Search - Carl Belew :: Hits Plus Ones I've Written

Finally, a Carl Belew collection!

Jerald E. Mills | Santee, CA, USA | 11/04/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have waited for many years for a collection of some kind to be released covering the underrated work of Carl Belew. Carl was (and still is) highly regarded as a songwriter, but he was also a fine performer. This album is a collection of songs released during his days with RCA Victor in the 1960's. Most recognizable to fans of that era will be "Hello Out There", "Odd Man Out", "Boston Jail", "Walking Shadow, Talking Memory", "Crystal Chandelier", and "Am I That Easy to Forget?". I gave only four stars because of the omission of "Lonely Street" and "Pretty Brown Eyes". Also missing is Carl's pre-RCA rockabilly work and his later work that included duets with Betty Jean Robinson.



All in all, though, a very good collection from a solid artist. If you remember Carl Belew and liked him at all, this is the only collection you'll find to date. It's well worth the money for fans of "real" country music."

Carl Belew

Paul W. Dennis | Winter Springs, FL USA | 12/21/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Finally a Carl Belew collection! Carl was a second (or third) tier star of the 1960s, better known for his songwriting than for his singing. Carl has a pleasant but not terribly distinctive voice so it is difficult for him to stand out from the crowd. Curiously enough, for such a fine songsmith, Carl's biggest hits ("Hello Out There" and "Crystal Chandeliers")were written by others. This collection covers only the RCA years so it doesn't include Carl's version of "Stop The World and Let Me Off" (Waylon Jennings' first hit) or "Lonely Street" (a pop hit for Andy Williams and a minor country hit for several artists)but it does cover most of his chart hits (such as "Odd Man Out", "Boston Jail", "Walking Shadow, Talking Memory", "Crystal Chandelier", and "Am I That Easy to Forget?" (a remake - Carl's charted hit was on Decca).



Production is typical "Nashville Sound", neither pop nor hard country. This collection could be better if it picked up some of his recordings for other labels, particularly his Decca/Four Star recordings, but I suspect that this will be the only Carl Belew CD you'll ever see so snap it up. It does include Carl's take on his song "Don't Squeeze My Sharmon", so that alone should make it worth picking up!



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Get This One While You Can

Jess | Coal Country, PA | 03/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have never encountered another collection of Carl Belew's songs, so this 19 Track disc has been long-coming. If you're not familiar with Carl Belew, you owe it to yourself to grab this album and give it a listen. Carl was an excellent songwriter, much in the same vein as Don Gibson. Just as important, Carl was a talented singer, although stuck in the "Nashville Sound" for much of his career. His voice is 80% Bobby Bare and 20% Ferlin Husky; he could easily be mistaken for a younger Bobby Bare on the earlier recordings. Like many songwriters though, it was the "other" artist who got the glory with his songs. Still, you will enjoy this album immensely.....especially so if you're a fan of the polished country music of the '60's. A set of liner notes is included, and the sound on this CD is just fine. Get it while you can."