Statler Brother - The Definitive Collection
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Free Music Notes for The Definitive Collection
Free Music Review: Not quite definitive but a fine collection
Hit: 5 Stars
The line-up of the Statler brothers was Harold Reid, Lew DeWitt, Phil Balsley and Don Reid (Harold's brother) when they cut their first record, and the only line-up change since then was when Lew had to withdraw in 1982 because of vocal problems as a result of being a long-term sufferer of Crohn's disease. Jimmy Fortune replaced him. Very few groups in any genre of popular music remain as stable over such a period of time, although there have been others - the Four Tops stayed together for over 40 years.
This collection is presented in chronological order and includes some of their finest recordings. I notice that over half of the tracks are from the Jimmy Fortune era. As most of my favorites are from the Lew DeWitt era, I would have compiled it differently. Notable omissions from the Lew DeWitt era are Silver medals and sweet memories, Whatever happened to Randolph Scott?, Carry me back and Susan when she tried (a song that Elvis Presley covered) - and that's just a few of them. It must have been hard for the compilers to select just twenty-five songs to fit on a single CD.
The Jimmy Fortune era is (as I explained) well represented and includes classic songs such as Elizabeth, Too much on my heart and More than just a name on the wall.
The Statlers sang about a variety of things, but nostalgia was one of their trademarks. Normally, when singers want to go back in time, they record covers of songs from the era they want to remember. The Statlers adopted a different approach - they wrote new songs about the old days - and about old movies. Good examples include The class of '57 (about the people they went to school with, and what happened to them) and Do you remember these?
The Statlers recorded other types of song too, including love songs and gospel songs - but whatever they chose to sing, their quartet harmony singing remains one of the most recognisable sounds in country music history, so even their cover versions sound distinctive - listen to their version of Hello Mary Lou.
The set opens with Flowers on the wall, the song that provided them with their first success way back in the sixties. It even became a minor UK hit, something they were unable to repeat although they might have done if the UK division of Mercury had made an effort.
Although this is a fine collection, I recommend saving a bit more money and buying the 30th anniversary box set instead. It omits three of the tracks here (Thank God I've got you, I was there, You'll be back every night in my dreams) but includes forty other tracks and an impressive booklet. Now THAT is the definitive collection.
Free Music Review: A Tough Compilation To Put Together
Hit: 5 Stars
I would hate to have to be the person responsible for compiling the best tunes for a "definitive" collection of the Statler Brothers' music. How tough must that be? This album, definitely worth five stars due to the songs it does contain, manages to do an excellent job of giving the listener many of the best Statler tunes, but a twenty-five song set just doesn't do them justice. From reminiscent tales to hokey comic tunes to love songs to great Southern Gospel, the Statlers sang just about anything you put in front of them and sang it well. This collection does fairly well with representing their bigger hits, but it's still rather lacking.
As stated before, the songs that this album does have on it are worth five stars. Long before Quentin Tarantino introduced Gen-X to "Flowers On The Wall" via the "Pulp Fiction" soundtrack, it was the first big hit for the Statlers. It's also the first tune on this chronologically listed album. The rest of the album is dotted with other greats such as "Elizabeth," "Don't Wait On Me," "I Was There" and "Guilty." Also included is the awesome tearjerker (and my favorite Jimmy Fortune-era tune), "More Than A Name On A Wall." If you're looking for proof that the Statlers were ahead of their time, look no further than "Do You Remember These?" Years before R.E.M. told us that "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" and Billy Joel declared that "We Didn't Start The Fire," the Statlers were rattling off names and events in quick succession in that tune.
This album does well in giving a new listener a wonderful starting point in an exploration of the Statlers. It also gives the older, more experienced listener a handy compilation of the Statlers' best songs. It is a solid representation of a band that might come across as "old fashioned" but were true rebels in popular Country music by doing things their own way and managing to stay successful until they retired from the music scene.
Free Music Review: Somebody slap me...
Hit: 5 Stars
I should have downloaded this years ago. The Statler's were regularly played in the house when I was a youngster. Listening to them again, some 40 odd years later, and they sound even better than I remember. I'm cooking fajitas outside tomorrow and this will be playing loudly in the garage to introduce all of my neighbors to the Statlers. Buy this, you wont regret it.Free Music Review: The Definitive Collection (Statler Brothers)
Hit: 5 Stars
This is by far the Best CD that I have, I really enjoy the Harmony that the Statler Brothers have..Have played more than any of the other CD that I have bought recently..Hope it last many years...Also bought the Definitive Collection (Oak Ridge Boys) Statler Brothers better HarmonyFree Music Review: The Statler Brother's CD
Hit: 5 Stars
What else can you say about the Statler's? The order from Amazon arrived on time , the music is clear and great. Product was as advertised and had the one special song,"He's More Than A Name on the Wall" which my husband plans to sing on Sunday morning at church on July 4th.