The Very Best of Wynn Stewart 1958-62

Wynn Stewart | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 5, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B00005K9R5
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,655 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #50 in Music > Country > Classic Country > Bakersfield Sound

Track Listings

1. Come On

2. The Long Black Limousine

3. How the Other Half Lives

4. Above and Beyond (The Call of Love)

5. Wishful Thinking

6. Wrong Company

7. Heartaches for a Dime

8. Playboy

9. Big City

10. If You See My Baby

11. Big, Big Love

12. I Don't Feel at Home

13. One Way to Go

14. Falling for You

15. Three Cheers for the Loser

16. Couples Only

17. Another Day, Another Dollar

18. Don't Look Back

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stellar intro to a primary architect of the west coast sound, June 25, 2001

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Very Best of Wynn Stewart 1958-62 (Audio CD)

Along with Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, Wynn Stewart shares credit for creating the west coast country sound. Harder hitting than the direction Nashville was taking at the time, and with some sting in the electric guitars, the west coast sound planted the seeds for later country-rock marriages and any number of alt.country roots revivals. Bakersfield contemporaries (including Owens and Haggard), as well as Dwight Yoakam, k.d. lang, Nick Lowe and Roger Wallace have all taken cues from Stewart.

Stewart's sound, especially his singing, had a drama that neither Owens or Haggard matched. From his earliest rockabilly work (represented here by 1958's "Come On") to fiddle-and-harmony driven weepers ("How the Other Half Lives," a duet with Jan Howard, "Wishful Thinking," and others), and country pop ("Above and Beyond (The Call of Love)" - a hit for Buck Owens on the tails of this original waxing), Stewart ranges over a variety of styles and emotions with incredible ease.

Though his chart success was sporadic, the brilliance of his recordings were anything but. The tracks here represent only a sampling (but a well-picked sampling) of the riches in his catalog. Selected from a five year period ('58-'62) during which he recorded for Challenge and Jackpot, these eighteen cuts serve as an excellent (and affordable) introduction to Stewart's work. Newly penned liner notes and vintage photos provide a brief biography. For the full story (including his later #1 hit, "It's Such a Pretty World Today," and a comprehensive biography), Bear Family's 10-disc, career complete, "Wishful Thinking" box set is the ticket.

Single disc or box set, Stewart's music is essential listening for anyone interested in honky-tonk and the west coast country sound.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good old country!, July 29, 2003

By 

jason gilmour (Toronto, Ontario) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Very Best of Wynn Stewart 1958-62 (Audio CD)

This is a pretty solid little record that serves as a good intro to the music of Wynn Stewart. The songs are all top-notch old school country that would sound right at home in a little smoke-filled bar. The production is a little slick on some of the tracks giving them a less gritty, pop feel. However, the song "Come On" is a great rock-a-billy stomper and "Wishful Thinking" will have you cryin' out to a long lost love! This CD is a great addition to a classic country fan's music collection and is right at home with stuff like Faron Young and Johnny Cash.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What A Voice, August 8, 2001

By 

Steve Kuykendall (Pasadena, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Very Best of Wynn Stewart 1958-62 (Audio CD)

One country music's best voices. Wynn is in the roll call with Lefty, George Jones, and Merle. He also laid the chunk for the Bakersfield sound. A few songs into this CD and you'll know where Merle and Buck got their major influence. I can't wait for the best of '63 through '75.