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The best single disc collection of George Jones out there

08/17/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"George Jones is the greatest country singer of all-time (many say Hank Williams, but as much as I love Hank, I think Jones just edges him out). His impressive vocal skills and powerful ballad readings are rarely matched in all of pop music, and over several decades he's consistently recorded quality material. While his recordings with Epic are his most popular, many argue that his recordings before it are his best. The best place to explore this period is the CD on this page, "The Best of George Jones 1955-1967." Every track is a hit and a classic, some of the best traditional, honky-tonk music ever. Whether it's wild-eyed rave-ups like "White Lightning," bluegrass harmonies with Melba Montgomery, or eloquent ballads like "She Thinks I Still Care," Jones proves himself a master at just about every country subgenre there is. Simply put, this music is absolutely essential to any serious country music collection.My only complaint is the length of this disc, which runs only about 40 minutes through 18 songs; they could have fit at least a dozen more songs without diluting it as a whole. Essential tracks like "Tall Tall Trees" an "Mr. Fool" would have been welcome additions, and if they had to use just 18 songs, then they could have dropped one or two of the fun but slight novelty songs for some more of his great ballad work. Furthermore, the set curiously ends at 1967. It would have made more sense to end a few years later, when Jones ended his association with Musicor and jumped over to Epic. As a result, classic hits like "A Good Year For The Roses" and "A Picture Of Me Without You" are not present.Still, of all the collections out there, it does the best job of covering Jones's pre-Epic years, and while it's short, it's also a pretty inexpensive CD, so from a financial standpoint you're not getting ripped off.Do yourself a favor and pick this up."

The Stuff Upon Which Legends are Built

B. Lynch | USA | 11/15/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the definitive George Jones collection as far as I am concerned. Jones has continued to make geat records, and is still a major contender for 'cool' in country music, but the early material on this CD is what MADE the legend upon which Mr. Jones was able to sustain his career.This is almost rockabilly; the stuff that drove crowds wild for legendary performers like Elvis Presley, Marty Robbins, and dozens of other ''music greats'' who acknowledge that they owed as much to Country Music as they did to Rhythm and Blues for their success.Jones' later work with Tammy Wynette and Epic records was more commercially succssful, and it is also excellent. But his early work has a level of intensity and energy that the later work is missing. So his best work with Tammy Wynette and on his own is no less essential for a complete collection of good music. But unlike the later music, this early material just sounds like "must-own" material. Listening to it makes one realize why Jones has been such a success for so long: HIS talent, not engineering and production talent, is at the core.Many fans of today's country & western radio might find this a bit too close to rock and roll. But people who think too much of today's radio-format-friendly Country and western is just "velveeta music" (not only cheesy, but also synthetic and artificial), who want more upbeat cover-songs by Alan Jackson, Dwight Yoakam, or Brooks & Dunn will find this to be a breath of fresh air."

Ultra Country Gold George Jones

Larry D. Wilkins | Texas | 05/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you are any type of fan of George Jones, this CD is a must. This CD has his early songs and also has his best songs, "Just a Girl I Used to Know", Window Up Above" She Thinks I Still Care" just to name my top three favorites. George's style and the songs he sings makes him one of a kind. Most of the classic Country songs from days gone by, one knew who the artists were the moment they begin to sing or with just a few notes you knew what song it was going to play. Again, this CD is Ultra Country Gold George Jones. I highly recommend this Classic CD !"