Search - Various Artists :: Legends Of Guitar : Country, Vol. 1

Wide-ranging collection of country guitar styles

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 02/11/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The guitar?s evolution from rhythm to lead was paralleled by the increasing renown of its country players. But even with the guitar?s lead role, Nashville?s system often subordinated the stardom of pickers to the vocalists (or band leaders) on whose records they performed. Guitar Player?s 1990 collection highlights seventeen stellar guitar performances, ranging from hotshot slingers like Joe Maphis whose instrumentals serve up his flying fingers front-and-center, to brilliant players like Grady Martin, whose Mexicali-flavored picking serves as a duet to Marty Robbins? vocal on "El Paso."The range of musical and guitar playing styles presented here is astonishing. Maphis and his disciple Larry Collins flat pick up a storm in "Hurricane." Jimmy Bryant & Speedy West duel with guitar and steel on "The Night Rider." Earl "Joaquin" Murphey provides swinging steel in Spade Cooley?s big-band. Merle Travis shows off his acoustic fingerpicking talents (as opposed to the honky-tonk he?s more commonly known for) on "Cannon Ball Stomp," and Chet Atkins (backed by Homer and Jethro) shows off his variation of Travis? style on "Galloping on the Guitar." Leon McAuliffe (of Bob Wills? Texas Playboys) and Leon Rhodes (of Ernest Tubb?s Texas Troubadours) shine on a pair of instrumentals.Carl Perkins, remembered today mostly for his rockabilly sides demonstrates his exceptional country skills on "Tennessee," an early side waxed for Sun. Later samplings include the chiming 12-string of Roger McGuinn supporting the picking of Clarence White on the Byrds? "Nashville West," and Reggie Young?s 1981 work on Merle Haggard?s loping "I Think I?ll Just Stay Here and Drink."Additional highlights include Bud Isaacs watershed pedal steel appearance on Webb Pierce?s "Slowly" and Doc Watson?s folk-country fingerpicked cover of John D. Loudermilk?s "Windy and Warm." The inclusion of longtime Sons of the Pioneers guitarist Roy Lanham?s bebop playing on "Lost Weekend," is a fine, though not particularly relevant to the theme of the collection - too bad a Pioneer?s side couldn?t be included. The disc?s lack of chronological sequencing is a bit puzzling. Audio quality is generally excellent (with a few pops and crackles on some of the earlier transcription work), and Rich Kienzle?s extensive liner notes are thorough and engaging.4-1/2 stars, if Amazon allowed fractional ratings."