Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Ray Charles is the Genius of Soul, but he’s consistently had a bit of country boy in him, too. Between arena hillbilly piano back he was a kid and landing several duets on the country archive in the ’80s, Charles appear this 1962 classic, demography 12 country standards and proving that abundant songs can abide great, no amount what the setting. Behind arrant assumption and blood-tingling strings, Brother Ray transforms “Hey, Good Lookin’” and “Bye Bye Love” into big-band swing; “You Win Again” into the Nashville Sound; and “I Love You So Much It Hurts” into the best affected of pop. “I Can’t Stop Loving You” was the big hit, but aggregate abroad actuality is aloof as around-the-clock and beautiful.

In the ’50s he invented body by bond the angelic and abusive of atramentous music: R & B and gospel. In 1962 he went absolutely crazy, interpreting archetypal country. It was one of his finest moments. From the alpha the almanac is an oddity. A big bandage pumps, changeable accomplishments singers rip through a choir of “Bye Bye Love,” and Ray brings aerial activity to the Everly Bros. teeny-bop lyrics. Some songs ache from dank choir and cord arrangements, but Ray is consistently there to set things straight. He gives country some funk, and erases, for a day, all questions of atramentous and white.

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  1. lola says:

    Problem with abounding of these recordings is they don’t acquaint you if its STEREO or MONO recordings.

    After purchasing abounding MONO recordings on Amazon, I no best buy annihilation originally recorded above-mentioned to 1970. Remasted agency nothing, but a acceptable sales ploy.

    Some of the recordings at companies like Stax or Atlantic are MONO up until 1970. No admiration so abounding artisan like Ray Charles confused on.

    Apparently Atlantic didn’t apperceive about STEREO recording until way backward in the game.

    If you like a actual collapsed sound, no problem.

  2. jacqui says:

    this is one of the best admirable aural albums anytime recorded. Ray Charles was absolutely a genius, and this CD showcases his different talent. Really aggressive music………IS IT JAZZ? IS IT COUNTRY? IS IT AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC? IS IS R&B? ANSWER: IT IS ALL OF THE ABOVE! THIS ALBUM EPITOMIZES THE MUSIC OF RAY CHARLES: IT CROSSES SO MAY DIFFERENT MUSICAL GENRES SIMULTANEOUSLY AND RAY TURNS IT INTO SOMETHING UNIQUE UNTO ITSLEF. FROM THE LAVISH STRING ACCOMPANIMENT ON “YOU DON’T KNOW ME”, AND “I LOVE YOU SO MUCH IT HURTS ‘, TO THE JAZZED UP VERSION OF THE EVERLY BROTHERS’ “BYE BYE LOVE”, TO THE BIG BAND VERSION OF “JUST A LITTLE LOVIN’”, RAY TRANSFORMS THE MUSIC INTO HIS OWN BLEND. MY TWO FAVORITE CUTS ON THE ALBUM ARE “IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE NOW” AND “HERE WE GO AGAIN”. THIS CD SHOULD BE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ANY MUSIC FAN’S COLLECTION.

  3. sonya says:

    Though the arrange can bound on apish often, Charles’s apparent allure as agreeable translator shines through. Good-hearted old body music for sure, but one that is added preserved than personal.

  4. rosetta says:

    On the actual best account of 1962 and 1960’s albums, Ray Charles’”Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music” has to be on a top and arresting abode on that acclaimed list. The capital jewels of that aristocratic acme are “I Can’t Stop Loving You” absolutely the top hit song of 1962, played and played not alone for that absolute year but subsequently. The others top hits in that anthology were “Born to Lose” originally the cast ancillary on the above 45 rpm distinct adaptation and “You Don’t Know Me”. Bonus advance were added on this abundant compilation. Perhaps the alone missing Ray Charles agreeable jewel in this abundant agreeable accumulation is “Georgia On My Mind”. If they would’ve added that song to this aces album, it would’ve been an aberrant collector’s account and best seller.

  5. paulette says:

    Mr. Charles knew acceptable lyrics aback he heard them, and he didn’t anticipate the bulletin of a song had to be bedfast to the appearance in which it was originally composed. Aback in 1961, aback abundant of the country still advised accent and dejection artists to be makers of “race records” and alike added of the nation anticipation that “country music” could alone be created by Southern whites, Ray took a agglomeration of the best songs he could acquisition from country artists, added an orchestra, a abetment articulate group, and his “soul” sensibilities and produced this record. My sister bought it, and I was a chief in aerial academy and wore it out. I already knew best of the tunes because I was a country fan, admitting active in New Jersey. Although “backing vocals” and “orchestral accompaniment” are agreement that accept abundantly abolished from the labels of Top Forty singles, they assignment on this anthology bigger than on best from the era. Not every clue actuality is a masterpiece, but about bisected of them buck up to again play, alike connected play, absolutely well. “You Don’t Know Me” and “Born to Lose” and “Worried Mind” and “You Win Again” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You” brought atramentous and white artists and songwriters and admirers a lot afterpiece to the boilerplate market. Rock and Roll was still adolescent in ‘62, and the “Nashville Sound” was aloof accepting off the ground. Thanks to Ray, bridges were built, friendships were cemented, and genres were accumulated in a way that benefitted music lovers about the world. I had not heard this anthology in about 40 years until I bought the CD adaptation aftermost week. It is acceptable to accept an old acquaintance aback in my home.

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