Customer Reviews

Crying My Heart Out Over You

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3 star:		(1)
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This is an alright album. Nothing major. Not even an album of big hits. Just an recording made in the early 1970's. The notes are good, but I wish this was a 26 song CD of their big songs. My advice: Save your money until a better CD is released.

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Track Listings:
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1. Crying My Heart Out Over You
2. If Teardrops Were Pennies
3. I Hope We Walk The Last Mile Together
4. Precious Memories
5. Blue Eyes And Waltzes
6. Garden Of Shame
7. Fools Like Me
8. Dog Eat Dog
9. Holding On With Open Arms
10. Take Me Back To Jackson
11. My Joy
12. Don't Let Me Cross Over

When I walk around the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, I tend to notice who isn't in the Hall yet. Male-Female duets became a staple of Country Music in the late 1960s and 1970s--George & Tammy, Porter & Dolly, Conway & Loretta--but if you want to hear the duet style's roots, you start with Carl and Pearl Butler. This CD is not a collection of the original versions of these titles, but a compilation of remakes done during the 1970s. But these sides hold up pretty well and until the originals are packaged this nicely, this is a good place to start listening to the Butlers. For those who haven't heard the Butlers, their style is hard honky tonk style with nice tight harmonies. Lots of fiddle and steel guitar here, the way it should be. Carl was a fine honky tonk singer and deserves more than the footnote mentions he usually gets. Treat yourself and listen to Carl and Pearl, if your heart has ever been broken, you will know their genius. And you too will wonder why they aren't in the Hall yet.

I am Carl Butlers Producer here in Nashville. I produced Carl on 26 songs soon to be released on Castle Records. See our Web Site at Castlerecords.com and all of Mr. Butlers history

Carl Butler had to hide the fact that he was an American Indian. But this did not stop his enthusiasitc approach to country and western music, stripped down to its basic sound and tempo. This may sound ponderous to the uninitiated, but several listenings to Carl's tracks will help them appreciate the subtlety in his voice and his heartfelt attraction to the melodies and lyrics of classic C and W.

It might be easier to appreciate Carl if fans of C and W would listen to the progression and leap of music such as Carl's from the earlier efforts of the Carter family. They took traditional music of the hills of Appalachia and translated it into their own versions, which added depth and musical notes and rhythm changes.

Carl then takes the next step to "traditional" C and W with his unvarnished but emotion-filled approach. I recommend any afficianado of county and western and its roots include Carl Butler in his/her collection. This disc is a very good choice that shows Carl at his best.