The Best Of Dobie Gray (CD - 2005)

At his best, Dobie Gray mixed soul and country into a smooth pop groove, a formula that worked to perfection on his Top Five 1973 hit "Drift Away," written by songwriter and producer Mentor Williams. Listeners should be aware that this release, which essentially is a truncated version of 2000's Diamond Cuts (with the last eight tracks lopped off), consists of re-recorded stereo versions. ~ Steve Leggett

At his best, Dobie Gray mixed soul and country into a smooth pop groove, a formula that worked to perfection on his 1973 Top Five hit "Drift Away," written by songwriter and producer Mentor Williams. Unfortunately, although Gray possessed a wonderfully easy and soulful tenor, he was only as good as the song he sang, and too many of those songs ended up being obvious covers as his career unfolded. Listeners should be aware that this release is essentially a truncated version of 2000's Diamond Cuts (with the last eight tracks lopped off). Gray's voice is in fine form, but these are stereo re-recordings and not the original versions, and the arrangements are much too keyboard and synthesizer heavy, stopping just this side of the elevator. ~ Steve Leggett minimize