Nashville Country/Countrypolitan

The recordings below are products of the Nashville studio system in the 1960s and early 1970s. As a reaction to rock and roll, much of Nashville music moved in a pop direction, with the addition of vocal choruses, strings and more complex arrangements. This movement is commonly referred to as The Nashville Sound, or Countrypolitan, and it was dominated by producers such as Owen Bradley, Chet Atkins and, later, Billy Sherrill.

Some of what's here qualifies as full-blown Countrypolitan (e.g., Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves), but nearly all of it, even the hard country of Porter Wagoner and Conway Twitty, has some elements of the sound.

Patsy Cline
12 Greatest Hits

One of the most influential female vocalists of all time, and not just on country singers. This is the perfect introduction. Everything here is a winner.

George Jones
The Essential George Jones: The Spirit of Country

George Jones is the greatest singer in the history of country music. In the words of Waylon Jennings, "If we all could sound the way we wanted, we'd all sound like George Jones." This great sampler covers his beginnings as a honky tonk singer through the glorious, Billy Sherrill-produced Countrypolitan era.

Further listening: The two-CD Cup of Loneliness compiles highlights from Jones' honky tonk work in the late '50s for the Mercury label. Another solid collection is She Thinks I Still Care: the United Artist Years, on the Razor and Tie label.

Loretta Lynn
The Definitive Collection

In your face, and with attitude to spare. With a voice that could peel paint, and a bucketful of songs that are guaranteed to make you step back a pace, Loretta was all over '60s and '70s radio. My collection is a Time-Life set that I got used, but either this or the Country Music Hall of Fame collection will do you just fine. You ladies be careful around Loretta's man.

Dolly Parton
Jolene

I guess I don't really blame Dolly Parton for going after the bucks, but it's too bad for us that one of the best songwriters in the history of country music hasn't stayed truer to her early music. It's absolutely shameful that RCA hasn't put together a good collection of her early material. Luckily, Koch has stepped up to reissue some of the early albums in their entirety on CD. This features Jolene, a beautiful, chilling song, and some more good stuff. It's a short album but it's essential.

Further Listening: Another Koch reissue, Coat of Many Colors, ought to be on your list, too. And for some cool Nashville Sound duets, check out The Essential Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton.

Charley Pride
Essential

Another big helping of the Nashville sound, but Charley Pride overcomes it all with his stunning voice. There are some classic songs here as well, like (Is Anybody Going to) San Antone and a beautiful, eerie version of Hank William's Kaw-liga. There's really been no one like him since

Jim Reeves
The Essential Jim Reeves

Reeves is the definitive Countrypolitan singer. His hits were pretty much indistinguishable from the pop of the era, and there's no steel guitar or fiddle to be found. While it's only country by virtue of his background and since it was recorded in Nashville, some of these songs are really great, and the guy could sing.

Conway Twitty
16 Biggest Hits

Conway Twitty was part pop-country balladeer, but he was also one of the greatest hard country singers, and he wrote such utter classics as Linda on My Mind and Fifteen Years Ago. This collection was my introduction to Twitty, and I prefer this to other single disc collections because it focuses on the steel guitar-drenched 1960s and early 1970s material.

Further listening: This convinced me to buy the 4-CD Conway Twitty Collection, and I'm glad I did. It's the only way to get country classics like The Image of Me and Play, Guitar, Play.

Porter Wagoner
RCA Country Legends

Maybe Porter Wagoner was successful mostly because of his schlocky, down-home showbiz persona, but it has gotten in the way of his legacy. Truth is, the guy was a brilliant artist and producer who pumped out a ton of edgy, classic hard country recordings. I chose this collection because it includes the psychedelic country classic The Rubber Room and the crazed The First Mrs. Jones. An alternative is The Essential Porter Wagoner, which concentrates more on the hits.

Reading: A Satisfied Mind: The Country Music Life of Porter Wagoner is a great biography. You'll see Porter in a new light after you read it.

Tammy Wynette
Anniversary: 20 Years of Hits

It's a shame that Tammy Wynette has become kind of a political symbol. She had a beautiful, ache-filled voice that communicated heartbreak and suffering better than anyone any other singer of her era. This collection has all her important solo songs and a selection of duets with George Jones, all of which are excellent, particularly Golden Ring