San Antonio Rose: A Tribute to the Great Bob Wills

Amazon.com
It's just about impossible not to like an album that starts off, "Hi neighbors, this is our new album...," especially when it's followed by songs as friendly as those on San Antonio Rose, Ray Price's recently reissued "Tribute to the Great Bob Wills." Wills is worthy of the tribute: A Texas fiddler of the '30s and '40s, he earned his place in American music history when he and his Texas Playboys virtually invented western swing, the southwestern big band country sound that combines elements of jazz and blues into the hillbilly mix (and anticipates early rock & roll). And Price is just the man to do the honoring: A fellow Texan who began his country career in the early '50s as a Hank Williams disciple and imitator (he even took over fronting the Drifting Cowboys after Hank's 1953 death), Price came into his own in the after embracing Wills's Western swing sound while peppering it with more contemporary honky tonk stylings. By 1961, when Price and band (which featured a young Willie Nelson on bass) cut this album in two four-hour sessions, Wills's influence on the singer was well-established and had proved highly successful. With a classic country sound--twangy steel guitar, mournful fiddle, blue yodels--songs like the title track, "A Maiden's Prayer," and a handful of Fred Rose tunes originally done by Wills put today's Nashville product to shame. Though Price went on to make schlocky easy listening pop, San Antonio Rose remains the testament of a great singer to a even greater stylist. --Roni Sarig

Tracks:

San Antonio Rose
A Maiden's Prayer
My Confession
Whose Heart Are You Breaking Now
Roly Poly
Bubbles In My Beer
Home In San Antone
You Don't Love Me (But I'll Always Care)
You Don't Care What Happens To Me
Time Changes Everything
The Kind Of The Love I Can't Forget
Hang Your Head In Shame - Ray Price R

Amazon.com

It's just about impossible not to like an album that starts off, "Hi neighbors, this is our new album...," especially when it's followed by songs as friendly as those on San Antonio Rose, Ray Price's recently reissued "Tribute to the Great Bob Wills." Wills is worthy of the tribute: A Texas fiddler of the '30s and '40s, he earned his place in American music history when he and his Texas Playboys virtually invented western swing, the southwestern big band country sound that combines elements of jazz and blues into the hillbilly mix (and anticipates early rock & roll). And Price is just the man to do the honoring: A fellow Texan who began his country career in the early '50s as a Hank Williams disciple and imitator (he even took over fronting the Drifting Cowboys after Hank's 1953 death), Price came into his own in the after embracing Wills's Western swing sound while peppering it with more contemporary honky tonk stylings. By 1961, when Price and band (which featured a young Willie Nelson on bass) cut this album in two four-hour sessions, Wills's influence on the singer was well-established and had proved highly successful. With a classic country sound--twangy steel guitar, mournful fiddle, blue yodels--songs like the title track, "A Maiden's Prayer," and a handful of Fred Rose tunes originally done by Wills put today's Nashville product to shame. Though Price went on to make schlocky easy listening pop, San Antonio Rose remains the testament of a great singer to a even greater stylist. --Roni Sarig

Customer Reviews:

A Truly Great Album.......2000-08-01

Magnificent. One of Ray's finest albums.

our fiddle shop in tennessee likes good fiddlers.......1999-12-05

RAY IS UP TO PAR ON THIS ONE PROBABLY BECAUSE BOB INSPIRED HIM TO HIS COMEBACK IF YOU APPRECIATE CLASSIC COUNTRY THIS IS A MUST. ADD THIS ONE TO YOUR COLLECTION AND EVERYONE WHO HERES IT WILL WANT YOUR COPY. DAD ( THE FIDDLE REPAIR SPECIALIST ) LISTENS TO IT AS HE WORKS ON FIDDLES AND THEN PLAYS ALONG.

our fiddle shop in tennessee likes good fiddlers.......1999-12-05

The first Bob Wills tribute album is also one of the best!.......1999-07-24

Way back in 1961 Ray Price cut the first Bob Wills tribute album. Instead of trying to recreate the Wills sound, Price did Wills songs in his own unique Ray Price 4/4 shuffle beat style. It is hard to believe that Price and his band (including a young newcomer by the name of Willie Nelson) cut this 12 song album in eight hours. Though this album did not have the impact of Merle Haggard's tribute to Wills which came out nine years later, it is still an album every western swing fan should have in their collection.

a fabulous tribute to a fellow texan.......1999-04-16

Ray Prices tribute to the late Bob Wills will go down in music history as one ofthe finest.

Music Album:

Music Album