Search - Tom T Hall :: Nashville Storyteller

Storyteller's RCA Years

Jerry McDaniel | 04/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 20 song collection picks at random the songs that Tom T Hall recorded during his days with RCA Records. Included, in addition to the singles that were issued by RCA, are album cuts that have either become fan favorites through the years or have become curiosities by those who have studied the songs of Tom T Hall. The years covered on this import CD are 1978, 1979, and 1980. Then the record label, Camden, selects some live recordings of Tom singing his biggest hits: "The Year That Clayton Delaney Died" comes from a 1983 live recording; "I Like Beer", "I Love", and "Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine" all come from live performances in 1986. When you hear Tom singing in concert you can tell how much fun he has with the audience, especially "I Like Beer". Tom was with the RCA label from 1978 through 1983. It was during this era that Tom became a TV personality, hosting the syndicated country show POP GOES THE COUNTRY on the weekends plus appearing in TV commercials. These recordings represent the middle period in Tom's career before he went back to the Mercury label, the label in which he became a singing star in the late 1960's. Some of my favorites that are included: "Jesus on the Radio, Daddy on the Phone", "You Show Me Your Heart and I'll Show You Mine", "The Six O'clock News" {with a nice Cronkite acknowledgment at the end}, "The Old Side of Town", "What Have You Got To Lose", "The Great East Broadway Onion Championship of 1978" {the title itself is interesting enough}, "People As Crazy As Me". In this day and age of high fuel costs, anyone would long for the era "Back When Gas Was Thirty Cents a Gallon". Tom tackles a few songs written by others...of the 20 tracks, Tom wrote 18 of them. The lead-off song, his version of "Mr Bojangles", was written by Jerry Jeff Walker. Song number six, "Soldier of Fortune", was written by a songwriter whose name is given as G Sefton. His 1980 songs have back-up vocalists who sing passages...which is a rarity in Tom's songs...usually Tom sings alone with perhaps a few back-up singers doing harmony. Several of the songs on here are also on the career retrospective box set: STORYTELLER, POET, PHILOSOPHER; but for those who just want a CD of his RCA material or want a collection for a short car trip or whatever, get this one. The hits completists out there perhaps will not appreciate the album cuts and the rare, live performances but then again, some just very well might. This is some wonderful music and character-study-in-song from one of the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame."

My favorite entertainer

Kenneth Myron Bonnell | United States | 06/08/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Without question, Mr. Tom T. Hall, America's Storyteller is the most capable observer of human behavior since Will Rogers. CDs have been most welcome as I'd worn out many a cassette tape. The man is a musical craftsman. Even if country music is not your style, but you like a good story, you should give him a listen.

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