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Great sounding Country LP's

guitarman50

guitarman50

Super Member
I collect mainly vinyl of Classic Rock of the 60's and 70's and Country from the 80's and some from the 60's and 70's. I have some country LP's that sound pretty good from the 80's. Some stand out from the others but its pretty hard to find good production and pressings that really wow you like some of the audiophile pressings I have from Classic rock.
Yesterday I picked up about 7 LP's all 80's country but 1 and I just cleaned them up and sampled them all before putting them away. But one of the LP's simply floored me on how great it sounded. The production just sounds amazing and its now got to be one of my best sounding country LP's. The album is Dwight Yoakams "Hillbilly Deluxe". I was never too much in to Dwight even in his heydey but this album had a number of cuts on it I liked and being a guitar player myself like the sounds and licks of the guitar player Pete Anderson, so I thought I'd pick it up and am I ever glad I did.
I know there aren't many country fans among the vinyl crowd here but I thought I'd post my findings just in case there are a few.
 
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The best-recorded Dwight Yoakam is 'Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room'.

It is also the most non-PC, so be warned. Fremer reviewed it for TAS in the 80s, and raved about the sound but was offended by some of the songs.
 
You might also like the early Doc Watson recordings on Vanguard. Looks for the black-label pressings done by RCA at the Indianapolis plant. The later black-label Vanguards were pressed by Vanguard and are not as good.

There is also Flatt and Scruggs on Columbia 6-eye monos, tube cut in the fifties. It is hard to find playable copies, but they are not in big demand from collectors, being considered too commercial.
 
You wouldn't happen to have a link to that Fremer review? I've seen Buenos Noches at record shows but never picked it up. I'm going to have to grab a copy next time I see it.
 
Yup Hillbilly Deluxe is a good sounding record , but I guess I prefer the BNFALR LP , just for "I sang dixie" , now that is a classic country song . I like DY , he can rock too. He was pretty cool back in the 80's when he came out , and I think his look and sound was copied by many after him. I am not a big country fan , just a music fan . But if you can find a copy of "will the circle be unbroken vol II" on vinyl buy it . The cd sounds amazing and has some great licks ,acoustic of course , but the most real sounding martin solo I ever heard on any medium , sounds like the guitar is in the room , 20 sec's . Production is great on the CD so I guess the lp would be the same ?
 
Try some of Chet Atkins' older records on RCA. Excellent recordings. Almost seems like the guitar is in the same room with you on some cuts.
Rick
 
I think many of my country lps from the late 50's through the mid-60's discs sound incredible. Hell yeah, those Chet Atkins/Buck Owens/etc. sound awesome.
 
ARJohn said:
... But if you can find a copy of "will the circle be unbroken vol II" on vinyl buy it . The cd sounds amazing and has some great licks ,acoustic of course , but the most real sounding martin solo I ever heard on any medium , sounds like the guitar is in the room , 20 sec's . Production is great on the CD so I guess the lp would be the same ?
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I'm a huge fan of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," but have never listened to Volume II. The original 3-LP WTCBU is truly a fantastic album IMHO. Some blistering instrumental solos on the tracks Lonesome Fiddle Blues and Earl's Breakdown. Great & essential stuff.
 
Monument never had Chet Atkins. But they in the early days had Bill Porter and Tommy Strong, who later was their chief engineer when they built their recording studios. Columbia and Decca had terrific sonics pre 1969. RCA Nashville made some of the best recordings ever.
 
gridleakrick said:
Try some of Chet Atkins' older records on RCA. Excellent recordings. Almost seems like the guitar is in the same room with you on some cuts.
Rick
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I've got a Chet Atkins LP "More of That", that I picked up a while ago but haven't put it on the table yet. On the front its got RCA Victor "Dynagroove Recordings".
 
Do you consider Charlie Daniels Country? Fire on the Mountain is great album. Olivia Newton John sounds pretty good too. Have to clean my Jerry Jeff, Willie and Waylon albums up. I like Johnny Cash's Man in Black also. Like you much more into Classic rock. Have some Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline that I haven't listened too yet.
 
ken.nelson said:
Do you consider Charlie Daniels Country? Fire on the Mountain is great album. Olivia Newton John sounds pretty good too. Have to clean my Jerry Jeff, Willie and Waylon albums up. I like Johnny Cash's Man in Black also. Like you much more into Classic rock. Have some Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline that I haven't listened too yet.
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Strictly speaking sonic quality, my "Johnny Cash at Fulsom Prison ", is one of my better sounding country LP's. Its an original 60's pressing. As well I have a couple Willie Nelson 80's pressings that are exceptional. "City of New Orleans", and "Stardust".
 
Most of my country listening was from the early 70s when I lived in Utah. Some favorites were from Anne Murray, John Denver, Charlier Rich, Crystal Gayle, Johnny Cash and BJ Thomas.
 
vinyl1 said:
The best-recorded Dwight Yoakam is 'Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room'.

It is also the most non-PC, so be warned. Fremer reviewed it for TAS in the 80s, and raved about the sound but was offended by some of the songs.
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Isn't that the one with "She Wore Red Dresses"? Great album. I only have a copy on CD, but I'm always looking for it and Hillbilly Deluxe on vinyl.

I just picked up a thrift shop copy of By Request, by Ernest Tubb. It's on the Decca label, and sounds pretty good. The only stuff I have on the Monument label is Boots Randolph, and they all sound fantastic.
 
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I also have the Will The Circle Be Unbroken set, but unfortunately it isn't in the greatest shape. Plus it was pressed off center and has some "wow" to it. One of my favorite awesome sounding country LPs is That's The Way A Cowboy Rocks And Rolls by Jessi Colter. Not to mention she looks hot on the cover.
 
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