TURNTABLE TUESDAY - Still On The Line - Collin Raye

STILL ON THE LINE – The Songs of Glen Campbell is one of the best tribute albums to come down the tracks in a long time. Collin Raye kept the integrity of twelve of Glen Campbell’s greatest hits while making each one his own. Finding the perfect balance of past and present is a fine line. Collin Raye walks the line with the same expertise he always delivers.
   Collin Raye takes us on a trip down memory lane beginning with ‘Gentle On My Mind’ (track 2) in 1967 to ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ (track 10) in 1987. From the opening strains of 'Galveston' until the final note of ‘Where’s the Playground, Susie’ we are treated to songs we fell in love with back then. Who among us wanted to be standing on the beach in Galveston or feeling the distance evoked in ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix’ when you heard the originals? Songs like ‘Dreams of the Everyday Housewife’ remind us of a simpler time.
   No tribute to Glen Campbell would be complete without ‘Wichita Lineman’, ‘Country Boy’ and ‘Southern Nights’. Though there is a kinship between the originals and the tribute tracks, the one Glen Campbell song I think seems perfectly suited to Collin Raye is ‘True Grit’ – the lyrics reminiscent of his ‘The Walls Came Down’ CD (1998)
   Ricky Skaggs joins Collin on ‘Gentle On My Mind’ while Billy Dean blends seamlessly with Collin’s style on ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’. The admiration these three talented artists carry for Glen Campbell is palpable with every note.
   Like Collin Raye, these songs are still going strong. Whether you are familiar with Glen Campbell’s music or a Collin Raye fan, this is an album you want in your collection.

You can pick up your copy at
Amazon
or
Collin's Store

You will find Collin Raye on
CollinRaye.com
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
iTunes 

And his gigs appear here regularly on The Party List.

CMA Recap

Or should that be NMA? Just as Texas music has a variety of styles, Nashville can claim the same thing. Should it all be lumped under 'country'. Not in my book. I'll be the first to say that not everything coming out of Texas is 'cowboy' or 'country'. But at least they don't try to tell me it is. They let me pick and choose for myself.

None of the wins surprised me last night. And that includes the Entertainer of the Year. They are going to milk that girl's sales for all they can and with E of Y on her resume they can jack up the costs again. When does the insanity stop?

One group I am looking deeper into is TheBandPerry. I've not given them much of a listen, but if they aren't rockin' the house, their sibling harmony may stand a chance.

Another one is American Idol winner Scotty McCreery. The kid has a voice. And he has talent. Now if he'll just stick to his roots and not let the Nashville scene eat him alive, he might do okay.

One of the most beautiful moments last night was the tribute to Glen Campbell. The man is one of the last living legends of his era. I agree with many of the posts on the above site that he should have been allowed to sing last night. Were they afraid he was going to embarrass them? Please! Handing him a guitar and then cutting him off was about as disrespectful as you can get. They all do a fine job of that themselves. Nashville has lost its heart and thinks with its wallet. Watching him sit in the audience and sing along with the tribute performers was beautiful. Glen is in the throes of Alzheimer but is scheduled to perform 2 final concerts in Branson on December 2nd and 3rd. You can check out the details HERE

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Country Blessings

The Country Angel