Customer Reviews

20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD contains 12 hits and ironically that's just how many Conway and Loretta had as a duo. So, this CD is a must for those one kind of fans who only want hits and nothing else. However, by displaying only the hits and not the popular album tracks they also performed in concert ("Spiders and Snakes", "God Bless America Again", "You're The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly", "Bar Room Habits", among others), the CD doesn't really let a newcomer hear the friendship and the bantering during musical passages and the laughter during their comedy songs that you might hear on other collections. This in no way means that the 12 hits are no good...it's just that Conway and Loretta's impact goes beyond their 12 hits together recorded between 1971 and 1981. You might ask yourself: 12 songs in 10 years? Well, Conway insisted on releasing only one duet single and album a year so that he could still release three solo singles a year and not have to worry about competition with his own self via the duet with Loretta! Loretta ran her career much the same way. Six of the songs on this CD went #1 while the other six reached the Top-10. Their signature song is 1973's "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" but it was their first duet in 1971, "After The Fire Is Gone", that won a Grammy. I love the quirky "Lovin' What Your Lovin' Does To Me", "I Still Believe In Waltzes", and "It's True Love". Conway and Loretta still remain the most awarded male/female duo in Country Music history. I give the CD four stars because of the fact that MCA only explored the 12 hits.

But, where is "You're the Reason our Kids Are Ugly"? I cant believe that number was omitted; yet, "The Letter" was included? Where's the justice, people??? With all of that aside, this is yet another fine release by "20th Century Masters" and their Millenium Collection. All of the cuts are originals (no re-recordings by aging stars), and the sound quality is as good as it gets. I am a big fan of Loretta and I do enjoy Conway's earlier stuff (pre-'78); and have always felt that their duets were definately a working collaboration....I couldn't imagine any other female artist who could compliment Conway's voice that well. Of course, Loretta also worked well with Ernest Tubb's "Lucky Strike and Bourbon-aged" voice. I am not too familiar with the numerous other collections of this Duet currently available, but this one is well worth the money and a good "sampler" of Conway & Loretta's releases.

If you like old country then this is a really good cd. My husband loves old country and he really likes this cd. He recommends it.

I'll be up front with you. My favorite Country Duet is Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. Sadly, they were only together for 7 years. I think I have all of their duets. Tight harmonies and critically acclaimed songs. But what Conway and Loretta represents is more creative and dynamic.

Twitty once said,"When Loretta and I put out a duet single, they are so strong that they could well over power our singles." If you believe that, I've got some land in Florida. They didn't call Conway, "The High Priest of Country Music" for nothing. He always knew which song to put out and at which time. He would put a hold on a song for several years, before "The time was right." And he was always right. Elvis doesn't hold the record for the most number ones, Conway does. Maybe George Strait may catch him, ... some day.

The harmonies on their duets, take second stage to the songs themselves. Loretta and Conway seemed to explore the outer limits of Country duets. Any Conway and Loretta duet album, is worth listening to. They were extraordinary together. The most powerful duets in Country Music. What made them powerful, is that the songs allowed them to banter back and forth, and both of their voices are so strong, anyway.

On a Loretta/Conway album, you are going to get, "in-you-face" Country and having fun doing it. The thing many don't know, is that, even if Conway was alive, I doubt that he and Loretta would have sang together again as a duet. Conway had achieved all he could achieve with the Country Music genre, and, he felt it was time to go in another direction, back to pop music.

He did with the "Country Meet The Blues" album. It's an awesome album. Not country, but more blues. If you ain't got it, well, "Conway, let me hear some of that low down stuff." The raspy, throat growl that was so evident at Spring Lake Amusement Park in OKC, and on his 2nd song, "Lonely Blue Boy."

It seemed to me that they made more albums than they really did. Any Conway and Loretta album is worth your time. The intriguing thing about Conway, to me, is ... how he figured out where the background singers come in. Sometimes on just a phrase, a word, part of the chorus, ... . Suddenly they are there and then they, just as quickly, are gone.