Customer Reviews

Vintage Collections Series

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I set my CD player on the front porch last summer, and this CD spent more time in it than any other! This is classic stuff, folks, but some of the best cuts on the album may be tracks you're not familiar with. Wake Up, Irene and Total Stranger make me grin every time I hear the lyrics. For those of you who remember how to dance to REAL western swing, there is the rollicking instrumental version of Wildwood Flower. Hank's roadhouse voice, hot band and tight arrangements are the perfect accompaniments to porch dancing with your best guy or gal. This album gets the rodeo queen salute!

My son gave this album to me, his 69 year old father, and hearing Hank's warm, natural, soothing voice bridged the span of years from 1953 when I first heard it overseas in Japan, and 2001 as though they were but a moment in time. I was transported to the year 1953, was 22 and memorizing every word on his album Capitol H418, Songs of the Brazos Valley. What a great pleasure to know he is still bringing his music to yet another generation in yet another century! His lyrics reveal, without preaching, a standard and quality of life we would all benefit by emulating.

My son gave this album to me, his 69 year old father, and hearing Hank's warm, natural, soothing voice bridged the span of years from 1953 when I first heard it overseas in Japan, and 2001 as though they were but a moment in time. I was transported to the year 1953, was 22 and memorizing every word on his album Capitol H418, Songs of the Brazos Valley. What a great pleasure to know he is still bringing his music to yet another generation in yet another century! His lyrics reveal, without preaching, a standard and quality of life from which we would all benefit by emulating.

This is a real cracker of an album and at the price it's a true bargain. Some call Hank a Western Swing artist however I cannot agree with this moniker. He's much more in the honky tonk mould and quick listen to this album confirms such. Apart from the monster (in depth and price) Bear Family set this is the best Hank Thompson album out there. It covers his period with Capitol Records (1947 - 1961) and, while he made some excellent music after this time, he had his biggest hits with Capitol under the production guidance of Ken Nelson. This album covers just about all those hits plus a couple of Brazos Valley Boys instrumentals (which are more in the Bob Wills Western Swing mould). Hank wrote or co-wrote 12 of the numbers here and shows he was not only a great singer and arranger but a superb songwriter. Another interesting aspect to this album is the obvious development of the artist over time and the improvement in recording technology and techniques. Also, the Brazos Valley Boys were one hot band that could swing it out when required and throughout supply complex, interesting and sympathetic support. Merle Travis supplies his trademark guitar work to many of the songs and he is in fine form indeed. The CD comes with a very informative booklet and the sound/mastering is top shelf making it an essential purchase. I encourage anyone looking for an album of 50's honky tonk in the, then, more "commercial" style at an absolute bargain low price to pop this in the trolley when next ordering music from Amazon. Highly Recommended.

Hank Thompson was one of my favorites from the late forties thru the early 60s. This collection is a wonderful piece of nostalgia. I marveled again at songs I hadn't heard in 40 years. I smiled and nodded when I heard Whoa Sailor, and I shed a tear of guilt when I heard Yesterday's Girl. This is a great addition to any Country & Western collection.

Thompsons music is truely a dream. Nursery rymes in a Honk-Tonk, only he could do it with style ! I have loved him from childhood and am glad to see I can still find his music and it fits as good today as it did 30 years ago.

This is a respectable collection of popular songs by Hank Thompson and The Brazos Valley Boys, with release dates going from the 1940's to 1960. In my opinion, he hit his peak in the 60's, but this collection clearly shows the progression of early country music, in both style and lyric development. I recall Hank and his band as huge, but my view may have been skewed by my rural Texas surroundings. The later songs exhibit the honky tonk influence, which I consider the golden era of country. If you collect vintage country, this is indeed essential. I had all these on vinyl but the years took their toll, so it was great to have another chance at them.

One of the best buys I've seen anywhere, Vintage collects the best of Hank Thompson's work for Capitol Records. The disc covers everything from his first hit, "Humpty Dumpty Heart," to "Oklahoma Hills," his final for the label. Swinging honky tonk is the best way to describe this music; it's not the same as Bob Wills' Texas Swing, but Hank's blend could definately get folks dancing. You can't go wrong with this for the price. It's also the original recordings, which is sometimes not the case with budget releases.

Going back to hits like "The Wild side of Life" and "Oklahoma Hills" this collection of favorites is an outstanding buy for the low price of under six bucks (I paid 3 times that for my copy). This is Hank at his best and his band backing him up is supurb. Buy this CD if your are really into that vintage Western Swing- Honky Tonk- WWII Hillbilly stuff like I am...you won't be dissapointed!....and remember, "Whao Sailor"!!!

"ENJOY" Joe Kopeck

This album captures country classics from the 50s-60's. Simple tunes, good musicians, a good jolt of the way country music used to sound. Not very sophisticated but authentic. Sounds o.k. Good variety of tunes.