March 11th, 2010 
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Amazon.com
Much like jazz’s Nat King Cole, country’s Tennessee Ernie Ford had a star appeal and charisma that could not be confined to a strict roots-oriented genre. These 40 cuts cover his 27-year association with Capitol Records and definitively illustrate the power and versatility of his one-of-a-kind baritone vocals. The fiery country boogies of the late ’40s and early ’50s–somewhere between Western swing and rockabilly–find him leading a blistering band that included aces such as Jimmy Bryant, Speedy West, and Merle Travis. However, the pop mainstream beckoned and Ford sounded equally as comfortable in front of jazz-oriented big bands, pop-vocal harmonies, and bluesy acoustic guitars. Ford also introduced Southern gospel to the masses, exemplified by the collection’s final six numbers. Though the terrain changes often, there’s nary a weak tune in the bunch. –Marc Greilsamer
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