Search - Oak Ridge Boys :: Best of the Oak Ridge Boys

Nice rendition of the pre-country Oaks!

Kyle | 03/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a compilation of the Oaks' "Columbia Days," just before they made the switch to mainstream country. It features two Grammy-award-winning songs ("The Baptism Of Jesse Taylor" and "Where The Soul Never Dies"), more southern-style with "Rhythm Guitar" and "Family Reunion," and a more contemporary sound with "There Must Be A Better Way" and "He's Gonna Smile On Me." Perhaps one of the finest cuts on here is the previously-unreleased "Heaven Bound," a rocking, uptempo tune. Unlike most of the Oaks' gospel music available today, this collection features the CURRENT group (Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban), and not the lineup from the late 50's/early 60's. All in all, it is a very good album!"

A nice (if short) collection of later gospel "Boys"

native main-ah | Sedgwick, ME United States | 03/18/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Released by Columbia just before the "Boys" broke into mainstream country, this bargain release takes ten gospel songs to make a short (less than 30 minutes) shining collection. First the less shining stars of the collection are Paul Simon's "Loves Me Like A Rock" and Kris Kristofferson's "Why Me". While good songs in their own right, the group does an OK job, no more, no less."The Baptism of Jesse Taylor" starts off the collection with a good story and morality song. Think of it as bad man gone good. "Rhythm Guitar" is a good song although I disagree with one lyric, the singer talks about Jesus saying "I don't think it's working out at all the way He planned." I happen to think He doesn't make mistakes and that all this happens the way it does for a reason. Forgive the theology. :) Allan Toussaint's "Freedom For The Stallion" is done to perfection, often getting the repeat button. "Heaven Bound" makes you want to be sure to be on that train. "He's Gonna Smile On Me", "There Must Be A Better Way" and "Where The Soul Never Dies" are effective gospel rousers and the final cut David Allan Coe's "Family Reunion" gives a hint of where the Boys were heading.A bit skimpy on the number of tracks and the first two songs I mentioned are the only reason this collection gets 4 stars instead of 5."