Customer Reviews

Honky Tonk Angels

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3 star:		(1)
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When this album was released, I wondered if the title should have been titled Custer's last stand. After all, none of these wonderful ladies were getting much airplay on American country radio and it seemed that their careers were finished. This album sold surprisingly well considering the lack of airplay. As things turned out, this album was the last major success in Tammy's career - she only recorded one more album (appropriately, a set of duets with George Jones) before her death. Loretta eventually had another major success with her 2004 album, Van Lear Rose. Following a quiet period in the mid nineties during which time her albums sold poorly, Dolly has been consistently successful with several successful albums. So my pessimism was (thankfully) unjustified.

This album is firmly rooted in traditional country, with all three having their share of lead vocals. Most of the songs are country classics. It wasn't God who made honky tonk angels was the song that made Kitty Wells a major country star of the fifties. Kitty joins Dolly, Tammy and Loretta on this rendition.

Put it off until tomorrow was written by Dolly in the sixties. It was a big country hit for Bill Phillips back then and was again a big hit when the Kendalls revived it in the early eighties. Dolly has recorded it several times, solo and with others.

Silver threads and golden needles was first recorded by Wanda Jackson but was a top twenty pop hit in America for the Springfields (with Dusty as lead singer) and was later revived by Linda Ronstadt.

Please help me I'm falling is a cover of the Hank Locklin classic, though Janie Fricke's version of this song is even better. Wings of a dove was a huge American hit for Ferlin Husky. I forgot more than you'll ever know launched the career of Skeeter Davis, although she was then part of the Davis sisters.

Wouldn't it be great is a Loretta Lynn song that she had previously recorded on her own. That's the way it could have been was recorded in the seventies by Tammy - it was also recorded as a duet by Kenny Rogers and Dottie West.

Lovesick blues is the old classic first popularised by Hank Williams (though his version was a cover). Patsy Cline also covered it and she makes a posthumous guest appearance on this track thanks to the wonders of technology.

I dreamed of a hillbilly heaven is an old Tex Ritter song, adapted for the time it was recorded. There are just two songs that were new to me when I bought this - Sitting on a front porch swing and Let her fly and they are both brilliant.

Any fans of traditional country in general or any of the three singers in particular will love this album.

The three top female singers in country just happen to have started in the 60's, although today, remain the three most influential careers of the genre. The late Tammy Wynette soars here with her vocal talents still intact, especially with "Silver Threads And Golden Needles". Loretta Lynn is classic country and outshines everyone on "Please Help Me I'm Falling". Kitty Wells joins the trio for her trademark, "It Wasn't God Who Made Hony Tonk Angels", and the great Patsy Cline joins the ladies for "Lovesick Blues". Dolly's incredible vocals as well as writing talents are displayed on "Sitting On The Front Porch Swing" and "Let Her Fly". There's not a bad cut on the whole disc. With all due repect to the late Davis Sisters, the three performing "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know" is pure country magic. I only wish CBS records would release a follow up, I have read many more songs were recorded. Fans of the late Tammy Wynette would be "in heaven" to hear more from 'The First Lady Of Country Music'. If you enjoy original, classic country, this is a must !

In a day and age when so-called country radio is overpopulated by twenty-something clones whose songs, personalities, and names are as interchangeable as they are forgettable, it's good to hear from three ladies who have a combined nearly 100 years of recording history behind them. Add in Kiity Wells guest appearance on the title performance of her signature song, and the country music experience acquires an additional half-century.

Taking turns as lead vocalist, Nashville's three divas bring out the best in each other. Country's late first lady takes center stage on the energetic remake of Linda Ronstadt's "Silver Threads and Golden Needles," which was the disk's premier single. Unfortunately, it was all but ignored by most radio stations because the singers had passed their fortieth birthdays. Another powerful remake is Ferlin Hisky's gospel classic "Wings of a Dove" which provides the perfect vehicle for the trio's voices to blend in inspirational harmony.

Each of the women penned an included song. Loretta Lynn's contribution, "Wouldn't it be Great?" is slightly rewritten from the version featured on her 80's release Just A Woman.

Honky Tonk Angels lack of airplay is all the more reason to add it to your collection. It's a shame, but Nashville doesn't give us much music like this anymore. The final track, "Hillbilly Heaven"-with updated lyrics from Tex Ritter's original standard-takes on an eerie quality due to Tammy Wynette's untimely death just a few years after its release. This collection is a proud piece of her musical legacy, and one of the few truly great country efforts of the nineties in a genre that has become dominated by Shania-Garth pop.

The songs these ladies put out on this c-d was wonderful to hear. I have grew up listen to these women and everytime I hear them they sounded great, but this c-d was one of the greatest with those ladies together. I loved everyone of their songs. Even thou Tammy is in a better place and she is now sanging with the Country Angels, like Pasty Cline. We still have our two Country Angels here. God Bless Loretta and Dolly.

I was thrilled to see this title being sold, more thrilled after listening to it. They are the best of the classic country ladies. Their voices are better than ever. It made me laugh and cry. I'll be listening to this CD often. I'm so glad they cut it before Ms. Wyette's death, but I'm sure she's thrilled to make it to "Hillbilly Heaven."

If you don't buy anything else this year, this is a must-have.

Put this cd on and close your eyes, and you're in Pure Country Land. Beautiful, tuneful soulful sounds that country fans can't get enough of....Play this when you're glad, when you're sad, when you're up, when you're down, when you're in love with life and when you think life has dealt you a cruel blow. Just get it and play it!

This is one of the best CDs. Having 3 Legends team up. WOW!

If you only bought this album for 3 songs you would get your money's worth: Put It Off Until Tomorrow; That's The Way It Could Have Been; and the one Dolly SHOULD have written, Sittin' On The Front Porch Swing, which probably provides direct insight into the many faceted queen of country music. Not being blessed with children of her own this song does much to extole her feelings regarding missing motherhood. She is a fine, artistic performer and I personally am glad to have not heard her refered to as "Hollywood Dolly" in a long time.

I really love this CD. I combines the talents of three legends of country music and is an absolute stand-out. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone to likes any or all of the singers featured (Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, and Loretta Lynn)or to anybody who likes classic country music. I had this on cassette when it first came out in the early 90's and didn't get around to getting the CD until recently. I'd really missed this great music. Hope you enjoy it too!

This was when country was still country. The best investment anyone could ever make.