Customer Reviews

Last of the Troubadours: Saddle Songs 2

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great album, but I'm not sure he shoulda added the "Saddle Songs, Vol. II" to the title, as this collection is much more subdued than his previous double cd "Saddle Songs". If you're expecting a repeat of that collection with different songs, you may be disappointed. Disc 2 gets a liilte more upbeat in spots, but is still quite a bit more mellow than Vol. 1. Having said that, this is well worth the purchase, whichever you like better. I don't know of any other artist who has compiled a collection of cowboy songs as great, and sang them as well, as Mr. Edwards. He has a great voice and is a great picker. Unlike the other reviewer, I would play this at a cookout, but I'd wait till everyone'd had a few and it was time to calm down... My only complaint is that neither this collection, nor the first one, contain the song "Coyotes", which is available on "The Best Of..." as well as "The Bard & The Balladeer" a live cd w/ Waddie Mitchell. It shoulda found a place on one of these...

Compendium of mostly old and not particularly well known western songs. Don Edwards has a very good voice which is the high point of these recordings; otherwise the CD does not reach out and grab you. For the western purist, the old cattle songs are reminiscent of a day gone by.

Don Edwards is by far the best cowboy singer in the business. His quiet and unassuming manner, his down home personality when talking with you are what he's about. And it comes through in his music. He's great!

This is an ok set of discs. A little on the tame side which isn't neccesarily a bad thing. I grew up cattle ranching and at night alot we'd drag out the guitar or just a harmonica or just no instruments and everyone would sing along to quite a few of the songs you'll hear on these cd's.
Don is a strong singer and guitar picker, does a good job. I guess I could say this would be a good reference collection.
If you've had a long hard day and just want to relax on the porch with a cold one and mellow out, this would be good for that. I wouldn't probably play it at a barbeque or a party as it's not a "lets liven this group up" sort of thing. But still good if you just want some Saddle songs like the tittle says.

Don Edwards has carved out a niche for himself as a folk singer in the old-fashioned sense: he actually sings actual folk songs, in this case ones either sung or composed, recently or long ago, by Westerners, known or anonymous. His recordings are done well but sparely, typically with just one instrument (guitar or banjo) carrying the vocals. His pleasantly unadorned singing is sometimes reminiscent of Marty Robbins's.

Last of the Troubadours, a two-CD sequel to the earlier two-CD Saddle Songs, will engage any sympathetic listener from beginning to end. Edwards knows a good song, and there are no clunkers here. "Cowboy" in these songs is a literal, unironic job description, not a hip slang phrase for hard-partying Nashville star as in those irritatingly self-congratulatory songs Waylon and Willie cranked out in their heyday.

The point of view is both romantic and autumnal, no more so than in the moving traditional lament "The Campfire Has Gone Out." There are familiar titles -- "The Colorado Trail," "Night Rider's Lament" (the yodeling at the end is a lovely touch), "Barbara Allen," "Utah Carroll" -- along with striking variants of "Diamond Joe" and "The Rancher Feeds Us All" (otherwise "The Farmer Feeds Us All"). He also revives worthy obscurities such as "The Mormon Cowboy" (long a favorite of mine in the classic 1920s recording by Carl Sprague), "Root Hog or Die," "I Wanted to Die in the Desert," and other sturdy frontier ballads.

I guess I would have liked a fuller string-band sound on a few of the selections if only for the sake of variety, though Norman and Nancy Blake make a welcome appearance on a couple of cuts. Still, that's not a critical issue, not when there is so much to like in Edwards's quiet, intimate campfire approach. If you like authentic cowboy tunes performed authentically by a living master, saddle up.

Disc 1 tracks 6 and 13 - Disc 2 tracks 7 and 12 Feature Norman and Nancy Blake. Don has created a book encompassing the songs from both of his "Saddle Songs" releases. Includes History, lyrics, tablature and photos - a must have companion to the discs.

Don Edwards has spent the past 40 years collecting and recording the music of the Cowboys and of the American West....this cd features 32 of the very best ones..Simply produced and beautifully sung by Edwards...accompanied only by
his guitar or his banjo....It is a classic collection...worthy of repeated listening sessions...ALSO a great listen for the car cd....great road music......