Smash - The Country Music Hall of Fame Hits 1 - SRS 67117

[bluesinc.]

to keep it going....


I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
I´m So Lonesome I Could Cry
Jambalaya
Four Walls
Heartaches By The Number
Mom And Dad´s Waltz

Sweet Dreams
Born To Lose
Oh Lonesome Me
You´ve Still Got A Place In My Heart
I Love You Because
Jackson (with Linda Gail Lewis)



I don´t want so say too much, the years 68-72 are the years I´m playing very rarely. Though his voice is in good shape and some tracks are really highlights(also for me) I can´t stand that many similar country songs.

[Tumppi]

Though his voice is in good shape and some tracks are really highlights(also for me) I can´t stand that many similar country songs.

With these two "Country Music Hall Of Fame Hits" albums I agree with this opinion. Jerry's vocals and piano playing is at his best, but the arrangements are here too similar and listening these two albums in their entirely can actually be a little boring experience. With a little more personal arrangements (at least dropping the backing vocals of half of the songs) these would possibly be my favourite JLL albums as the songs are mostly greatest country music ever.

Tuomas K.

[Perk]

I am really not so fond of these two albums. I really do like the previous two as "Another Place Another Time" & She Still Comes Around". They are in my top ten for sure.

Not easy to make any good comments after Andrew, Jari & Peter and others ruling in the album section. I feel like Chuck Berry in 1958, entering the stage after Jerry Lee set fire to the piano ..haha.

Without going to deep, i think Hall Of Fame No 2 appeals to me mostly. But still far away from the greatness of the previous two country albums.

[Dave McKee]

Sings The Country Music Hall Of Fame Hits Vol. 1 (1969)

I Wonder Where You Are Tonight / I´m So Lonesome I Could Cry / Jambalaya / Four Walls
/ Heartaches By The Number / Mom And Dad´s Waltz / Sweet Dreams / Born To Lose / Oh Lonesome Me / You´ve Still Got A Place In My Heart / I Love You Because / Jackson (with Linda Gail Lewis)

[Sings The Country Music Hall Of Fame Hits Vol. 2 (1969)

I Can´t Stop Loving You / Fraulein / He´ll Have To Go / More And More / Why Don´t You Love Me (Like You Used To Do) / It Makes No Difference Now / Pick Me Up On Your Way Down / One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart) / I Get The Blues When It Rains / Cold, Cold Heart / Burning Memories / Sweet Thang (with Linda Gail Lewis)]

The production was starting to sound a little formulaic & predictable by this point (did the backing vocalists really have to join in on the 2nd verse of every song?), but with Jerry's performances & the material being so strong here it doesn't distract too much. It's almost impossible to pick highlights from these two albums, but I'll try: I Wonder Where You Are Tonight, I´m So Lonesome I Could Cry, Mom And Dad´s Waltz, Sweet Dreams, Jackson (with Linda Gail Lewis), [and from Vol.2 - He´ll Have To Go, Why Don´t You Love Me (Like You Used To Do), Pick Me Up On Your Way Down, One Has My Name, Sweet Thang (with Linda Gail Lewis)]... 5 out of 5

Outtakes: You Belong To Me / My Blue Heaven

Both of the Sings The Country Music Hall Of Fame Hits albums were recorded over three days in late February 1969. You Belong To Me was finally released on Country Class in 1976, while My Blue Heaven wasn't issued until the mid '80's. These are two of Jerry's finest ever recordings, so perhaps the only reason they weren't originally issued is because they didn't quite fit the 'Country Music Hall of Fame Hits' theme?

This is from an excellent blog by Peter Checksfield - see the whole blog at http://themargatemusicman.blogspot.com/ ... years.html

[PeterC]

ALBUM COVER RATING: 4/5

I'm going through Jerry's albums on here and giving marks out of five for the album covers (regardless of the actual content)...

Personally I would've issued this + volume 2 as a double album, but the covers are fine.