Country - great albums?

[sissy kathy]

Hank Williams Sr - Greatest Hits
Patsy Cline - Greatest Hits
Randy Travis - Heroes and Friends
Marty Robbins - Gun Fighter Ballads
Johnny Horton - Greatest Hits
Statler Brothers - Bed of Rose's

 

[Roadstar]

For me, its Bakersfield Country. Buck Owens, Wynn Stewart, Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam. Then Ray Price, Faron Young, Willie, Waylon, Lefty, Texas Tornados, The Mavericks, Johnny Horton, Sturgill Simpson. That covers the 50's to current. Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Dolly, Dolly and Porter.

 

[fjadams]

Yeah that's cool. And good info. Which Hank? Is there a SR and a Jr? I'm a total newbie. Thanks.

There's Hank. The original and an incredible song writer.
Hank Jr. Never liked anything about him or his music.
Hank III. Looks like and sings like his granddad. He's definitely a country outlaw or country punk. I doubt any of his songs are going to be heard on country pop radio in this or the next lifetime.

 

[bassfran]

I may be a born Yankee, but many pluses for Willie, Waylon, Merle, Cash, and George Jones. The Highwaymen, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, and Steve Earle, too.

And Hank 3. IMO, he's a real, bona-fide, sh*tkicker.

I ain't naming particular records because I'd be typing all morning...

 

[svlilioukalani]

The Flying Burrito Brothers.

 

[Fab Superlative]

Anything by Dale Watson!!!
'The Sun Sessions' album is a good place to start- (Down Down Down Down Down, My Baby Makes Me Gravy)


El Rancho Azul, swings pretty good too, (I Lie When I Drink, Give Me More Kisses)

 

[fjadams]

For a sometimes tongue-in-cheek take that pays homage to the entire history of country, there's always Junior Brown.

I'd start with Semi-Crazy.

BTW, Junior is a guitar player of the first order. You've gotta hear it to believe it.

Incredible guitar and steel player.

 

[PWRL]

Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs

No country collection is complete without it.

 

[fly agaric]

Generally I dig the outlaw stuff: Waylon, Merle, etc.

Newer country I like includes Sturgill Simpson, although his new album is more space cowboy white soul than country. No big deal.

Really love Margo Price's album from this year.

Being a Denver guy, I've gigged quite a bit with Slim Cessna over the years. Talking about them, you have to talk about 16 Horsepower, which is more Americana Gothic.

 

[MNAirHead]

Unsure if anyone has suggested the recent one... it's probably one of the better album format recordings in recent history

Jamey Johnson "that lonesome sound"

Just about everyone on Rolling Stone calls one of the songs within the top 10 ever popular tunes written

 

[bearhart74]

 

[Bourbongangster]

I was just listening to the album called "Being There" by Wilco. That album might actually scratch the itch for ya.

 

[StatesideRambler]

Buck Owens 60s and early 70s recordings were tight. That band played as a unit making it a good example of country bass in an ensemble. I never much liked Jim Ed Brown but he had a great band. Walking bass was great in there.

 

[noahw1]

I've been listening to a lot of Sturgill Simpson lately. The first two are what you would call "old school" country and his latest is a little bit more in the Stax vein with horns and a little funk.

 

[Bass_Thumper]

Check out Cody Jinks - Adobe Sessions

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Delectrified - Clint Black.

 

[tzdroik]

TURNPIKE TRUBADOURS!!! Great, great stuff. Not sure if it was mentioned yet.

 

[Frank Tuesday]

Whitey Morgan - Grandpa's Guitar



Then you can go learn about the people who wrote the songs on the album.

 

[Johnny Crab]

All of the above are GREAT places to learn and go.

We do one that was not mentioned that a friend of the band sings this song because he's lived it. Song is called "Don't Close Your Eyes" by Keith Whitley(who has other good stuff also). When I was learning it, my then-teen son heard it and said "Dad, that sounds like redneck EMO music" due to the sad lyrics. We laughed but I advised him that he may not get through life without having his heart ripped out and stomped on by someone he loves(or loved) and that is what it's about.

Same guy also sings "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones with us.

My personal fav, due to the bassist's aggressive tone(Michael Rhodes) on some cuts, is(yes, more modern for 2001) Brooks & Dunn's "Steers and Stripes".

 

[MNAirHead]

Guess we'd all be frauds if we didn't say the first 3 Garth Brooks Records

Like him or not...