Hank Locklin - RCA Country Legends

Hank Locklin had a high, plaintive voice and a taste for heartbreaking barroom ballads and pure honky tonk that made him one of the best straight-ahead country singers of the '50s and early '60s. Although he had some big hits -- most notable his original "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On" and "Please Help Me, I'm Falling," along with "Why Baby Why," "Geisha Girl," and "It's a Little More Like Heaven" -- he was more of a country singer's country singer, which led to smaller hits as the '60s wore on, as well as a lack of available material even during the CD boom. Bear Family fixed that to a certain extent with two big, comprehensive box sets, and there was a decent Collectables collection in the late '90s, but it wasn't until 2003's RCA Country Legends that his greatest hits were available as strong single-disc collection. RCA Country Legends spans 16 tracks, running from 1956 to 1968, and unlike some volumes in the series, it concentrates on Locklin's hits -- which is appropriate since, as mentioned above, they had yet to make it to disc. So, 14 of these 16 tracks are hits, covering the great majority of his charting singles, and the result is necessary for any serious country collection. The times may have changed considerably in those ten-plus years covered on this collection, but Locklin held firm to his country ideals, and whittled down to the essentials as they are here, they offer proof of why country connoisseurs consider him among the best pure singers in the genre. This long-awaited collection finally offers the average listener a chance to hear why. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Anita Kerr Vocals (Background), Accordion Betty Ann Rizzo Project Coordinator Bill Walker Vibraphone Bob Moore Bass Bob Moore & His Orchestra Bass Booker Rowe Viola Boots Randolph Saxophone Brenton Banks Violin Buddy Harman Drums Byron Bach Cello Cecil Brower Violin Chet Atkins Guitar (Electric), Producer, Guitar (Rhythm), Guitar Dale Potter Fiddle Darcy Proper Mastering Dolores Edgin Vocals (Background) Dorothy Dillard Vocals (Background) Floyd Cramer Piano Gary VanOsdale Viola Gordon Stoker Vocals (Background), Accordion Grady Martin Guitar (Electric), Guitar Hank Garland Guitar Hank Locklin Guitar, Vocals, Guitar (Rhythm) Harold Bradley Guitar (Electric) Henry Strzelecki Bass Hoyt Hawkins Vocals (Background) Hurshel Wiginton Vocals (Background) Jack Shook Guitar (Rhythm) Jeremy Holiday Project Coordinator Jerry Byrd & the String Dusters Bass Jerry Carrigan Drums Jerry Kennedy Guitar Jimmy Day Guitar (Steel) Jimmy Selph Guitar Joe Babcock Vocals (Background) John Hudson Product Manager June Page Vocals (Background) Kenneth A. Buttrey Drums Laura Dorson Project Coordinator Lillian Hunt Violin Louis Dean Nunley Vocals (Background) Marijohn Wilkin Vocals (Background) Martin Katahn Violin Marvin Chantry Viola Millie Kirkham Soprano (Vocal), Vocals (Background) Neal Matthews Vocals (Background) Neal Matthews, Jr. Vocals (Background) Pete Wade Guitar (Rhythm) Ray C. Walker Vocals (Background) Ray Edenton Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm) Ray Stevens Harpsichord Rich Kienzle Liner Notes, Compilation Rob Santos Compilation Producer Roy Huskey Jr. Bass Rusty Kershaw Guitar (Electric) Sheldon Kurland Violin Smay Vision Design Solie Fott Violin Stephen H. Sholes Producer Sue Raffman Project Coordinator Tommy Jackson Fiddle Velma Smith Guitar Wayne Moss Guitar (Electric) William H. Wright Jr. Vocals (Background)