John Anderson 2
Artist: John Anderson
Community Score: 9.00

His second album (obviously), this traditionally minded package contrasted with the bulk of the material released in the same Urban Cowboy-influenced time period. His cover of Lefty Frizzell's "I Love You a Thousand Ways" shows his roots nicely, and "I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be a Diamond Someday)" is simply classic. ~ Tom... Read More

Dance Ranch/Songs for Rounders
Artist: Hank Thompson
Community Score: 2.00

Koch's Dance Ranch/Songs for Rounders combines two of Hank Thompson's greatest albums on one disc. Recorded in 1957, Dance Ranch is one of Thompson & the Brazos Valley Boys' best albums, filled with Western swing standards ("Bubbles in My Beer," "Drivin' Nails in My Coffin"), honky tonk ("Lawdy, What a Gal"), and originals by Thompson. The... Read More

The Cold Hard Truth
Artist: George Jones
Community Score: 9.00

Touted as George Jones' return to hardcore country, Cold Hard Truth -- the Possum's first record for the revitalized Asylum Records -- certainly does achieve that goal. Under the guidance of producer Keith Stegall, Jones returns to the sound of his classic Mercury and UA recordings, meaning that there's nothing but honky tonk ballads and ravers... Read More

Talk to My Heart
Artist: Johnny Bush

Johnny Bush's second album after a 1994 comeback from an obscure neurological disorder that affected his voice finds the honky-tonk singer challenging his voice with a set of uptempo, tenor-led songs. In the opener, a Ray Price nugget named "Please Talk to My Heart," Bush places his voice front-and-center, proving it's just as expressive as it... Read More

King of the Road - BEAR FAMILY
Artist: Roger Miller
Cup of Loneliness: The Classic Mercury Years
Artist: George Jones

George Jones is widely considered the greatest singer in country music -- as well as one of the greatest singers in American popular music -- and while his style gradually grew richer and more nuanced, he arrived pretty much fully formed, a force of nature, as Mercury's 1994 double-disc set Cup of Loneliness proves. Over the course of 48 tracks... Read More

Honky Tonk Girl: Collection
Artist: Loretta Lynn

Loretta Lynn's three-disc box set Honky Tonk Girl: Collection has the requisite rarities, but the real strength of the set is how it offers all of her essential tracks -- from 1960s "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl" to 1988's "Who Was That Stranger" -- in one place. Not only are her classic hits like "Fist City" and "Coal Miner's Daughter" included, but... Read More

King of the Honky-Tonk: From the Original Master Tapes
Artist: Webb Pierce
Community Score: 5.00

No one ever accused Pierce of being a singer's singer; neverthless, his classic country oeuvre is totally individualistic, which is really more important. Any fan of '50s fiddle-and-steel honky tonk will want this collection, which features such Pierce immortals as "There Stands the Glass," "Slowly," a rollicking 1954 remake of Jimmie Rodgers'... Read More

The Very Best of Frankie Miller
Artist: Frankie Miller
Health & Happiness Shows
Artist: Hank Williams

The double-disc set Health & Happinesss Shows collects eight complete radio shows that Hank Williams recorded in 1949, when his career was just taking off. Throughout the collection, Williams sounds energetic and vibrant, even during his between-song stage patter which is nearly fascinating as the music. It's a set that is designed for... Read More

A Wanted Man
Artist: Rick Vincent

Vincent draws on the legacies of hometown heroes like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard without ever trying to sound just like them. He doesn't need to: Vincent, who wrote or co-wrote all 10 of these songs, writes thoughtful and literate lyrics (he alludes to John Steinbeck and Casablanca). And whether he's shuffling into drunken despair in "Hello,... Read More

The Singing Ranger, Vol. 2
Artist: Hank Snow

Running from 1953 to 1958, the four-disc box set The Singing Ranger, Vol. 2 contains everything Hank Snow recorded during those five years, including all the hits and a bevy of outtakes. Again, the set is not for the fairweather fan -- there's plenty of brilliant music here, but its very scope makes it appealing only to completists, who will... Read More

Greatest Hits - WARNER BROS.
Artist: John Anderson

Greatest Hits covers John Anderson's biggest hits from the early '80s, including the Top Ten singles "I Just Came Home to Count the Memories," "She Sure Got Away With My Heart," "Chicken Truck," "1959," "Would You Catch a Falling Star," "I'm Just An Old Chunk of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be A Diamond Someday)" and the number one hits "Wild and Blue,"... Read More

Wild & Blue
Artist: John Anderson
Community Score: 10.00

The occasional use of strings in this album was probably master-minded by former Don Law protege Frank Jones, who co-produced it. Twin fiddles and steel guitar dominate, though, especially in a remake of Ferlin Husky's "The Waltz You Saved for Me," featuring Emmylou Harris. It includes "Swingin'" and a new version of Lefty Frizzell's "Long Black... Read More

Legendary Hits
Artist: Roger Miller

This lesser known 20-track collection contains all the big hits, such as "King of the Road," "Dang Me," "England Swings" and "Chug-A-Lug." It's hard to argue with any of the selections, and Miller's amazing song writing range, from the goofy "You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd" to the very serious "Husbands and Wives" is well represented.... Read More