TETTHEMUSIC wT[ffiAasm long in being recognised with his second mining families,to Dorraine Of Ponchartrain, PLAY entry LOVE WITHOUT MERCY the following six Cash's own doom laden song about a girl All Access AACDOl 1 1 year. Since then, he has released albums drowning in a Louisiana lake. BALLADS OF ***** and 22 singles, seven of which have gone THE TRUE WESI as the title suggests, is much At last!This classic live country top ten, and is now preparing for more than just a collection of cowboy radio braadcostfrom his first independent release. songs. Originally a 2-LP set it includes such 1972 hasfinally surfaced on CD When he fi rst appeared on CMT in 1990 Be movi n g songs as H i owatha's V i si on, Th e Recorded before a live audience at RCA withhis Oughta ALawvideo, manywrote just Sh ifti n g W hisperi n g Sa n ds and the d ra matic studios, New York City on April 2 5, 197 2 and Parnell off as another in the wave of 25 MinutesToGo broadcast byWPLJ-FM, the showfinds the here today-gone tomorrow country artists By the time ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL was singer-songwriter and star of countless who were swamping the new countrY released, also in 1965, Cash had met Bob movies reaching the peak of his singing media at the time. But Parnell was made of Dylan and this album includes three Dylan career. lt's hard to believe that this concert altogether more substantial stuff. songs, the first being ltAin't Me Babe.fhis was recorded over 40 years ago and yet Kris An original singer-songwriter and was the first of many classic duet recordings is still including many of these numbers in multi-instrumentalist who mixes country byJohnnyCash and June Carter.The other his live shows today; and they sound just as traditions with soul, delta blues, roots and two Dylan numbers are almost as good, goodl Supported by Terry Paul (bass), gospel influences, Parnell grew up on his namely Don'tThinkTwice lt's Alright and Donnie Fritts (piano), Stephen Bruton parents'ranch before appearing on country Mama,You've Been on My Mind. Naturally (guitar), Mike Utley (organ) and with Rita legend Bob Wills' radio show at age six, both of his acclaimed prison concerts are Coolidgetaking the lead on four numbers then going on to play drums and guitar in a included-FoLSoM PRlsoN and sAN at the end of the show, this really is a classic local band, joining Kinky Friedman's Texas QUENTIN-and both sound just as release. Gentle country is the order ofthe Jewboys while still in his teens, and hitting electrifying as when fi rst released in 1968 daywilh Duvolier'sDreom setting the scene Austin in lgT4.Alterplaying clubsfor 13 and 1969.The 1970s was a less-successful for what follows. Concert staples Lovi ng H er years he moved to Nashville in 1987 where period for Cash, in commercial terms, but Wos Easi er, Casey's Last Rid e,Su nd ay Mo rn i n g he landed a Polygram publishing dealand a artistically he still produced some excellent Com i n' Dow n, Hel p Me Make lt Th rou g h the regular spot at the fabled Bluebird Caf6, albums, the best of which has to be JOHN R Nrght (a duet with Rita) and a medley, Bitty and was finally signed as an artist to Arista CASH from 1975 with songs from the pens DeeandThe Law ls ForThe Protection OfThe Records. of Randy Newman, ChipTaylor, Tim Hardin People (although the latter is not listed) His eponymous debut album was a funky and BillyJoe Shaver. illustrate perfectlywhat has made Kris mixture of soulful horns, slashing country- The very name and image of The Man ln Kristofferson such an enduring entertainer. rock guitar chords and driving rhythms, Black has inspired awe in his fans and critics Highlight in an album that is all highlights is best exemplified by the album's second alike for more than fifty years. Johnny Cash .) esu s Was A Ca pricorn. Rita joins the single Oughta BeA law which, despite was quite simply a music icon. An artist of ensemble to deliver three ballads from her critical acclaim, inexplicably only reached (its unparalleled integrity, he achieved 1972 albumTHE LADY'S NOTFOR SALE,A number 54 on the country singles chart Maverick 107 DUSTY RELICS predecessor, the slower-paced Crocod ile acclaim, it's instructive to revisitthe roots Everythi ng That's Beautifu I (Remi nds Me Of Iears, had done even more poorly), while from which those good things sprang, and You) is something of a minor classic. There,s the chugging foot-tapper Family Iree had this superb pairing of Lee Roy Parnell,s first also classy versions of Hank Williamd t Can,t also mysteriously stalled at number 73. A two entries is the perfect showcase for his Help lt, )immyWebb's Didn'tWe and Jack fourth track, M exica n Money, was the unrque tusion of countrytradition with the Clement's A Girl I tJsed To Know.Thisis subject of a music video, but was not otherseminal genres of American music, quality stuff, whether or not it can be released to radio. Despite these worthy professionally delivered by a gifted writer classified as country is debatable, but up-tempo single releases and some and musician. Jeremy lsaac there's little doubt that these lushly- beautiful ballads such as Where ls My Baby www.leeroyparnell.com arranged country-pop ballads are the Tonig ht? and the bluesy Let's pretend, epitome of countrypolitan music-a style featuring Parnell's teasing guitar Iicks, you'll either love or hate. Alan Cackett and the presence of Nashville music RayPrice www.huxrecords.com supremos Glenn Worf, Barry Beckett, WELCOMETOMY Harry Stinson, Jonell Mosser and Jim WORLD:THELOVE Horn's inimitable horn section, LEE ROy SONGSOFRAY RodStewart PARNELIIs warm reception by critics was PRICE RARITIES not matched by enthusiasm from the HuxRecords HUX i39 Universal 3728513 record-buying public, and the album **** **** failed to chart at all.Things would be The clossiest exponent of countrypoliton Forget American different next time. ln the 1950s Ray Price was the epitome of Songbook and listen to Two years later Parnell returned with the classic honky-tonk singer. His country this for covers his sophomore outing LOVE WITHOUT you, shuffles MySho es Keep Wo I ki ng BackTo Back at the beginning of the 1970s, some MERCY and the story was entirely Crazy Arms, Heartoches ByThe Number, l,ve ofthe best roots music outside ofthe Band different. Of the album's four singles, Got A New Heortoche, etc, kept the was being made not in the backwoods but three, the janglingWhat KindOf FoolDo dance-floors ofTexas busy. But bythe byan ex-mod named Rod. Rod Stewart,s YouThink lAm? the deliciously MOR- mid-1960s; his driving honky-tonk sound early solo albums, backed by Ron Wood flavoured title track and the deceptively had been revamped by the West Coast and an unlikely group of ex-Small Faces, titled up-tune Tender Moment,wenttop sound and though he was still having hits, have more than stood the test of time, ten, the last two also enjoying high they were not as frequent nor as big.