Best Of Arlo Guthrie CD

Woody Guthrie's son Arlo successfully made a name for himself with a body of work that falls under the shadow of his father only peripherally. Beginning as a sort of comic troubadour, Arlo laid out a persona that was all his own with "Alice's Restaurant Masacree." He followed his debut album with another in a similar vein--ARLO, which yielded "Motorcycle (Significance Of The Pickle)." This was followed by a series of smartly written, arranged and produced albums which benefited from great players (Ry Cooder, Doug Dillard, Richie Hayward, Chris Ethridge, and Clarence White, among others) and sympathetic producers (including Lenny Waronker and Van Dyke Parks).

The remainder of his works for Warner Brothers (now all reissued on his own Rising Son Records) were a quietly dazzling array of warm, inventive ensemble playing and superb songwriting. Though primarily popular as whole albums, there were a couple of notable hits, including "Coming Into Los Angeles" and "City Of New Orleans." This collection features some of the finest songs of his career.

Back To Soul includes Anna's distinctive versions of several soul and blues hits and some James Brown originals written under various pseudonyms, plus a storming duet with Bobby Byrd, 'Baby Baby Baby', which took her into the R&B Top 50 early in 1964. Thus with Anna's stirring, soulful vocals, a range of familiar songs, the support of the James Brown Band and the production skills of Mr. Brown himself, Back To Soul was a notable album release on UK Philips in 1964. Consequently it has been a rare collectors' item, a situation which will be remedied by its long-awaited reissue on Shout! 2006.

Tracks recorded between 1967 and 1976.