The Very Best of Randy Travis

Randy Travis

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 3, 2004)
• Original Release Date: August 3, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B0002IQFF4
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,632 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The emergence of North Carolinian Randy Travis heralded a sea change in contemporary country. The true pioneer of the hugely popular new traditionalist movement, Travis helped reconnect the genre with its roots. His 1986 debut, Storms Of Life, delivered two #1 singles and became country's first-ever multiplatinum album. Getting back to basics never felt so good, and Travis remained country’s dominant voice for years- "Forever And Ever, Amen," from '87's Always & Forever , launched a run of seven consecutive country chart-toppers. He hit #1 most recently in '03 with the award-winning "Three Wooden Crosses," and he remains indisputably, one of country's all-time superstars.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best single CD of his music, September 7, 2004

By	Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is not the strongest collection of Randy's music yet released (that is the double-CD Anthology) but it is the best single CD available. As such, if you feel that a double CD is either too much or too expensive, this is the one to go for. It contains nineteen of his hits for Warner from the old millennium and one track from his 2002 album (Rise and shine), Three wooden crosses. Randy's voice has similarities with Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard and Clint Black, but the contrasting musical styles ensures that you won't normally confuse one with another.

Randy had fifteen number one hits on the country charts in the eighties and nineties and all except one are included here. The fifteen are Digging up bones, On the other hand, Forever and ever amen, I won't need you anymore, Too gone too long, I told you so (not included), Honky tonk moon, Deeper than the holler, Is it still over, It's just a matter of time (originally a pop hit for Brook Benton), Hard rock bottom of your heart, Forever together, Look heart no hands, If I didn't have you and Whisper my name. More recently, Three wooden crosses returned Randy to the top of the country charts.

Of course, if you are looking for a particular Randy Travis song and it isn't here, it may be on Anthology or one of the other available compilations. Of the tracks available on Anthology but not here, my favorites are A few ole country boys (with George Jones - this can be found on some of George's albums as well as other albums by Randy), 1982 and What'll you do about me. Still, these omissions only serve to emphasize how many great hits Randy had.

If you just want a single CD of Randy's music, this compilation will suit you ideally unless your favorite song of his is missing. The committed fan should go for Anthology instead, picking up Rise and shine for Three wooden crosses.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Single-Disc Collection, November 30, 2004

By	Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Along with Dwight Yoakam and Steve Earle, Randy Travis ushered in the new traditionalist movement in country music with his 1985 debut STORMS OF LIFE. That album produced his first no. 1 hit with "On the Other Hand," and nearly twenty years later he topped the chart again in 2003 with "Three Wooden Crosses." Those songs bookend this collection and in between are 18 songs which hit most of the highlights of his amazing career.

While Travis is not known as a songwriter, he makes excellent choices in the material he performs. And his warm baritone voice is one of the best in all of country music. [Note: Travis did write the no. 1 hit "I Told You So," and he co-wrote "Forever Together" and "Better Class of Losers" with Alan Jackson.]

Those of you who already bought 2002's 2-CD TRAIL OF MEMORIES will not find anything new here (except the addition of "Three Wooden Crosses"), but for everyone else this is a solid single-disc career retrospective. My only complaint is that with a running time of just under 65 minutes, there was room to squeeze in a few of the eight top 10 singles left off. I would have especially liked to have seen "1982" from his debut added along with the duet with his hero George Jones on "A Few Old Country Boys" from 1990's HEROES & FRIENDS.

While I already own TRAIL OF MEMORIES, I purchased this as a Christmas present (along with the equally excellent THE VERY BEST OF DWIGHT YOAKAM) for the country music fan on my holiday list. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Compilation!, September 2, 2004

By	S. Kandel "Scotch 'N Soda" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Features all of Randy Travis' greatest hits from the late 80's and early 90's. Also includes his latest hit, Three Wooden Crosses." Sound quality is excellent; crystal clear. I highly recommend this great CD to any country music fan.