Rating:
Genre:
Country
Release Date: 06/27/1994
Tennessee Ernie Ford was one of the biggest singing stars in the '50s. After an Army stint during World War II,
Ford left his Southern roots for the proto-fame of several radio jobs in Los Angeles. He soon met bassist and
Capitol A&R man
Cliffie Stone and proceeded to cut a slew of hit sides for the label. The country bumpkin character
Ford had developed in radio was put in front of the mike and surrounded by some of
Capitol's top
country session men. Along with
Stone,
Ford's band included the likes of guitarist
Jimmy Bryant, pedal-steel wizard
Speedy West, drummer
Roy Harte, and pianist
Billy Liebert. This generous
Bear Family disc rounds up 25 of
Ford's prime
Capitol sides, including the hit title track and sides bearing both his Ma & Pa Kettle persona and more straightforward
honky tonk in the
Hank Williams mode. Beyond
Ford's incredibly varied singing, there's a wealth of stellar contributions from his cohorts --
Bryant and
Liebman are particularly impressive. As usual,
Bear Family provides excellent notes and very thorough discography details. A must for fans of vintage
country music.
~Stephen Cook, All Music Guide
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