[.ca] Cool Water

Cow-Punching Crooners at their Best:
If you like your western music the way I like my whiskey (straight), then look elsewhere. Let's face it, how many times have you seen a full orchestra sitting around the campfire? One normally envisions a guitar or two, and maybe a harmonica. That being said, this CD is remarkable on several fronts. The original recording dates to 1959, using RCA's (then) new "Living Stereo" technology, the beginning of "hi-fidelity stereo" sound as we know it today. I can remember listening to the original LP in my dad's record collection during the mid '60s. I loved every minute of it then, and now. It was a very clean studio recording featuring tight harmonies, and the orchestral back-up added a "full" sound without overwhelming the vocals or the "mood." The frequency response of the original recording is impressive as well when you consider its 45 year age; nice string bass and crisp tambourine. This import CD can brag about its quality transfer to digital. All of the Sons of the Pioneers favorites are here, including "the Last Roundup," "Whoopie-Ti-Yi-Yo," "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," "Red River Valley," "Empty Saddles," "Wagon Wheels," and perhaps the best recording ever of "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky." Enjoy!

Just as I remembered:
I had this recording on 8-track tape back in the 70's. Until I found it here I had no idea how much I missed it. This CD takes me back to those years, listening with my Pappy to the Sons of the Pioneers, Jimmie Rodgers, Vaughn Monroe, and Homer and Jethro, and watching Gunsmoke, Bonanza, and The Lone Ranger in black and white. It reminds me of folks that I wish were still here, and it inspires me to write about them and the stories they told. Marvelous!

Not the real McCoy!:
I gave this CD a low rating, not because of the music itself, but because of the era in which the music was recorded. The LP version(s) captured on this CD were first released in the late 1950s and, to me at least, sound like "Lawrence Welk does Cowboy Favorites." I am a huge fan of the Sons of the Pioneers, and of cowboy classics in general, but this disc strikes me as schmaltzy--again, not the singing, but the overly slick accompaniment. This stuff should be earthy and folksy, not chrome-plated. If you are looking for truly authentic music by this illustrious group, try the Country Music Hall of Fame and Columbia Historic Edition recordings. Sure, there's a little noise on these older recordings, and the vocal and instrumental work is not always polished, but it's real. To my mind, some contemporary artists such as Sons of the San Joaquin, Michael Martin Murphey, and (gulp) Riders in the Sky have recorded the classic pieces in a more authentic style than the RCA (oops, German import) disc. Perhaps an analogy would help. The earlier recordings are like the earlier movies by the Duke (Stagecoach, the Searchers)--you get the feeling you're experiencing a piece of Americana--while the Cool Water disc is more like the later movies that have lost their authenticity and become charicatures. In turn, some of the newest moveis (e.g., those by Clint) have actually returned to a more authentic style. Good luck.

Marvelous update of Cowboy Classics. . . .:
The Living Stereo Collection was a series of finely crafted LPs from the late fifties and early sixties that took popular songs of that era and added slick orchestral accompaniments for some truly remarkable finished products. This album is no exception. Cool Water reprises many of the Sons of the Pioneers best loved tunes, including Wagon Wheels, Tumbling Tumbleweeds, the title cut and a dynamic interpretation of Ghost Riders in the Sky. The arrangements add the beauty of stirring strings, subdued brass and haunting woodwinds to the traditional western instruments; guitar, accordian and harmonica. The result is a wonderful musical combination that supports and enhances the incomparable harmonies of the singers. As with many top groups, the lesser known songs are often like discovering buried treasure. For those not well acquainted with the Sons of the Pioneers, take the time to listen carefully to the almost classical harmonies of Wind, Blue Prairie, Blue Shadows on the Trail and Twilight on the Trail. There are also jauntily upbeat offerings like Way Out There and Ridin' Down the Canyon. This album is a dreamlike journey down memory lane, to a time when music was simpler and more heartfelt, and we all felt comfortable singing along with our favorite melodies. Put Cool Water on the stereo and, before you know it, you'll find yourself joining in on these wonderful songs.

Brest of the West:
I have the record of this album. Probably 35 year old. I've worn it out. It is a wonderful collection of some of the most beautiful songs that was born from the harmony singing of the motion pictures, I was so happy to see this on CD! Now I will always have my songs and my memories.

• Cool Water
• Whoopee-Ti-Yi-Yo
• Wind
• Cowboy's Dream
• Last Roundup
• Ridin' Home
• Twilight on the Trail
• Red River Valley
• Wagon Wheels
• Riders in the Sky
• Blue Prairie
• Way Out There
• Empty Saddles
• Teardrops in My Heart
• Blue Shadows on the Trail
• Ridin' Down the Canyon
• Timber Trail
• Tumbling Tumbleweeds