53-tracks (spread over 2cds), two full albums and a bunch of singles, 29 of them have Porter Wagoner heard at his best. Wagoner known for his rhinestone outfits and having brought Dolly Parton to the public via his long running TV show was sometimes an underappreciated figure, maybe it was due to the glitzy side of his game, and the fact his voice wasn’t the strongest. Especially it you were to compare him to Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams, Bobby Bare, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens or George Jones, but there is a special attraction to the early recordings by the Thin Man from West Plains, Missouri.
Among the singles you have a heap of them loaded with pedal steel guitar as he tackles everything from Hank Williams’ recorded “Settin’ The Woods On Fire”, a Delmore’s fashioned “Tryin’ To Forget The Blues”, Hank’s gospel song ‘How Can I Refuse Her Now” coupled with “Tell Her Lies And Feed Her Candy” heart tugging ballad “Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind” and chirpy ode “Me And Fred And Joe And Bill” and Bill Anderson’s classic tear in your beer love ballad “I’ve Enjoyed As Much Of This As I Can Stand”.
As for the first cd; albums Satisfied Mind / A Slice Of Life you have a bunch of timeless songs in the likes of Jerry Reed’s Misery Loves Company, plus Porter standards in album title-track “Satisfied Mind”; a finer version you will not find plus “Company’s Comin’ and with a bounce to his voice his love of Bill Monroe and bluegrass “Uncle Pen”. Some of the songs may sound a little corny, but they were at the same time hugely entertaining, and the musicianship is the best going and real country into the bargain!
I expect more to come from Jasmine featuring Porter, only the next issue will I’m sure also have the little lady who he helped on her road to fame, Ms Dolly Parton.
Maurice Hope