Customer Reviews

Honky Tonk Hero (Coll)

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

 

 

In 1973, after two decades as one of Decca Record's top country hitmakers, honkytonk pioneer Webb Pierce was unceremoniously dumped by the label (which had reorganized as MCA, and had also dropped other old-timers such as Ernest Tubb, who were deemed too old-fashioned to make it in the countrypolitan era.) Webb then signed up with the independent Plantation label, owned by producer Shelby Singleton. This CD collects over a dozen tracks chery-picked from Webb's two "Golden Hits" LPs, from 1976 and '77, albums that were filled with peppy stereo remakes of honkytonk hits Pierce originally recorded in the '50s and early '60s. Many country fans reflexively dismiss these re-recordings as inferior to the originals, but they definitely have their charms, and show that Webb still had remarkable vitality, and an ability to work with modern studio backings. Certainly, for Webb fans, it's a treat to have some of these songs out on CD at last, even if it's a little deceptive of the folks at Fuel to note the Top Ten chart positions of the **original** recordings next to the track listings (of the re-recordings) on the back: despite a strong promotional push by Plantation, Pierce's '70s recordings never approached anything close to the hitmaking heights of his glory days. Still, it's nice stuff! Speaking of hits, an added bonus on this disc is the inclusion of Webb's last significant chart entry, "The Good Lord Giveth (And Uncle Sam Taketh Away)," a vibrant, fuzzed-out, poppy shuffle that, inexplicably, the folks at Plantation never included on proper album. All in all, this disc is a nice find... it not be Pierce in his true prime, but Webb's still kickin' some hillbilly butt!

I'd rate this at 3.5 notes - I'm bought this CD for the one song that has never before been available on CD - "The Good Lord Giveth and Uncle Sam Taketh Away." Otherwise, this CD duplicates Plantation remakes of classic Decca material that is available on other CDs. Pierce was still an interesting singer at the time these sides were made, but he had lost some of his upper range and his phrasing had changed from his mid-50s Halcyon days.