The great country music compilations

“The Essential Skeeter Davis” captures the best years of her career recording for RCA Records from 1958 to 1973 when she scored no less than 27 chart hits in the U.S. The CD also includes an earlier single “I Forgot More Than You’ll Never Know,” that Skeeter sang together with her beloved friend Bette Jack Davis as the Davis Sisters in 1953.

Davis may have had a difficult time convincing the world of her roots in country music because many of her songs crossed over to the pop charts, perhaps the most popular being “The End of the World.” That ballad which is among the 20 hits featured on the album remains a classic loved even by those who were not born when the record was first released in 1962.

She famously said that she didn’t care if her songs were played by pop, rock or country radio stations because deep down, she recognised her identity as a country singer. Between 1959 and 1989, she recorded 29 studio albums and placed a total of 55 singles on the U.S Country Music Charts as a solo artist between 1957 and 1976.

The enduring beauty of Davis is the ease of her sound, the soft and conversational way she sang that made her music heart warming and so familiar.

Her clear, innocent voice often singing tales of heartbreak is an absolute joy and influenced future stars like Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette. Other highlights on the album are: “Optimistic,” “I’m Saving My Love,” and “Fuel to the Flame.”

There are two so-called ‘answer’ songs: “My Last Date With You” was recorded in response to Floyd Cramer’s “Our Last Date” while “(I Can’t Help You) I’m Falling Too” was a reaction to a song by Hank Locklin.

If you are one of those who enjoys reading the events behind the music then the CD is accompanied by extensive liner notes by music writer, Colin Escott, which chronicle Davis’ career in quite some detail.

“The Essential Skeeter Davis” originally released in 1996, is a definitive collection of a diverse career, from the early country hits through girl-group pop music and back again to country.

Just like Davis, whose legacy straddles both country and pop, there is no question about the contribution of Charley Pride in popularising the genre beyond its rural American fan base. Pride, the biggest selling African American star in country music once said: “I am not a black man singing white man’s music, I am an American singing American music.”

It is easy to forget that there have been other successful black stars in this genre, like harmonica player Deford Bailey, Otis Williams and even Ray Charles who had a string of country hits in the 1960s.

Just like Skeeter Davis and Jim Reeves, Pride too was signed to RCA Records by Chet Atkins, the American record producer who created the distinctly smooth country music style known as the Nashville sound.

When he made his debut in 1966, the record company did not send out any photographs of the musician along with promotional copies of his music to forestall any prejudice due to his skin colour.

Therefore, “Country Charley Pride,” was judged purely on the basis of his music. Incidentally, his dream was always to become a professional baseball player and it was after serving two years in the military that he opted to pursue music as a career. It is a decision he cannot regret after selling 70 million records over 40 years and becoming one of country music’s most adored icons.

“The Best of Charley Pride” is a collection of 18 songs that exhibit the greatness of the rich, mellow baritone that country music fans have known and loved. The choice of songs ranges from “ All I Have To Offer You Is Me,” his first number one from 1969 to “I Can’t Believe That You’ve Stopped Loving Me” which topped the charts a year later.

You will find yourself hitting the replay button on Charley Pride’s signature 1971 hit “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’” a million-selling single which crossed over into the pop charts.