The Essential Marty Robbins (CD - 2005)

Personnel: Marty Robbins (vocals, piano); Tony Mottola, Jimmy Rollins (guitar); Johnny Gimble (fiddle); Dick Hyman, Floyd Cramer, Owen Bradley, Hargus "Pig" Robbins (piano); Jerry Byrd (bass guitar).

One of the most versatile artists in country-music history, Marty Robbins covered a wide range of styles over his three decades of recording. Robbins's earliest 1950s singles veered from pop to rockabilly to straight-up country, building up momentum that truly kicked in with 1957's breezy "A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation)." This country/pop crossover hit marked one of Robbins's first outings with arranger Ray Conniff, a collaboration that would yield numerous successful singles.

Columbia/Legacy's THE ESSENTIAL MARTY ROBBINS surveys the crooner's '50s/'60s heyday, including the aforementioned song and his beloved forays into gritty Western territory, most notably the runaway hit "El Paso," a classic gun-slinging tale of ill-fated romance, and "Big Iron," a suspenseful recounting of an impending showdown. The collection follows Robbins through the '70s and into the early '80s, his smooth, clear vocals always at the fore. Although it shares many tracks with the similarly titled THE ESSENTIAL MARTY ROBBINS: 1951-1982, this two-disc compilation focuses more on Robbins's later years (including his posthumous hit--the lush, sweeping "Honkytonk Man"). Those looking for the most even-handed overview of Robbins's career will find it here. minimize