How Cold Hearted Can You Get - Hank Thompson, Gray, Billy
This Train - Hank Thompson, Broonzy, Big Bill
Yesterday's Girl - Hank Thompson, Gray, Billy
The New Green Light - Hank Thompson, Thompson, Hank
Big Beaver [Instrumental] - Hank Thompson, Wills, Bob
Total Stranger - Hank Thompson, Thompson, Hank
A Six Pack to Go - Hank Thompson, Hart, Dick
Drivin' Nails in My Coffin - Hank Thompson, Irby, Jerry
I Cast a Lonesome Shadow - Hank Thompson, Russwurm, Lynn
Too in Love - Hank Thompson, Fairchild, Ned
Oklahoma Hills - Hank Thompson, Guthrie, Jack
Best known for 1951's "The Wild Side of Life," Thompson wed prewar Western swing to postwar honky-tonk and created a sound that proved viable both on the radio (where swing was usually ignored) and in the dance halls. He k... more »ept it up with a steady string of hits that included beer-drinking ballads, heart songs, folkish material, and flat-out novelties; though he plied a distinctly Texas sound, he was never shy about looking to the Southeast for material. His bands, often joined in the studio by guitarist Merle Travis, framed his vocals perfectly without ever taking the spotlight off the singer (and also cut instrumental hits such as "Wildwood Flower" on their own). With 20 tracks, this is the best single-CD sampler of Thompson's early work. --John Morthland« less
Best known for 1951's "The Wild Side of Life," Thompson wed prewar Western swing to postwar honky-tonk and created a sound that proved viable both on the radio (where swing was usually ignored) and in the dance halls. He kept it up with a steady string of hits that included beer-drinking ballads, heart songs, folkish material, and flat-out novelties; though he plied a distinctly Texas sound, he was never shy about looking to the Southeast for material. His bands, often joined in the studio by guitarist Merle Travis, framed his vocals perfectly without ever taking the spotlight off the singer (and also cut instrumental hits such as "Wildwood Flower" on their own). With 20 tracks, this is the best single-CD sampler of Thompson's early work. --John Morthland
"I set my CD player on the front porch last summer, and this CD spent more time in it than any other! This is classic stuff, folks, but some of the best cuts on the album may be tracks you're not familiar with. Wake Up, Irene and Total Stranger make me grin every time I hear the lyrics. For those of you who remember how to dance to REAL western swing, there is the rollicking instrumental version of Wildwood Flower. Hank's roadhouse voice, hot band and tight arrangements are the perfect accompaniments to porch dancing with your best guy or gal. This album gets the rodeo queen salute!"
Akin to a religious experience
Francis Callahan | Lawrence, Massachusetts | 06/10/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My son gave this album to me, his 69 year old father, and hearing Hank's warm, natural, soothing voice bridged the span of years from 1953 when I first heard it overseas in Japan, and 2001 as though they were but a moment in time. I was transported to the year 1953, was 22 and memorizing every word on his album Capitol H418, Songs of the Brazos Valley. What a great pleasure to know he is still bringing his music to yet another generation in yet another century! His lyrics reveal, without preaching, a standard and quality of life we would all benefit by emulating."
Thompson/ the heart of man
Francis Callahan | 07/10/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Thompsons music is truely a dream. Nursery rymes in a Honk-Tonk, only he could do it with style ! I have loved him from childhood and am glad to see I can still find his music and it fits as good today as it did 30 years ago."
Top Grade Honky Tonk
Anthony S. Prowse | Melbourne, Australia | 04/17/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a real cracker of an album and at the price it's a true bargain. Some call Hank a Western Swing artist however I cannot agree with this moniker. He's much more in the honky tonk mould and quick listen to this album confirms such. Apart from the monster (in depth and price) Bear Family set this is the best Hank Thompson album out there. It covers his period with Capitol Records (1947 - 1961) and, while he made some excellent music after this time, he had his biggest hits with Capitol under the production guidance of Ken Nelson. This album covers just about all those hits plus a couple of Brazos Valley Boys instrumentals (which are more in the Bob Wills Western Swing mould). Hank wrote or co-wrote 12 of the numbers here and shows he was not only a great singer and arranger but a superb songwriter. Another interesting aspect to this album is the obvious development of the artist over time and the improvement in recording technology and techniques. Also, the Brazos Valley Boys were one hot band that could swing it out when required and throughout supply complex, interesting and sympathetic support. Merle Travis supplies his trademark guitar work to many of the songs and he is in fine form indeed. The CD comes with a very informative booklet and the sound/mastering is top shelf making it an essential purchase. I encourage anyone looking for an album of 50's honky tonk in the, then, more "commercial" style at an absolute bargain low price to pop this in the trolley when next ordering music from Amazon. Highly Recommended."