Various Artists - Great Love Ballads/Grand Ole Opry Live Classics

Stepping Back Into Yesteryear

The Cracker Barrel restaurants have food as close to home country cooking as you can get without going home to get it. Anything from the best homemade breakfasts you can find anywhere to incredible fried catfish with all the fixin's and desserts that are to die for. And all the antiques decorating their restaurants and stores are genuine articles carefully chosen to best compliment that particular location. You can find bottles of old fashioned sodas and candy that you would have found in the small country stores of yesteryear. There are gidgets and gadgets, collectibles, books and just about anything else you can think of to keep you interested while you wait for your table. Or you can browse around while you walk off a satisfying meal and do a little shopping. It stands to reason that an establishment this dedicated to the country way of living would also embrace the music. They have started releasing different albums that are exclusive to the Cracker Barrel stores. They are now offering their customers a chance to go back in time and purchase CD's that are digitally remastered select performances of the Grand Ole Opry live from the Ryman Auditorium. This album is part of a series of five that are themed selections of performances from the Opry stage.

Love Songs as They are Meant to be Sung

Country music is well known for the many drinking songs. It is also just as well known for the heart wrenching ballads that lament the trials and tribulations of love. This CD is an incredible collection from some of the finest artists in the business singing songs that will transport you back in time. Some of these songs are so enduring that you will still hear them on the airwaves today. A couple of examples are "Please Help Me I'm Falling," by Hank Locklin and "I Fall To Pieces." The latter is sung by Dottie West here, but Patsy Cline's version is one you will still hear on the radio today. No one could tear out your heartstrings like Marty Robbins. He was a master at his craft and it is easy to see why when listening to "Begging to You." Tammy Wynette also had the perfect voice for love ballads and she sings "Till I Get it Right." All of these songs were recorded live on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry and in the cheers and applause of the audience you can hear the great respect that was extended to all these artists. Back then, they focused more on the vocal talents of the artists and less on the instrumental backup which really seemed to help draw out the pure emotions of the lyrics. I've really enjoyed listening to this CD and if you love the traditional sounds of country then it is a must have for your collection.