The Essential Hank Snow (CD - 1997)

This is part of RCA Nashville's Essentials series.

Personnel: Hank Snow (vocals, guitar).

Audio Remasterer: Benny Quinn.

Liner Note Author: Edward Morris.

Recording information: 03/28/1950-09/24/1973.

Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, singer/songwriter Hank Snow became an icon of country music during the 1950s and '60s. Following in the footsteps of the legendary Jimmie Rodgers, Snow penned his own tales of love and travel (often a love of travel), most notably the timeless songs of wanderlust "I'm Movin' On" and "I've Been Everywhere," both later performed by his ardent admirer Johnny Cash.

This excellent 20-track collection presents many more of Snow's greatest moments, including the heartsick lament "(Now and Then, There's) A Fool Such as I," which was famously covered by Elvis Presley. (Snow was an early champion of Elvis, and tried to steer him in a more country-oriented direction.) The set also calls attention to Snow's wonderful sense of humor, as best evidenced on the old-fashioned "Music Makin' Mama from Memphis" and the lighthearted "The Gal Who Invented Kissin'." Every fan of vintage country should own at least one Hank Snow disc, and this is one of the finest collections available.

In 1997, The Essential Hank Snow replaced I'm Movin' On & Other Country Hits as the one essential, single-disc retrospective of Snow's classic hits currently on the market. While it isn't quite as listenable as its direct predecessor, The Essential still captures all of Snow's styles, from Hawaiian music and country boogie to his famous traveling songs, featuring most of his best-known songs ("I'm Moving On," "The Rhumba Boogie," "Yellow Roses," "Silver Bell," "The Gal Who Invented Kissin'") along the way. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine minimize