THE BARGAIN BUY: The Sony "Original Album Classics" series: Are you ready for the country?

 |   |  1 min read

Kris Kristofferson: Sugar Man
THE BARGAIN BUY: The Sony

When I interviewed Kris Kristofferson in 2005, he said with a laugh, “I’ve recently been shown a lot of respect from the country music people. You know, there have been times they‘ve acted like they were embarrassed by me.”

Country audiences felt the same way about Willie Nelson -- loved him when he wrote Crazy which Patsy Cline had a hit with, went off when he hung out with the hippies and grew his hair. Waylon Jennings went through much the same.

The Outlaw Movement, which they helmed, in fact injected real life and character into country music which had become formulaic around the Nashville sound. These days country people in the US seem as at home with Taylor Swift as Gretchen (Redneck Woman) Wilson, and guys like Willie and Kris and Waylon are hailed as heroes.

In the Sony budget-price collections you can pick up good overviews of both Kristofferson and Jennings . . . and even head a little more the centre of the road with some country-rock lite from Poco.

JB_HZ_CHEAP_longAnd these sets are just $20 at JB Hi-Fi stores here

Here are some Bargain Buys for y'all. 

Kris Kristofferson; Kristofferson/The Silver Tongued Devil and I/Jesus Was a Capricorn/Spooky Lady's Sideshow /Shake Hands With the Devil

His best albums from before – then during – the period when it went south through booze and dope. Alt.country songwriting got its start here in these dusty boots. The poet of Outlaw country. There is a whole lot more on Kristoferson at Elsewhere starting here.

Poco; Picking Up the Pieces/Poco/From the Inside/A Good Feeling to Know/Crazy Eyes

Alan Partridge said Wings were the band the Beatles could have been, and this group born out of Buffalo Springfield almost could have been the Eagles with their soft-rock country-influenced sound. But line-up changes and the lack of serious drugs denied them that opportunity. Pleasant and thoughtful, but a mixed bag.

Waylon Jennings; Lonesome On'ry and Mean/This Time/The Ramblin' Man/Ol' Waylon/Waylon and Willie

The conscience of the Outlaw Movement (“are you sure Hank done it this way?), collected here on his Seventies albums. Good writer, great interpreter and a powerful voice that smacks of authenticity. Always worth discovering.

Waylon has appeared at Elsewhere a fair bit. See here

There seems to be some Willie Nelson sets in this series but I haven't seen them. However if Willie is of interest you could start at Elsewhere here

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   The Bargain Buy articles index

THE BARGAIN BUY: Creedence Clearwater Revival; CCR + Cosmo's Factory

THE BARGAIN BUY: Creedence Clearwater Revival; CCR + Cosmo's Factory

In the course of a long and good-humoured interview some years ago, John Fogerty of Creedence told me that back in their heyday his pals in hippie-era bands would note enviously that CCR could get... > Read more

THE BARGAIN BUY: The Beatles: With the Beatles

THE BARGAIN BUY: The Beatles: With the Beatles

November 22 2013 sees two significant anniversaries, it will simultaneously be the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F Kennedy and, on a happier note, the release in Britain of the... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT . . . SPELLING ON THE STONE: The King is dead, long live the king?

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT . . . SPELLING ON THE STONE: The King is dead, long live the king?

Of the innumerable "Elvis is Alive" hoaxes, the song Spelling on the Stone of 1989 has to count as having one of the best/funniest back-stories. So let's get this right: Elvis wanted... > Read more

The Cranberries: Even the faithful departed

The Cranberries: Even the faithful departed

At the time, flying from London to Tokyo to interview the Cranberries seemed like a good idea. It was May '96 and they would be coming to New Zealand for a show shortly afterwards. My job -- at... > Read more