I cannot believe "Last of the Breed" has no reviews, so here it goes...Ray Price has done more single-handedly for music from the Lone Star state than all other TX musicians put together and is the single most important figure in country music alive today. When he steps into the studio you know he's there to deliver a TOP NOTCH album. Before you even open it up, this cd is "Last of the Breed." Hatch Show Print did the cover artwork. Produced by the great Fred Foster and boy does this guy know how to get it just right. Titles represent some of the greatest songwriters ever, many of which come from the Lone Star state. The musical arrangements are absolutely brilliant...Great lyrics coupled with a great musical score, now; this is what makes real country music, real country music. Musicians include the legendary Johnny Gimble, Buddy Emmons and Boots Randolph along with Gordon Mote on piano each doing exactly what they was born to do. Highlights include; Ray Price, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard together paying tribute to and preserving the artistic integrity of Jesse Ashlock, Floyd Tillman, Mickey Newbury, Harlan Howard, Leon Payne and Gene Autry with Jimmy Long.
Now, I actually lost sleep worrying and wondering if "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down" was going to be one of the lucky titles to make it on this record. The boys did Harlan Howard mighty proud!!!
I also wondered why Willie Nelson did not include "Going Away Party" on his recent tribute to Cindy Walker album, I mean he had the Jordanaires in the studio...then, I heard this song again for the first time (if this makes sense) with Ray Price singing it the way it oughta be done with the magnificent Jordanaires backing him up and Willie, willie-ing it up...down to that last verse. Payne's "Lost Highway" is masterfully reworked, startin' out with Gimble's fiddlin', followed by Willie's vocals then Ray comes in backed by the Jordanaires to create a Grammy Award winning storytelling experience.
Also included is Newbury's "Sweet Memories," one of the greatest "mood" songs of all time. This cut takes you back to that same place and magically recreates that same feeling you experienced the first time you heard this lonely song back in the day. This record's got it all, including Merle's great, real-deal country talkin' song: "Sweet Jesus." I truly admire Merle Haggard for this one.
This 2 disc cd is by far without a doubt the best thing to come out of Nashville in years.
The towering talent of Ray Price split into two distinct periods. His works of the 1950s and early 1960s were country and honky-tonk whose twangy sound will be surprising to those familiar with the smooth countrypolitan work he began in the 1960s. Columbia/Legacy's new two-disc "Essential" collection admirably captures the high points of both eras, and in doing so provides an excellent overview of his transition from honky-tonker to crooner. Price's commercial popularity has ensured that his hits have remained in print, but single disc anthologies necessarily short-change either his early or late sides. The similarly titled single disc from 1991, for example, covers only the years 1951 through 1962.
Disc one opens in 1950, before Price had signed with Columbia and began recording in Nashville. "Jealous Lies" was recorded in Dallas and released on the Bullet label. Price sings in the sweet croon then popular in Country & Western recordings, and to which he'd return in an even smoother form 15 years later. By 1951, with Lefty Frizell's "If You're Ever Lonely Darling" and Hank Williams' purpose-written "Weary Blues (From Waiting)," Price began singing more high and lonesome to match the twang of the accompanying fiddle and steel guitar of Don Law's production.
Following Hank Williams' death, Price toured and recorded with his idol's backing band (The Drifting Cowboys) until treading water gave way to forging ahead. Trading out the honky-tonk band for a western swing combo he evolved a new approach through the hits "Please Release Me," "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)," and a breakthrough cover of "Crazy Arms." The latter, Price's first country #1, was heavy on fiddle and steel, but also featured harmony vocals and the shuffle two-step beat that would become his trademark. The George Jones co-written B-side, "You Done Me Wrong" reached the top-10 as well.
Having bumped Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel" from the country chart's top spot, Price was keenly aware of the coming changes in popular music. But as others softened and the Nashville sound descended upon Music City, Price dug in and continued to sing it straight and. His late-50s hits continued with lyrics of betrayal and broken hearts, promoting new songwriters who would become legends: Roger Miller ("Invitation to the Blues"), Bill Anderson ("City Lights"), and Harlan Howard ("Heartahces by the Numbers"). He hired Hank Cochran and Willie Nelson for his publishing company, and filled out his band with Nelson, Miller, Johnny Paycheck, Buddy Emmons and Johnny Bush.
As the 1950s turned into the 1960s Price began to try new sounds. But rather than a commercial reaction to changes in popular music (as his hard shuffles were as commercially popular at the start of the 60s as they'd been in the 50s), the addition of strings, and the softening of his vocals appear to have been artistic decisions. You can hear the change coming as the fiddle line of 1962's "Walk Me to the Door" softens into something that's almost a string arrangement, and by 1963 he took on the lush violins and choral background singers of "Make the World Go Away." The transformation was surprisingly quick.
Throughout the next decade Price reeled off a string of smooth hits that brought a second flush of commercial success. Turning to a crooning style that echoes his earliest side for Bullet, he landed top-10 singles throughout the 60s, culminating in 1970's brilliant reading of Kris Kristofferson's "For the Good Times." This was his first chart topper in 11 years, and the precursor to three more #1 that included "I Won't Mention It Again" and "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me." After moving to ABC in 1974 he returned to Columbia for a superb1980 duet with Willie Nelson on the Bob Wills classic "Faded Love" that neatly bridges his honky-tonk and western swing beginnings with his latter-day crooning. The album from which this last single sprung, "San Antonio Rose," is one of country music's most stirring returns.
Compilation producer Gregg Geller's done a fine job of paring down Price's recorded legacy on Columbia to two discs. He's squeezed in 32 of Price's top-10 singles, and 7 of his 8 #1s. He's dipped into his pre-hit singles and included a few lower charting sides that help demarcate the arc of Price's career. This is a superb introduction to and rich overview of Price's legendary run at Columbia, and a must-have for any country music fan – honky-tonker, countrypolitan or both! [©2007 redtunictroll at hotmail dot com]
ray price is the best and always has been!
TIME by Mr Ray Price is a masterpiece! The gold standard done-me-wrong/hurtin' song of all time is "Pride" and nobody has ever come close to outdoing it until 50 years later when Ray Price outdid hisself with "You Just Don't Love Me Anymore"...it's just straight up cold! He makes me ache for him everytime I here it. "Ft. Worth, Texas" is a fun little shout out song and "Don't You Go Loving Nobody Else" is a great little dancin' number. Mr Price's voice on this cd is perfect...it ain't even a contest he's the best in the U.S. to ever cut a record (any genre). Mr Price is the Pride of Texas and the last of the true professionals.
Ray Price is like fine wine, he just gets better with age. Thanks for all the years of beautiful music.
