Ernest Tubb - The Ernest Tubb Story (1959/2017)

24 tracks - 1959 double album retrospective, showcasing stereo remakes of some of Tubb's classic material.

AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder
A double album of 24 new recordings, in stereo, of older songs, with the Anita Kerr Singers and the Jordanaires on hand backing Tubb for some of it, such as the gorgeously mellow Tubb-co-authored "Let's Say Goodbye Like We Said Hello" and "Tomorrow Never Comes," where the Jordanaires take the choruses. Some of the best work here, however, is on the Tubb solo vocal tracks such as "Blue Christmas." By this time, Tubb's voice had mellowed and softened to a rich, highly flexible baritone, more expressive than it had ever been before. Billy Byrd's playing adds sparkle to the performances, and overall they're comparable to the originals, if not as desirable in historical terms. These versions supplanted the originals on many of the subsequent Decca compilations. Alas, by early 1959, Byrd would leave the Texas Troubadours after a decade of brilliant work for a solo contract with the fledgling Warner Bros. Records.

Great to finally see this reissued. For those of us of a certain age, this is the ET that we grew up with on the radio. These are not the original hits (except for Blue Christmas & A Little Bit Of Everything In Texas); but, these are the records that the country stations played when they went back for an ET classic. But beyond the nostalgia appeal, these are Ernest working in front of some of the best musicians he ever worked with. He brought Billy Byrd (lead guitar), Buddy Emmons (steel) and Jack Drake (bass) from the Troubadours, and added Grady Martin (acoustic lead), Floyd Cramer (piano) and Buddy Harmon (drums) from the Nashville A-team to make a first class honky-tonk band. Some of the tracks are adorned (encumbered?) by the Jordanaires (4 tracks), or the Anita Kerr Singers (4 tracks), but they don't get in the way all that much. All in all, a great example of late-50's ET in fine form. Well worth the listen for any any Ernest Tubb fan. –Dave Reinders, Amazon.com

Tracklist
1. I'll Get Along Somehow
2. Slippin' Around
3. Filipino Baby
4. When The World Has Turned You Down
5. Have You Ever Been Lonely
6. There's A Little Bit Of Everything In Texas
7. Walkin' The Floor Over You
8. Driftwood On The River
9. There's Nothing More To Say
10. Rainbow At Midnight
11. I'll Always Be Glad To Have You Back
12. Let's Say Goodbye Like We Said Hello
13. Careless Darlin'
14. Don't Rob Another Man's Castle
15. I Wonder Why You Said Goodbye
16. Last Night I Dreamed
17. Letters Have No Arms
18. Though The Days Were Only Seven
19. I Love You Because
20. You Nearly Lose Your Mind
21. I'll Miss You When You Go
22. It's Been So Long Darlin'
23. Tomorrow Never Comes
24. Blue Christmas