The Woman in Me – Shania TwainĪs mentioned earlier, this was one of the most influential albums in the history of country. And again, there’s something special about the way country twang feels more real when rendered via a slab of vinyl. Old-school country fans may frown upon this record, but if you listen closely to this 1973 release, you’ll hear how the almost Burt Bacharach-like arrangements planted the seed for a lot of the “popular country” that became famous in the years to follow.
While modern country borrows heavily from the world of rock, Charlie Rich was a pioneer in making country more accessible by crossing over into the world of pop. There’s a lot more Waylon before and after this album, but it’s a great stepping-off point. This 1979 compilation features signature tunes like “Luckenback, Texas,” “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow up to Be Cowboys” (a terrific duet with Willie Nelson) and “I’m a Ramblin’ Man” - songs that beg to be listened to on vinyl because they tend to lose some of their character and feel via digital downloads. Right on Johnny Cash’s heels in terms of “outlaw” status, Waylon Jennings has released many great recordings. (Not to mention that killer bass solo!) Campbell’s playing and singing will floor you, no matter how many times you’ve heard these songs, including great covers of “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay,” “Reason To Believe” and “Words.” 3. Put the stylus down on the title track and prepare to be blown away by the sonic equivalent of an IMAX movie. If Johnny Cash is the most outlaw of the group presented here, Glen Campbell is the most approachable, but no less a creative genius. Compilations often mine whatever versions of a particular track are readily available, but care has been taken here to retrieve the original sonic gems, and Cash’s resonant voice really shines through on vinyl because most of his records were recorded in analog to begin with. Featuring his signature song “Jackson” (performed with wife June Carter), along with other staples such as “Ring of Fire,” you’ll get the ethos of the Man in Black quickly. With almost a hundred albums to his credit, this is the best place to dive into Cash, whether you’re a first-time explorer or a lifelong fan. Here’s my list of the top 10 country albums - of both the “old” and “new” varieties - best enjoyed on vinyl. In a Lynyrd Skynyrd kind of way, country records suddenly featured big, rallying choruses and lots of electric guitars. Years ago, the word “country” would be followed with “western,” but today, it’s more like “new country” and “old country.” Somewhere around the mid-1990s, when Shania Twain became popular with the help of Def Leppard producer (and husband) Mutt Lange, country started sounding a lot less like twang and more like 1980s rock.
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