Very Best Of Country Gold, The (The Most Popular Country Music Of All Time) - Various Artists

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it rate alongside the competition	Not applicable
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Great artists, Fantastic recordings
Disadvantages:	A few good tracks missed this set

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

My first taste of music was that of being brought up in a house where Rock 'n' Roll was the most played even during the 70s. I also got to hear alot of the Osmonds, Bay city rollers and ABBA, watching my elder sisters using hairbrushes as microphones and sining along to Top of the Pops.
Ofcourse thrown in with that was the many other 50s, 60s & 70s artists as the family was very varied on thier taste in music.
One day my mum gave me a couple of cassette tapes (If you can remember what they are) to go along with a second hand tape recorder that i was given. The tapes she gave me were "Walk right back with the Everlys" and "Bobby Vees Greatest hits"
I cherished these tapes and memorised every song on them since i played them so many times, i am supprised they didnt wear out!
As i grew older i began to also listen to music that teenagers of my age were listening to during the 80s. But no matter what i listened to i always prefered my Everlys Brothers tape. As time went on and i began to buy my own records i tended to by singles for chart music but the Albums tended to be Rock 'n' roll and quite a collection of the Everlys.
Other artists began to take my interest that were not modern and not Rock 'n' Roll. These were artists like Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, John Denver or Johnny Cash.
So my biggest interest in Rock 'n' Roll was my early experience with the Everlys but my taste in music appeared to being pulled more and more towards Country. It took me a few years to realise that the biggest part of the Everlys music was in fact country based, this became clear as my Everlys collection grew.
It is plain to see that the Everlys were my favorite all time artist, and still are, but i still enjoy listening to a wide range of music from all walks of life.

As my record collection grew there tended to be a large number of Rock 'n' Roll and Country albums.
When the new age of CDs came along it was going to be a big job recreating that collection on to disc. Although the records were still there, with the arrival of children and the changes of lifes circumstances there became less & less oppertunity to get the records down and have a session as i use to as a youngster.
But i still loved thoes country sounds and radio was the more popular option i got to listen to some.

Now that time has passed on even further the CD collection is starting to gain a little respect with yet again music from all walks of life including a few Everly Brothers and some country.
A little while ago we also added to that "The very best of Country Gold"
Now this is a CD that has been played a few times i can tell you.

The very best of Country Gold.
The list of artists on the album just scream out at you the type of quality that you are about listen to and the recordings are all of the top popular tracks , this collection has been really thoughtfully put together.
As well as the older greats singing some of their greatest tunes there are some of the more modern artists aswell proving that Country is still going strong.

The Artists.
Dolly Parton, well the name speaks for it self as many do on this album, as well as singing great classics such as "Jolene" she also once again pairs up with Kenny Rogers for "Island in the Stream" and ofcourse Kenny does a couple of solos including "Ruby don't take your love to town"
Johnny Cash also appears with "Ring of fire" and the classic "Walk the line"
Eva Cassidy is another of the more newer artist to hit the country scene and with her angelic voice she is not always seen as country singer, more folk/Jazz.
Ofcourse the Everlys are on the disc aswell but unfortunatly with only one song "Bye Bye Love" which is a shame, but then again i am biased.
Other great artists include LeAnn Rimes, Tammy Wynette, Lynn Anderson, Roy Orbison and Charlie Rich to name but a few and, again which is a shame, The Judds only singing one song "Love Can Build a Bridge"

I think what pulls me more towards country music is the way it is written and expressed. I do not know of any country song that does'nt have a meaning or a story behind it. In all other types of music, although there are quite a few written with just as much thought, there are a lot that are just put together with not as much meaning to them. But saying that i have enjoyed all sorts and types of music and tend to judge a song by its tune and lyrics rather that by the person who sung it.
The country feel within its music has a passion that comes out in every song and the lyrics have to be listened to rather than just nodded along to as you listen to the tune.
This is a fantastic album and with the many great country hits out there could have another one mabey two more made.

The set comes with 3 CDs, each in there own cases within a card cover that houses them all together. There are 53 tracks altogether with two discs of 18 and the third with 17. All the songs are listed on the outer case at the back and each individual case has its own list for the tracks on that particular disc.
If you are luck enough to own a CD player that plays 3 CDs at a time then put them all in and have hours of great music from some of the best Country artists.

Happy listening "Stand by your man and let this country road take you home"