[.ca] Bradley Barn Sessions

George and guests remember his old hits:
This was the fourth album that George recorded with a star-studded line-up of guests - the others were My very special guests, Ladies choice and Friends in high places. On this occasion, George's guests were a mix of contemporary nineties country stars and oldies, and all the songs were old country hits for George - so fans of George's earlier music will not find any new songs here. Marty Stuart sets the standard with the opening track, a brilliant duet version of One woman man. Alan Jackson does equally well on A good year for the roses, which provided Elvis Costello with a British top ten hit after he covered it in 1981. Most of the singers here have impeccable country credentials, but Keith Richards and Mark Knopfler also put in appearances. Mark Chesnutt rounds of a superb album In between, Tammy re-creates one of her earlier hits with George via a re-recording of Golden ring, while Ricky Skaggs (Why baby why), Vince Gill (Love bug) and Travis Tritt (Race is on) are all ideally suited to the songs on which they duet. Trisha Yearwood sings Bartender blues superbly with help from George, but my favorite track here features Trisha (again) with Emmylou and Dolly supporting George on Where grass won't grow. This is an excellent collection of George's old hits, re-recorded as duets. It may not be an essential album, but is a worthy addition to any collection of country music.

Make That 5+:
What a recording!, with wonderful playing and singing -and the songwriting! Jones is joined for topnotch duets with country music's heavyweights making every song a winner, with stories of love lost, hard times and a few fun songs as well. This CD gets played often in our home. "Where Grass Won't Grow" is a truly beautiful song.

George Still Has It:
George Jones is the definition of country music. This album proves it! A good year for the roses, and Where Grass won't Grow are some of the Greats. Modern Country could learn alot from George Jones!!

An excellent, EXCELLENT introduction to George Jones!:
Having spent more than 80% of my life playing, performing (posturing!) Rock and Roll, I was WAY curious to hear how my favorite rock and roll musician, Mr. Keef, would sound with Country's Finest, George Jones. Believe it or not, it's a great duet, and not at ALL forced (as certainly would have been the case if Michael Phillip had attempted!) But especially including the gem that is "Say It's Not You," the CD is a perfect introduction for the neophyte listener to the finest male voice in Country Music, George Jones. Sure, you've heard the songs before, but you probably didn't know "who." That's a situation very pleasantly rectified by "The Bradley Barn Sessions." Indeed, most of Country Music's finest pay their tributes here to George Jones, Marty Stuart, Alan Jackson, Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, Travis Tritt, Mark Chesnutt, and , for the Ladies, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Trisha Yearwood, and George's "Ex," Tammy Wynette. In light of Ms. Wynette's passing that occurred not so shortly after this cd, it is kind of sadly ironic to hear them perform "Golden Ring"; indeed, as producer Brian Ahern said in the liner notes, "... seemed to step from a very public past of turmoil...into the sunshine of music: Love Gone Good." I won't be obsequious and mention Keef again, but another rocker, Mark Knophler does a version of of "White Lightnin'," and it's half the fun to listen to him and George cracking up every time George does the belch the song refers to. But, for my money, my homeboy, Travis Tritt puts in the finest performance on the cd with George doing "The Race Is On." It's a great CD folks, and once it becomes available again, pick up on it QUICK - it's that good! Oh, and for that..."other reviewer" that bemoaned the fact that the Anti-Hank, Garthie B. doen't make an appearence here - when you have George Jones performing like he does here, you don't need some pretender-to-the-throne whining. Sorry. George Jones' friends are NOT from "low places" like GB's are.

ALL STAR CAST SHINE WITH THE POSSUM!!:
I Love this classic album, ever since it's release in 1994 it's been of of my favorite cd's. I really dig the duet of George Jones & Keith Richards. First you hear the worn out voice of the Rolling Stones guitarist, then you hear why George Jones is the best country singer of all time, what a soulful beautiful voice!! Listening to Jones'duet with Vince Gill, Richards, Dire Straits, Dolly Parton, Alan Jackson, Tammy Wynette and others, you see why George Jones is still looked up as the VOICE of country music, he seems to get better with age, just like vintage wine. No new songs where recorded for this album, just classics from the Possum catalog. Only thing missing is a duet of Jones and Garth Brooks, I would have loved to hear these 2 greats singing "He Stopped Loving her Today", maybe it will be on the second volume of "The Bradley Barn Sessions". I recommend this cd highly, to the young fans and the old fans of George Jones, a true icon of country music!

• One Woman Man - Marty Stuart
• Good Year for the Roses - Alan Jackson, Alan Jackson
• Why Baby Why - Ricky Skaggs
• Golden Ring - Tammy Wynette
• Say It's Not You - Keith Richards
• Love Bug - Vince Gill
• Where Grass Won't Grow - Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Trisha Yearwood
• Race Is On - Travis Tritt
• Bartender Blues - Trisha Yearwood
• White Lightning - Mark Knopfler
• Good Ones and Bad Ones - Mark Chesnutt