Customer Reviews

Timeless: The Classic Concert Performances

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Master multi-instrumentalist Roy Clark is most broadly known for his 1969 crossover hit "Yesterday, When I Was Young" and the cornpone personality he played for more than two decades on the television program Hee Haw. But long before Hee Haw, Clark made a name as a musician, winning two national banjo championships as a teenager, appearing on the Grand Ole Opry, and appearing on regional television programs. Though well-known to country audiences, his 1969 pop success and the debut of Hee Haw provided national exposure that led to guest hosting slots on The Tonight Show and touring stops in showrooms of Las Vegas. His live shows had always proved him an entertainer who was both a deft comedian and a consummate musician. The seventeen tracks collected here, cherry-picked from a pair of live albums (1972's Roy Clark Live! And 1976's In Concert), were recorded at two long-gone Las Vegas hotels, and include generous helpings of Clark's humorous between-song patter, his hit singles, and extensive demonstration of his prowess on guitar, banjo and fiddle.

In an era when country music's mavericks were getting edgy, Clark provided twangy music in a comfortable adult-contemporary context. The breadth of his offerings is impressive, including hot-picked versions of "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," "Orange Blossom Special" and "Riders in the Sky," the old-timey "Alabama Bound," a cover of Wilbert Harrison's "Kansas City" that shows Clark a winning R&B picker, pop-country tunes "Thank God and Greyhound" and "Green Green Grass of Home" (the latter of which he colors with jokey new lyrics), and the full-on adult-contemporary sound of "Yesterday, When I Was Young." His eight-minute version of "Dueling Banjos" pits him in a master class battle against fellow five-string legend Buck Trent, and Clark's classical guitar technique is displayed on a dramatic version of "Malagueña."

Clark's show was geared to his mainstream audience of the time, with jokes about hippies and Geritol and a band that sounds more Vegas than Opry. Even so, he wove together genuine musical artistry with comedy schtick as only a master entertainer could manage. Taken from the peak of his mainstream popularity, these tracks have been out of print for over thirty years and are a vast improvement over the latter-day Branson-era live material that's been available on CD. This is a great introduction to the vast range of Clark's talents, as a musician and as a comedian, but mostly as an all-around entertainer. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]

This Roy Clark CD is one of the Best CDs I've ever owned. I highly recommend it! The selection of songs is awesome. He plays awesome banjo, electric guitar and my favorite - the Fiddle! He has a fantastic voice - and is really qutiem funny on this live cd.

Roy Clark continues to be one of the most exciting live performers in country music history. He has endured as a talented singer, comedian, and incredible guitar player, as this collection compiled from his two classic live albums Roy Clark Live!, and In Concert demonstrates.

These live recordings, unavailable for almost 30 years, are taken from two of Roy's biggest and most popular albums.

The release features two tracks with Buck Trent on banjo. Buck, a popular performer in his own right is acknowledged as one of the best banjo players in country music history.

Of course this is a great CD. Every time I watched Roy Clark he gives a great performance. I enjoy having this in my collection.

First off, if you order a cd through Amazon and have problems with your order, please don't take it out on the artist and use the music review section as a forum for your order problems--that does a disservice to the artist and product.

Secondly, I should say that I haven't ordered this yet, but I can vouch for the material taken from the "Roy Clark Live" Dot LP release. I wish they had simply released each live LP as a separate cd, but this is still a most welcome release of live material that has been out of print for years and unavailable on cd.

I've been in Chicago for over ten years years now, and one of my cherised memories is taking my first trip here on the long Amtrak train ride from Albany, NY, with a little Walkman (yes, that was the pre-Ipod days when some folks still actually knew what cassettes were) and a homemade tape dub of the Dot LP. Great songs, impeccable musicianship, and fun patter that fans of "Chester and Lester" with Atkins and Paul would probably enjoy. Haven't heard it in years and can't wait to relive it, although I wish the entire album was here.

I also have the earlier live date on LP, but I don't remember enough about that one, although anyone who thinks Roy Clark was just some Hee Haw bumpkin will be brought up to speed in a hurry listening to either live date. Roy could play with the best of them, and he even did an album with jazz guitar great Joe Pass.

Get a comfy place to sit, your favorite drink, and get ready to hear some unpretentious, fantastic music from one of the best pickers of all time.

Finally!

This was a good buying experience. Was available and deliered right away without any hassels. This is what shopping should be like.

I never received this shipment. I sent several emails advising this. Please explain or reship. I do want this order or credit my account. Thank You Mark Cockerham