Critic's Review
Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
American Originals unexpectedly revived Andy Griffith's musical career. Thanks to a series of television commercials, the album became a hit, even if it never charted -- then again, the album was never designed with the charts in mind; it was targeted at the legions of Griffith fans who grew up on The Andy Griffith Show and currently watch Matlock. As such, it contained a bunch of stories, poems and songs -- some original, most classics -- all of which create a mythical small-town America, a theme that should be familiar to any fan of Griffith. There's humor, but it's not a comedy record -- it's a record filled with warmth and humanity, one that comes close to capturing the spirit of Griffith.
