In A Honky Tonk Mood ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED

This is truly a terrific recording of Ray & the Cherokee Cowboys at their Honky-Tonk zenith. These recordings (or at least some)seem to come from a radio program hosted by Red Foley. Don't let that fact scare you away. These sound great for their time. The selections are wonderful, and I agree that the recording of "Peace In The Valley" with the Jordanairs gives Elvis a true run for his money.

Great Honky Tonk Music.Ray Price and the Cherokee Cowboys are at there best.The only drawback-the cd is not stereo.Remastered-but not stereo.Other than that,a great Ray Price cd.

Price, the tuxedoed countrypolitan balladeer in a second career phase, was more importantly and authentically an influential Southwest bandleader (and talent spotter). As a bandleader and soloist fronting a stellar band Price's importance was on par with, not merely secondary to, the Texas Playboys of Bob Wills and the Brazos Valley Boys of Price's contemporary Hank Thompson. The three "boy" bands traveled a broad circuit in a huge state and well beyond, and there was more than enough space to accommodate three or more virtuoso cowboy bands.Savvy businessman Price recruited his Cherokee Cowboys selectively from members of his roommate Hank Williams' Drifting Cowboys. The Price band was unique in that their bandmaster, a perfectionist in his own performing style (Price had early classical voice trainning), was a particularly shrewd judge of musical talent and of newer and challenging honkytonk material that might be worked up into a hit record. Over his Dallas and Nashville years Price's band incorporated at varying points Johnny Bush, Darrell McCall, Tommy Jackson (heard prominently here), Roger Miller, Johnny Paycheck and Willie Nelson. If that eminent alumni roster ain't legendary, I don't know what is (except perhaps for Wanda Jackson shaking her fringe in Thompson's integrated "boy" band). Price's lads variously picked, plucked or sawed their instruments, sang superb harmony vocals and contributed fresh new songs to the Price playlist.The honkytonk band is continually in the spotlight in these airchecks, which are themselves unique in that Price the perfectionist never in a 60-year recording career made a live album. The classic SAN ANTONIO ROSE and NIGHT LIFE studio albums mimic live gigs through Price's folksy spoken intros, and LAST OF THE BREED has a live feel with its companion concert DVD. But here we get the real thing, Ray on the bandstand in front of a small live audience and being heard throughout the Southwestern honkytonk circuit. (Being airchecks partially drawn from Red Foley's ABC broadcasts out of Springfield, MO, these tracks are not included in Bear Family's HONKY TONK YEARS Ray Price box.)The initial nine hits are familiar old friends, either already polished in the studio or about to be, and I especially welcome these uninhibited live takes of "City lights" and Miller's great "Invitation to the blues," a signature hit for Ray but never for Roger. The really good stuff happens in the rarities, the band's two instrumentals, the sacred songs with the mighty Jordanaires (these tracks are just riveting), the Wills covers of "Home in San Antone" and "San Antonio rose" nicely paired and especially "Curtain in the window," a badly neglected hard-country ballad that Price quite doggedly perfected over many takes since he recognized the song's solid virtues.The airchecks mono sound is perfectly acceptable, polished for digital media by Jasmine, and it's worth recalling that Price at this point, ca. 1958-61, had not yet recorded in studio stereo. The disc is mandatory and illuminating for Ray Price specialists, and even newbies can enjoy the spontaneity of live and therefore risky roadhouse honkytonk.

Ray Price is in top form in this collection of live material culled from period radio performances. There's not one scrap of filler in this collection and each performance sparkles and crackles with energy. There's nothing like Price's voice when he's moaning and soaring with the emotion of the 'night life'. I highly recommend it for anybody's honky-tonk and country collections.

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