Lonesome On'ry & Mean

Product Description:
There are unmistakable parallels between Steve Young & Gram Parsons. Both were southern boys with an attitude, brimming full of astonishing music, who found their way to Los Angeles at the end of the 1960s & were instrumental in forging what became known as Country Rock. Parsons made his first mark on record with the International Submarine Band, Young with Stone Country. By 1969 they were A&M label stable mates imbuing California rock with southern sensibilities & a harsh, honest, wrenching country passion. Today they both enjoy cult followings & are recognized as pioneers & consciences of a movement which made possible the rise of a swathe of artists from the Eagles to outlaw-era Waylon Jennings. Both of those, as well as the likes of Hank Williams Jr., Ian Matthews & Tracy Nelson, have recorded Steve Young songs, primarily from his fertile first decade of writing & recording, which is captured on

Tracks:

Good Hearted Woman - Guy Clark
You Asked Me To - Nanci Griffith
Amanda - Dave Alvin
Wurlitzer Prize (I Don't Want To Get Over You) - Norah Jones
Let's All Help The Cowboys (Sing The Blues) - Cowboy Jack Clement
Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line - John Doe
Nashville Rebel - Junior Brown
Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way - Robert Earl Keen
I've Always Been Crazy - Carlene Carter
Luckenbach, Texas (Back To The Basics Of Love) - Radney Foster
Storms Never Last - Allison Moorer
I Do Believe - Kris Kristofferson
Lock, Stock And Teardrops - Alejandro Escovedo
Waymore's Blues - The Crickets
Lonesome, On'ry And Mean - Henry Rollins

Amazon.com

Though his outlaw persona defined the late Waylon Jennings in the minds of many, this tribute underscores the expansive range of both his artistry and his influence. As with Dualtone's Dressed in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash, producers Dave Roe and Chuck Mead (from BR549) go beyond the obvious in both artist and song selection. Guy Clark's laid-back acoustic rendition of "Good Hearted Woman" makes the song sound like one of his own, while the sophistication of supper-club piano informs "Wurlitzer Prize (I Don't Want to Get Over You)" as interpreted by Norah Jones. Punk-rock renegades John Doe and Henry Rollins, roots-rocker Dave Alvin, and country mainstays Cowboy Jack Clement (in a trans-generational duet with Pam Tillis) and Kris Kristofferson all find a kindred spirit in Jennings. With "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way," Robert Earl Keen subjects one of Jennings's best-known anthems to the album's most radical rearrangement, but many of the interpretations are more faithful to the originals. Junior Brown's "Nashville Rebel" could pass as a Waylon soundalike, and Radney Foster slips as comfortably into "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)" as if it were favorite flannel shirt. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

A Fan Girl's Dream Come True.......2007-03-16

I've been a Waylon fan since I was a little girl listening to my Grandmother's vinyls. I've been a Rollins fan since I was a teen punk. To have them together is awesome. I was going to skip this, then I saw Rollins on it and had to go for it. I gave it 3 stars for the lackluster Norah Jones. Dragged the whole album down. I'm sure many disagree.

A Nice Way To Remember Waylon.......2007-02-08

This Album Got A LOT Of Great Songs That WE All Know From Waylons CD`s

There's Always Another Way To Do Things. . .Your Way........2006-04-09

Waylon Jennings was an influential American country singer and guitarist, born in Littlefield, Texas. He taught himself to play guitar as a young child, and formed his first band two years later. He worked as a DJ throughout his high school years, dropping out of high school to look for a career in music. During his time working as a DJ, he met and befriended Buddy Holly.

"On the night of February 3, 1959 (The Day the Music Died) the airplane carrying Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson (aka The Big Bopper) crashed outside of Mason City, Iowa, killing all passengers. Jennings had given his seat to Richardson, who had the flu and desperately needed rest. In his 1996 autobiography, Jennings admitted for the first time that in the years afterward, he felt severe guilt and responsibility for the crash. After Jennings gave up his seat, Holly had jokingly told him that he hoped the tour bus would stall. Jennings replied, with equal jocularity, that he hoped the plane would crash; these words would haunt him for years."
Wikipedia.com

Tribute albums are the way many of us are introduced to artists, and 2003's 'Lonesome, On'ry and Mean: A Tribute to Waylon Jennings" was released a year after Jenning's death. This CD serves as an introduction and tribute to one of the greats of both country music and American popular music in the 20th century. Some of the songs are performed by Waylon's friends Kris Kristofferson on "I Do Believe" and Junior Brown's "Nashville Rebel" or even sung by their songwriters Jack Clement's "Let's All Help the Cowboys Sing the Blues". There's no shortage of love for Waylon here. You do not get more alternate-country than the outlaw Waylon Jennings and his music. This is the sort of music that gives country its true message. Guy Clark opens the CD in fine fettle with "Good Hearted Woman" and is followed by that melodious woman, Nanci Griffith, on the excellent "You Asked Me To." New artists are also featured and Norah Jones sings the "Wurlitzer Prize." Her lovely voice blends so well with piano, guitar and bass. "Amanda" with Dave Alvin gives is a great surprise here. He has a special knack for old country and blues.

Junior Brown sings "Nashville Rebel," a song that reflects Jenning's personality. He has things to do and things to say in my own way. The next track written by Jennings, "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way," tells us that he had a new voice and attitude when he took to country music. Carlene Carter gives us a beautiful rendition of another of his songs, "I've Always Been Crazy." Although not written by Jennings, "Luckenbach, Texas" is as close as you get to a biography of the country outlaws. The title track comes at the end of the CD, performed by Henry Rollins.

Waylon Jennings was well known for his hard life and ways. He had a cocaine habit that he was able to overcome, but his reputation has an "outlaw" has grown to epic proportions. He and Johnny Cash, Kris Kristoffersen, and Willie Nelson became the outlaws, and performed on CDs and concerts across the US. He and his last wife Jessie Colter, had a son, Shooter Jennings, who carries on his parent's singing tradition.

For all his cult successes, Jennings was modest to the point of even putting down his own guitar playing. "Hell, I ain't no great guitar player," he said. "I just play my stuff. I'm very self-conscious about my guitar playing for some reason. I'm a singer, I never practice on my guitar."

This is a CD of remembrance to Waylon Jennings, and it lives up to his memory. Highly Recommended. prisrob April 8, 2006

A Fitting Tribute.......2004-03-10

This tribute album is filled with beautiful renditions of Waylon Jennings' songs. Dave Alvin's "Amanda", Nanci Griffith's "You Asked Me To", and Allison Moorer's "Storms Never Last" are exceptionally good. Junior Brown's worn, tattered vocals in "Nashville Rebel" sound remarkably like Waylon Jenning himself. The tribute to Jennings' life and music contained in the liner notes is moving; each of the performers briefly comments upon Jennings and his influence. However, as a tribute to Jennings, Kris Kristofferson's rendition of "I Do Believe" is worth the price of the album in and of itself.

Fine Set.......2004-01-27

This tribute to Waylon is a fine set. The musicians all seem to have an affinity for Jennings' music, even some of the less obvious choices. Guy Clark is one of the country outlaws; and "Good Hearted Woman" is given an affectionate dusting. Nancy Griffith's "You Asked Me To" highlights the Jennings/Shaver lovely melody, without grandstanding. Norah Jones' reading of "Wurlitzer Prize (I Don't Want to Get Over You)" is a real high point on this excellent set with her bluesy piano giving the track a new sound. Joe Doe relates to the punk side of Waylon's persona and smokes sassily through "Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line." "Nashville Rebel" has a great trad country feel with Junior Brown's deep bass voice and Lloyd Green's steel guitar diving deep into country. Radney Foster with Roger Credager does a nice job on the catchy "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)". Allison Moorer does a dynamite job with Jessi Colter's gorgeous tune "Storms Never Last," highlighting the rare softer side Waylon showed. Kris Kristofferson sang "I Do Believe" at Waylon's funeral; his version here is heartfelt with a great slow build. "Lock, Stock & Teardrops" by Alejandro Escovedo works extremely well. The liner notes give great information on Waylon. I forgot he was part of Buddy Holly's band; so the Cricket's version of "Waymore's Blues" fits well. Although it might seem unusual, I really like Henry Rollins' rocking version of the title tune. This is a nice set that Dualtone has put together, a tribute to one of our country greats. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

This one will grow on you . . .
"Outlaw" country coming into its own...
Waylon At His Best

Lonesome, On'ry and Mean
Waylon Jennings
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Country | Styles | Music

Outlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music

General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music

Country Folk | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Honky Tonk Heroes
Dreaming My Dreams
This Time
I've Always Been Crazy
The Ramblin' Man

ASIN: B0000ADXE2
Release Date: 2003-08-05

Tracks:

Lonesome, On'ry And Mean
Freedom To Stay
Lay It Down
Gone To Denver
Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues
You Can Have Her
Pretend I Never Happened
San Francisco Mabel Joy
Sandy Sends Her Best
Me And Bobby McGee
Laid Back Country Picker
The Last One To Leave Seattle
Big, Big Love

Customer Reviews:

This one will grow on you . . . .......2006-09-17

This is the album that Waylon begins to break away from the packaged country sound to his own style. Although he does'nt make a clean break with this album, there are some songs that show his talent and what is to come. Of course, "Lonesome On'ry and Mean" is the ultimate Waylon song. Other songs complementing this album are "Freedom to Stay, Lay it Down, Good TIme Charlie ". . . and "Laid Back Country Picker, and Big, Big Love" assist as well. The others are "Ehhh, I could take em or leave em". "Pretend I Never Happened" is not a song that has done much for me, in fact I skip over it. In my humble opinion, it is the worst song on this album and is much overrated. This Album is worth getting. It is an integral part of the Waylon story.

"Outlaw" country coming into its own..........2005-04-19

This is one of the classic "outlaw" country albums, with two of Waylon's greatest performances ever -- "Lonesome, On'ry & Mean," and "Just Pretend I Never Happened," as well as some off-the-radar gems, such as his version of Danny O'Keefe's "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues" and Mickey Newbury's "Frisco Mabel Joy," which is a superior reading of a highly regarded song. It's worth noting that the best songs on here are the ones Waylon produced himself; Nashville studio heavies like Danny Davis and Ronny Light (who also contributed to this album) were really just in the way, proving that all that jive that Waylon was saying at the time about "creative control" was 100% right on the money...

If you're checking Waylon out, this disc's a must-have.

Waylon At His Best.......2004-01-18

"Lonesome, On'ry, and Mean" is Waylon Jennings at his best. If it weren't for the fact that he recorded "Honky Tonk Heroes" right afterwards -- which is, hands down, the greatest record of all time, in any category you care to name -- this album would probably get the attention it deserves.

"Lonesome, On'ry, and Mean" was the album on which Waylon decisively broke away from the "Nashville sound" and started to define what "outlaw" music was about. Waylon was moving into uncharted territory, and a sound which I can only describe as the sound of raw freedom echoes from the Telecaster snarl of the first track.

Tracks:

Magnolias
Woman Don't Weep
This Wheel's On Fire
Rock, Salt And Nails
Holler In The Swamp
Kenny's Song
That's How Strong My Love Is
I'm A One Woman Man
My Sweet Love Ain't Around
Seven Bridges Road
The White Trash Song
Lonesome On'ry And Mean
Ragtime Blue Guitar
Long Way To Hollywood
Montgomery In The Rain
Ramblin' Man
Honky Tonk Man
Alabama Highway
Renegade Picker
Old Memories (Mean Nothing To Me)
All Her Lovers Want To Be The Hero
Dreamer

Album Description

There are unmistakable parallels between Steve Young & Gram Parsons. Both were southern boys with an attitude, brimming full of astonishing music, who found their way to Los Angeles at the end of the 1960s & were instrumental in forging what became known as Country Rock. Parsons made his first mark on record with the International Submarine Band, Young with Stone Country. By 1969 they were A&M label stable mates imbuing California rock with southern sensibilities & a harsh, honest, wrenching country passion. Today they both enjoy cult followings & are recognized as pioneers & consciences of a movement which made possible the rise of a swathe of artists from the Eagles to outlaw-era Waylon Jennings. Both of those, as well as the likes of Hank Williams Jr., Ian Matthews & Tracy Nelson, have recorded Steve Young songs, primarily from his fertile first decade of writing & recording, which is captured on

Customer Reviews:

Guilty Pleasure.......2006-03-25

I used to listen to Steve Young 30 years or so ago in the clubs of Nashville with buddies Hank R. and Bob. I had a mad crush on him, his voice and his songwriting. I had forgotten his name in the intervening 20 years, but had never forgotten "Seven Bridges Road". I moved back down south after 20 years, and heard someone say his name, and got on Amazon and ordered this CD. Pure heaven.

The Lonesome Picker Returns.......2005-08-09

Together with Jesse Winchester and Sid Selvidge, Steve Young possesses one of the sweetest and pure sounding voices to emanate from the southern states during my interim of sifting the music waves of country rock. Like Winchester, Young pens most of his material. On this fabulous compilation of tracks from '68 to'78, one of the least effective is his cover of Dylan's,'Wheels On Fire' which found its finest framing with The Band. And yet one of the best is another cover, Utah Phillip's, 'Rock, Salt& Nails'from the brilliant '68 album of that name. It was,'Seven Bridges Road' that initially seduced me to the Young sound, its power leaving the Burritos, the Parsons, the Brownes, and Eagles out in the rain. Young's hypnotic voice seemed to be caroming from canyon walls in some mysterious, burnt country, to swirl in the dry thermals with the predatory birds he occasionally sang about.'Seven Bridges Road','Kenny's Song','Montogomery In The Rain','Renegade Picker',- all my favourites are gathered here in their lean glory. Thanks to Glenn Baker of Raven, yet again for helping an old codger rebuild his vinyl racks. Steve actually made it here to Alice in 1990,performing outside to a small and appreciative crowd at dusk. I don't think I'd truly gauged the vituosity of his guitar work until he stood before us. Nor the potency of that voice that curled about our ears without assistance of auditorium acoustics, to sit so well in that natural ampitheatre, beneath the pink sandstone hillock.

Review of a Steve Young Best of CD.......1998-07-18

Steve Young is a singer/songwriter whose work encompasses country/rock/soul/gospel. He describes his music as southern. Mr. Young is from Alabama but he was in California in the 60's and 70's and was part of the scene that included the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons, Crosby, Stills and Nash and so on. This CD has samples of his early intense sound from that period. During the 70's Mr. Young became, intentionally or unitentitonally part of the country music outlaws with Waylon Jennings. This cd has a generous sampling of Mr. Young most commercially successful music of the 70's. If you want to hear a broad sampling of an iconoclastic "Southern" singer, this is a good bet.

Honky Tonk Heroes/Lonesome On'ry and Mean

Average customer rating:

Waylon shows his independence
THE BEST COUNTRY ALBUM EVER
It Don't Get No Better Than This
Classic x 2

Honky Tonk Heroes/Lonesome On'ry and Mean
Waylon Jennings
Manufacturer: Bmg Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Country | Styles | Music

Outlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music

General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music

General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

Country | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Ramblin' Man/This Time/Dreaming My Dreams

ASIN: B00001ZUDN
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Tracks:

Lonesome Onry And Mean
Freedom To Stay
Lay It Down
Gone To Denver
Good Time Charlies Got The Blues
You Can Have Her
Pretend I Never Happened
San Francisco Mabel Joy
Sandy Sends Her Best
Me And Bobby McGee
Honky Tonk Heroes
Old Five And Dimers (Like Me)
Willy The Wandering Gypsy And Me
Low Down Freedom
Omaha
You Ask Me To
Ride Me Down Easy
Aint No God In Mexico
Black Rose
We Had It All
Slow Rollin Low (Bonus Track)
You Ask Me To (Single Version) (Bonus Track)

Album Description

Full title - Lonesome, On'ry & Mean/Honky Tonk Heroes. BMG. 1999.

Album Details

Two on One CD Pairs Two of his Outlaw Period Classics. Also Includes Two Bonus Tracks!

Customer Reviews:

Waylon shows his independence.......2004-05-26

After years of doing things RCA's way with mixed results, Waylon secured a new contract with the same label that allowed him much more independence. The two albums that make up this twofer were the first two albums recorded under this contract.

Lonesome on'ry and me, the first album, is often overlooked because of the brilliance of Honky tonk heroes, the second album here, but has much to commend it although it contains mainly covers. These include Me and Bobby McGee (a Kris Kristofferson song that has become a country standard and has also been covered by rockers such as Janis Joplin), Good time Charlie's got the blues (a Danny O'Keefe song that has also been covered by Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty, Willie Nelson and Dwight Yoakam among others), San Francisco Mabel Joy (a Mickey Newbury song that has also been covered by Kenny Rogers, Joan Baez, John Denver and David Allan Coe), Pretend I never happened (Willie Nelson), You can have her (originally an American top ten pop hit for Roy Hamilton). Johnny Cash co-wrote Gone in Denver but although I am a huge Johnny Cash fan, I cannot trace a recording by the man in black. Two singles (Pretend I never happened, You can have her) made the country top ten.

Many regard Honky tonk heroes as Waylon's best album of his entire career. I'm not sure about that but it's certainly a contender. Billy Joe Shaver wrote seven of the songs and co-wrote two others. The only song he didn't have a hand in writing is We had it all, which has also been recorded by several others including Dobie Gray, Tina Turner, Dolly Parton and Conway Twitty. It was released as a single but barely made the country top thirty. You asked me to, the only other single from the album, made the country top ten. Surprisingly, the title track was never released as a single. Even more curiously, this album did less well than its predecessor as a new release - however, I'm sure that subsequent sales have reversed that situation.

This twofer includes two bonus tracks - Slow rolling low (another Billy Joe Shaver song) and the single version of You asked me to.

In America, these two albums have both been released separately. Whether you buy the two separately or paired on this British twofer, Lonesome on'ry and mean is highly desirable albums for Waylon fans while Honky tonk heroes is essential.

THE BEST COUNTRY ALBUM EVER.......2001-10-20

THIS IS BEST COUNTRY ALBUM EVER...THIS IS REAL COUNTRY,NOT THAT GARTH BROOKS junk...I AM 29 YEARS OLD AND I QUIT LISTENIN' TO COUNTRY MUSIC THEY PLAY ON THE RADIO NOW YEARS AGO....I HAVE BEEN A WAYLON FAN ALL OF MY LIFE AND HE IS THE BEST COUNTRY SINGER EVER...YOU CAN LISTEN TO THIS CD FROM BEINNING TO END BECAUSE IT HAS NO FILLER MATERIAL.....THANKS TO AMAZON.COM FOR OFFERIN' THIS HARD TO FIND CD FOR SALE

It Don't Get No Better Than This.......2001-08-14

This is my favorite country album of all time! This is what it's all about -- when country singers were real outlaws. Listen to this album and you know Waylon has lived it. I didn't know that Lonesome On'ry and Mean was available on CD. I have the record. It's definitely worth $.... Too bad Nashville sold out and releases a bunch of garbage these days. Sorry Faith Hill and Tim McGraw - you can't touch this.

Classic x 2.......2001-03-02

It's a shame Lonesome, On'ry and Mean has not been released in the U.S as of yet. Luckily, this classic album is available in CD format by import coupled with yet another classic, Honky Tonk Heroes, including bonus tracks. Here is Waylon in his prime, singing from the depths of his soul and blazing a path for many of the artists today. No "filler" tracks like the pop country albums as of recent. A must have for all current Waylon fans and all that will be.

Samuel Ramey: Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye: Songs of Barber,

Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan
The greatest American bass
Good, but one dimensional
Primo basso assolutto!!

Samuel Ramey: Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye: Songs of Barber,
Samuel Barber , Stephen Foster , Charles T. Griffes , George Gershwin , Edwin Gerschefski , Paul Bowles , Cole Porter , Samuel Ramey , and Warren Jones
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Date With the Devil
Samuel Ramey - Operatic Arias
Samuel Ramey on Broadway - So in Love
No Tenors Allowed: Famous Duets for Baritone and Bass
The Very Best of Thomas Hampson

ASIN: B000002C08
Release Date: 1996-10-01

Tracks:

No. 6 from Hermit Songs, Op. 29: Sea-Snatch
I Hear An Army
Sure On This Shining Night
Bessie Bobtail
If You've Only Got A Moustache
Gentle Annie
Don't Bet Your Money On The Shanghai
Evening Song
An Old Song Re-Sung
No. 1 From Three Poems, Op. 11: The Lament Of Ian The Proud
Song Of The Dagger
A Damsel In Distress: Nice Work If You Can Get It
Shall We Dance?: They All Laughed
Girl Crazy: Embraceable You
The Goldwyn Follies: Just Another Rhumba
They Cannot Stop Death - Blue Mountain Ballads
Heavenly Grass
Lonesome Man
Cabin
Sugar In The Cane
Anything Goes: Blow, Gabriel Blow
Jubilee: Begin The Beguine
Seven Lively Arts: Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
FIFTY MILLION FRENCHMEN: The Tale Of The Oyster

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-02-26

This is such a great collection of 20th century songs, that it behooves me to say something brief about each composer on this disc. I think that by doing so the listener gains more insight and thus more appreciation of all aspects of the song material.

The music of Samuel Barber (1910-1981), whether his symphonies, concertos,operas, chamber music or songs, is notable above all for a pronounced and refined lyricism. Barbr wrote songs thruout his career, and his published vocal output, though relatively small, is perhaps the most distinguished of an American composer. He preferred lyrical , romantic poetry, and his word-setting was perfect.
Stephen Foster (1826-1864) published his first song when he was 18 and by dint of hundreds more became, in the words of Aaron Copland,"our own national hero (who) had a naturalness and sweetness of sentiment that transformed his melodies into the equivalent of folk song." He was truly a songwriter rather than a composer, for he wrote no concert works or operas.
Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884-1920) assimilated Debussian impressionism and,somewhat later, Oriental exoticism. During his brief career, he composed 64 songs, including four song-cycles.
George Gershwim(1898-1937) began his career in Tin Pan Alley and eventually, with works such as 'Rhapsody in blue' for piano and orchestra and some other works, brought Jazz into the concert hall.
Paul Bowles (1910- ) has long enjoyed celebrity status as an author,a writer of novels, short stories and essays. After a brief study with Aaron Copland, he made a considerable reputation as a composer of incidenal music. Virgil Thompson once described Bowles's songs as "enchanting for their sweetness of mood, their lightness of texture, for in general their way of being wholly alive and right".
Cole Porter (1891-1964) had the rare ability to invent superior catchpenny tunes; deceptively simple, often elegant melodies that stay in the ear. Consequently,he became one of the most successful American songwriter of his era.

As to Samuel Ramey's performance of these songs, one can only say 'business as usual', and that means great sound, great diction, great interpretation and always with that extra something that only a few bassos have!!!!The variety of works is varied and interesting and, if you please, is NOT a cross-over album. There are too many songs that denote the classical element. He was wise enough to vary his selection to avoid that particular situation. I really like this disc!!!!!

The greatest American bass.......2007-01-10

Ramey fans will not be disappointed by this charming collection of vocal gems.

Good, but one dimensional.......2000-04-26

Samuel Ramey is undoubtedly one of the finest and most versatile opera singers of his generation. However, these songs do not show his voice off at his best. One of Ramey's main faults is a lack of variety and vocal colour which is ABSOLUTELY needed in a song recital. This lack of colouring means that most of the songs come out sounding the same. The other major concern is that Mr Ramey's vibrato is quite pronounced. Most opera singers can get away with this when singing with an orchestra, but when he just has piano accompaniment it is much more noticeable. Still, it is good to have a recording of some of these lesser known songs and it is still an enjoyable cd.

Primo basso assolutto!!.......1998-11-17

Having attended Mr. Ramey's recent recital in Chicago where he sang a number of the songs on this recording, I can say that there is simply no bass today to rival him for sheer vocal glory. Whether it is the bel canto repetoire, baroque decorations, or as here, the American literature, Ramey is THE bass of the day. Unlike the former days when bassos were relagated to either buffoon, rich uncle, or some other supporting role, Ramey has almost single-handedly elevated the basso to star status. Roles that languished for years because there was no one up to their demands are now staples of Ramey's catalogue. Warren Jones is a sensetive and intelligent accompanist. In fact he played the entire recital from memory.

Music Album:

Music Album