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Back in 1969 I was working a summer job, unloading freight trains in Chicago. We had all kinds of guys there--young white city boys, chicanos, older black men from waaayyy far south, hillbillies from West Virginia, middle-aged foremen who thought music began and ended with Frank Sinatra. No radios were allowed, because we couldn't tolerate each others' musical tastes. Until Tony Joe White came out with Polk Salad Annie. Everyone dug that darkly cool, gruff voice...and that funky guitar hook! Tony Joe crossed over from the r&b side (back when r&b came from the heart, not the synthesizer)and had a huge hit. A lot of folks had success with covers of his tunes at that time. Brook Benton scored big with Rainy Night in Ga., and Dusty Springfield did Willie and Laura Mae Jones. Both were really good, but Tony Joe does 'em better. Tom Jones and Elvis both did Polk Salad Annie(kind of a homage to TJW from the lounge lizard kings), but it was no contest. This is a great collection of material, done in that "womper stomper" guitar style by the swamp fox hisself--you'll like it.

I just shake my head when I play this cd.Because I cant understand why this man has not been celebrated by the music industry. every song effects me emotionally.This is one of the few singer/songwriters left in the world that can simply do no wrong.It doesn't matter what your musical taste is, if you have any taste, buy this album and you wont be sorry.If you dont buy this album, because of bad record promotions you won't know what Im talkin about and your musical soul will ache for eternity.

I never heard of Tony Joe White until Tina Turner recorded 4 of his songs in 1989. Two years later he was all over european radio with a great album called Closer to the truth. After that he has recorded some more albums which seem only available in Europe. I liked those records so much that I decided to try his much older material and I must say that this is a great collection of his music before the eighties. A must in every decent music collection.

Warner Archives has done an excellent job surveying the early years of this great unsung hero of modern music. White is truly an underrated musical genius who's down-home swampy soul and blues transports the listener to the heart of the deep South. Having written such well-defined rock and soul classics as "Polk Salad Annie", "Rainy Night In Georgia" and "Willie & Laura Mae Jones" to name a few, White has forged a name for himself primarily as an excellent songwriter. But he is little known and underappreciated as a great singer and performer whose deep, soulful voice and passionate style have endeared him to a large cult following the world over. I highly recommend this fabulous collection from a true American original.

Tony Joe has one of the best country blues voices ever recorded. He also plays a nasty guitar and throws in tasty harp solos. I have no idea how the world missed out on this one-of-a kind musical genious. I bought this album from "Polk Salad Annie" popularity and got more than I expected. My favorite pick of the decade ! Wonderful honest writing, goodtime soulful performances. Buy it and fall in love with it !

This is a wonderful collection of fine songs and performances from a truly great artist. Tony Joe White can put a soulful mood on you faster and longer than anyone in the record business. His swamp music is different and it's alive and it sticks all over you. He is the man. Be forewarned: After listening to this CD (and you will, over and over), you will want more of the Swamp Fox.

The most underrated of rock and roll artists...people remember him for Polk Salad but he was the writter of Rainy Night In Georgia and Tina Turners Steamy Windows...his voice is an original when you hear it you know it is not anyone else (like so many female artists of today) I only wish he would get in the studio and do another 20 songs. I need a fix of Tony Joe!! Get this for a great time and get a mess of it....

From the moment I first heard "Polk Salad Annie", back in the late '60s, I became a Tony Joe White fan. It was really refreshing to hear a fellow Southerner playing a style of music that was unique to my part of the world. Tony had real "Soul" without trying to be a Black wannabe. There were always elements of Country and Funk in his style but he combined them in an original way that others would only weakly imitate later. Sadly, after a couple of hits, he seemed to disappear and, frankly, I even forgot what his name was. Then, a few weeks ago someone mentioned him as an influence and it was like "Oh yeah: I remember him. He was cool!" So, I ordered this album and my Yankee wife and I listened to it for the first time in my truck while we were making the weekly run into town to buy groceries and other supplies. My wife is too young to remember "Polk Salad Annie" but the minute it came on, man, her head was bobbing and she got a big grin on her face...and she kept grinning and bobbing through the whole album! I had never heard most of the tunes in this collection but I wasn't disappointed by a single one! What's amazing about Mr. White is that, while he writes, sings, plays the the guitar and harmonica adequately, he is not a virtuoso on any of them. Yet, when you take the sum total of one of his performances, he is really, really great!

I guess the big surprise for me was "Ol' Mother Earth"! Who would have thought that an ol' Southern Boy would have written such a sensitive pro-environment tune. I must admit that it made my throat thicken up a little. Another extra good one was "Willy And Laura May Jones": social commentary at its finest!

This is a great introductory album for those who are unfamiliar with Tony Joe's work...and just as great for those of us who are.

I'm so happy to see that he's still around and still recording. I have already ordered more of his albums.

I just hope that he tours in North Central Florida!

I used to only have this music collection on cassette tape, and searced for some time to replace the worn out version with a crisp sounding CD. This is one of my favorite collections of Tony's. I love the bluesy guitar and soft smoldering Southern style of Polk Salad Annie & Rainy Night in Georgia. I was in high school when he hit the charts in July of '69 and "Polk Salad" was one of my favorite hits. To this day whenever it comes on the radio or I pop the cd into my player, it brings back so many fun memories of us all singing and humming to the tune, I will never forget! So pop it in and sing along you will never forget what you were doing the first time you ever heard this Southern-gumbo Style singer either!

Tony Joe has long been a home town hero of ours and this album does a great job of reminding us of times past here. Listening to it we know exactly where he is talking about and often times the people too. If you aren't familiar with his music, get this album to listen to some great swamp rockin' music that will catch your ear and won't let go.