The Essential Ray Price (1951-1962)

Ray Price

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 1, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 1991
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: SBME SPECIAL MKTS.
• ASIN: B0012GMV8U
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,920 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
Before moving to the greener pastures of string-heavy countrypolitan, Price was a challenger for the honky-tonk crown. These 20 songs marvelously outline the rapid development of Price's emerging style. His 1951 debut, Lefty Frizzell's "If You're Ever Lonely Darling," finds Price emulating Frizzell's sweet delivery, while two ballads from the following year show Price firmly in Hank Williams territory. By 1953, his voice matured into a booming force, balancing the early sweetness with a hint of spice and a new vigor. The defining moment came in 1956 with the release of "Crazy Arms" and the unveiling of the Western swing-influenced "Ray Price Shuffle." From that point, Price would consistently feature this smooth and steady beat, even covering Bob Wills's "My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You." --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Collection of 50's Honky Tonk, April 15, 1999

By	Jerald E. Mills "Jerry Mills" (Santee, CA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Essential Ray Price (1951-1962) (Audio CD)

Don't buy this collection if you're looking for "For the Good Times" and the other "Nashville Sound" productions Ray Price put out in the late sixties and early seventies. However, if you like hard-core honky tonk out of the 1950's, this is a must. The collection takes you from Ray's earliest work (in which he sounds remarkably like Hank Williams) to the string of hits he had after quickly developing his own unique brand. His voice was clear, the arrangments and harmonies oustanding, and the songwriting top-knotch, coming from the likes of Mel Tillis, Roger Miller, Harlan Howard, Lefty Frizzel, Bob Wills, and Bill Anderson. Fear not, these are not re-records but the originals of "Heartaches by the Number", "Please Release Me", "Crazy Arms", "City Lights", and many others. Outstanding!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It will consume you!, March 1, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Essential Ray Price (1951-1962) (Audio CD)

The first half of this album reminds me of more classic honky-tonk, Hank Williams-ish voice and musical vibe. It's good, notably "I'll Be There" and "Release Me". To my taste, though, from "Wasted Words" on to the end of the record there isn't a bad note on this album; this is chronologically later material, with a more evolved sound, stellar pedal steel guitar playing (some, if not all of which is probably the great Buddy Emmons), Ray's voice is fantastic, the cuts are beautifully put together, not overdone, and it'll have you screaming, singing, and crying. This is music for whoopin' it up, or for bourbon and heartbreak. One of my desert-island discs, truly. Night Life, also Ray Price, is another absolutely fantastic record.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars serious honky tonk, March 16, 2002

By	T. Jackson "TJ" (north carolina) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Essential Ray Price (1951-1962) (Audio CD)

if you want a disk that defines honky tonk after hank williams, this is a great place to start. every tune is outstanding. i guess ray price in these years is about as good as it gets. the steel doesn't just whine, it bleeds. and the fiddles cut in just the way they ought to. then there's ray's really superior voice, and then there are those HARMONIES. the best.