Doyle Holly Together Again CD

As bass player and backup singer for Buck Owens and His Buckaroos -- considered by some to be the finest country band of all time -- Doyle Holly helped to define and perfect the Bakersfield sound that continues to exert a powerful influence on country music well into the 21st century. A reunion album with Owens and the surviving Buckaroos was an exciting idea, but the realization of it is something of a disappointment. Not because the music is less than fine; on the contrary, none of these guys has lost a lick, instrumentally speaking, and while Holly's and Owens' voices have both roughened with age, they are both still singers well-worth hearing. The problem is that the program is nothing but a rehash of old Buck Owens hits and favorites. Every one of the usual suspects is here: "Tiger by the Tail," "Above and Beyond," "Act Naturally," "Love's Gonna Live Here," and "My Heart Skips a Beat," to name a predictable few. And every one of the performances is almost as good as the original ones were, which begs the obvious question: why buy a re-recording of this material when the original recordings are readily available? What would have been really great would have been a new album of new material, with the Buckaroos bringing their patented sound to bear on a new generation's country compositions. It's not too late, guys. ~ Rick Anderson

Recording information: Caravell Studios, Branson, MO; Crystal Palace Studio, Bakersfield, CA; Hyatt Studio, Nashville, TN; OMS Studio, Raleigh, NC.

Personnel includes: Buck Owens.

Personnel: Doyle Holly (vocals); Jeannie Seely, Buck Owens (vocals); Billy Troy (tenor, baritone, acoustic guitar); Bobby Osborne (tenor, baritone, mandolin); Paul Brewster (tenor); Jim Ed Brown (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Charlie Vaughan (acoustic guitar, fiddle); Barry Bales (electric guitar); Tom Brumley (steel guitar); Hugh Moore (banjo); Neil Stretcher (piano); Mike Bub (acoustic bass); Willie Cantu (drums).