Trail of Memories: Anthology (Dig)

Randy Travis

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 16, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B000069KE1
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #149,025 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Diggin' Up Bones

2. On The Other Hand

3. Reasons I Cheat

4. 1982

5. Send My Body

6. No Place Like Home

7. Anything

8. Forever And Ever, Amen

9. I Won't Need You Anymore (Always And Forever)

10. Too Gone Too Long

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Heroes And Friends (Long Single Edit)

2. Allergic To The Blues

3. Point Of Light

4. Forever Together

5. I'm Gonna Have A Little Talk

6. Better Class Of Losers

7. Look Heart, No Hands

8. If I Didn't Have You

9. Memories Of Old Santa Fe

10. Cowboy Boogie

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

When Randy Travis debuted with Storms in Life in 1986, it seemed like the answer to a prayer. Travis's Lefty Frizzell-inspired baritone was deployed atop quiet, twangy arrangements built around little more than brushes and acoustic rhythm guitar. Decorating his earnest phrasing with the most delicate melisma, Travis helped solidify a traditionalist revival by landing several singles (including "On the Other Hand," "Diggin' Up Bones," and "No Place Like Home," each written by Paul Overstreet) in the country Top 10. Unfortunately, in the '90s age of Hot New Country, Travis's low-key vocals and quiet arrangements no longer passed industry muster as even decent demo recordings, and truth be told, his effortless singing began to sound more listless than lilting. His formerly unerring ear for great song selection began to suffer, as well--witness the later Pollyanna of "Heroes and Friends" (who says they never let you down?) and the outright propaganda of his George Bush Sr.-era hit "Points of Light." But just because Travis never again matched that strong first batch of Overstreet gems doesn't mean he didn't continue to release his share of superb sides. This two-disc, 43-track collection does a nearly flawless job of finding the highlights of Randy Travis's long career. --David Cantwell

Product Description

2 CDs, packed with all the biggest hits by the new-traditional country superstar. 44 hit singles and popular album cuts from 13 albums released by Warner Bros. & the DreamWorks from 1986-1999. Features 22 Top 5 hits, including all 15 of Randy's #1s, like 'Diggin' Up Bones', 'Forever And Ever, Amen', 'I Told You So', 'Honky Tonk Moon', 'Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart', 'Look Heart, No Hands' and more. Accompanying booklet stuffed with session details, lots of rare photos, and liner notes by noted country music expert Robert K. Oermann. Slipcase. Rhino Records.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost Definitive, July 20, 2002

By	T. C Lane (Marina, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This should've been a 5 star Anthology, but a few of Travis' later hits are missing. First the good news. All of his Country albums from 1986-99 are covered. All his #1 hits are here. The compilers have also included some album cuts like "Allergic To The Blues" and "Card Carryin' Fool" that could've been hits. The liner notes are good, the sound good and the packaging is good. Now the bad news. Two of Travis' last Top 10 hits from 1998 are mysteriously absent: "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom Of A Man" and "Out Of My Bones". Instead, there's 4 duets from a 1990 duets album. Only one, the duet with George Jones (which was a hit), should be here. The other 3 are substandard. Also, the title track from 1999's A Man Ain't Made of Stone (a Top 30 song) is absent. It's these slight faults that keep this from being 100% definitive. It's a good collection, and perfectly timed, since Travis' hits have dried up as of this date. If you're new to Randy Travis this is a better deal than the other Hits compilations on the market. Greatest #1 Hits is just too skimpy. Travis die-hards will dig the album cuts and packaging. Until all his hits are stuffed on to 1 CD, this is the next best thing to decent Randy Travis collection.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magnificent collection of Randy's finest music, February 8, 2003

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

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By far the strongest collection of Randy's music yet released, this contains all his hits for Warner and also a couple of his hits for Dream Works. To those who are disappointed that some Dream Works hits are missing, I say that they probably want to save them for their own compilation. Instead of those, Warner included a few choice album tracks, particularly some duets from the Heroes and friends album. Only one of the duets was a big hit single but three others are added here, and they are most welcome.

Randy had fifteen number one hits on the country charts and they are all here. They 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, 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. Some of the other songs got very close, peaking at 2 or 3.

Randy's voice has similarities with Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard and Clint Black, but their contrasting musical styles ensures that you won't normally confuse one with another. A 40-page booklet provides extensive notes, far more detailed than you normally get with this type of compilation. Thus the quality of the booklet contents matches the quality of the music on the two CD's.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best songs...of the best singer..., May 4, 2003

By	DanD - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I cannot honestly sit here and tell you that I never thought Randy Travis "too country." I did. I cannot sit here and tell you that I never thought him too emotional, too sentimental. I did. I have not been a Randy Travis fan his entire career; he's been singing longer than I've been alive. Nor have I listened to his songs with an open ear all the time.

But I can sit here and tell you, without a single lie creeping into these words, that this is a grand collection of one of country music's most worthy alums--a master of country music, Randy Travis. At his best? That's for you to decide. Is this collection good?

It's unbelievably good.

This two CD set covers an amazing career, and almost beautifully-crafted songs. Whether Travis wrote them or not, he owns them. "Reasons I Cheat", "Diggin Up Bones", "This Is Me," "He Walked On Water," and "The Hole" tell it like it is. "No Reason to Change," "Highway Junkie," "Heroes and Friends," and "Waiting on the Light to Change" all could describe Travis himself.

"Send My Body," "Anything," "Forever and Ever, Amen," "What'll You Do About Me," "Card Carryin' Fool," "Allergic to the Blues," "Before You Kill Us All," "Would I," and "Stanger in My Mirror" all use humor and light-heartedness to cover serious topics. The duets stand out as well, but Randy Travis himself is, of course, the reason you buy this collection. There is not a moment here when he doesn't shine, no matter what position the songs did (or didn't) reach.

You are probably a Randy Travis fan already; if you are not, you are probably wanting to join. Go ahead--Randy Travis promises to welcome one and all here. Just remember: you must like your country honest, true, and straight to the bone. I once made the mistake of overlooking Travis's traditionalism; now, with this collection, I have the chance to see what I missed.

Trust me, country music fans: this collection is one you must have. No country CD collection can be complete without "Trail of Memories."