CD Review-Buddy Holly Country Tribute

Mary Jane Farmer | October 14, 2014 | Reply

Buddy Holly
courtesy photo

First printed in September issue, Buddy Magazine

David Frizzell & Friends

Buddy Holly Country Tribute

Buddy Holly Educational Foundation

Great songs, originally recorded by the great rock-n-roll artist Buddy Holly, and now recorded and released by great country artists — what’s not to love about this commissioned Buddy Holly Country Tribute CD. Oh, and who are those great artists who worked on this project? David Frizzell, Merle Haggard, Jimmy Fortune, Helen Cornelius, Sonny Curtis, and T Graham Brown. It’s billed as a country album, but there’s a lot of rockabilly and blues thrown into the mix, as well.

The CD starts with Haggard’s version of “Remember Me,” and ends with the same song, but the second time sung by Frizzell, Cornelius, and Fortune. Different versions, same song, and proof that a good singer can cover a song in his own voice and style and yet keep it true to the original.

Frizzell introduces each song, giving the date and place where Buddy Holly originally recorded it. Haggard does a great job on “That’ll Be The Day;” Brown puts his soul stamp on “Maybe Baby” and on the Ray Charles classic “Drown In My Own Tears;” Fortune and Cornelius put a smooth croon on “True Love Ways;” and Frizzell and Fortune even recorded “Walk Right Back,” written by Sonny Curtis, in memory of Buddy Holly’s friend, Phil Everly.

In all, there’s 20 songs included in this project, 21 if you count both versions of “Remember Me,” and it comes with a DVD, with all six superstars talking about their involvement in Buddy Holly’s life and music, and in the CD project. It also features clips from the recording, studios and photos taken over Buddy Holly’s too-short career.

This keepsake CD, Frizzelle & Friends, Buddy Holly Country Tribute, is available Online through the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, www.tbhef.org,

— Mary Jane Farmer

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