Merle Haggard / Willie Nelson / Ray Price - Last of the Breed MP3 Download

Last of the Breed buy CD music Those who find the pairing of '70s rock god Robert Plant with contemporary bluegrass queen Alison Krauss unlikely have probably not been paying attention to Plant's latter-day work, which is full of intimate, acoustic-flavored balladry. While the organic-sounding, low-key Plant/Krauss collaboration, RAISING SAND, is a far cry from Led Zeppelin's stadium rock, it offers up some hauntingly moody textures that should appeal to "Battle of Evermore" admirers. Consisting mostly of sagely chosen cover tunes, the album finds Plant and Krauss bringing their warm-but-eerie harmonies to everything from Townes Van Zandt's nihilistic folk poetry ("Nothin'") to the crumbled beauty of latter-day Tom Waits ("Trampled Rose"). Determined not to rest on their laurels or cater to expectations, the 59-year-old icon and his junior partner craft a subtle and intriguing sound built on their shared love of folk forms and gift for interpretation, bringing to light esoteric gems by late Byrds visionary Gene Clark and the Everly Brothers along the way as well.

Last of the Breed songs Around the time of his 71st birthday, rock-&-roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis unveiled LAST MAN STANDING, a celebratory outing that features a stunning cast of guest musicians, ranging from B.B. King and Little Richard to Merle Haggard and Neil Young. Among the many highlights of this album are Lewis's lively collaboration with guitarist Jimmy Page on Led Zeppelin's "Rock N' Roll," a rendition that wonderfully plays up the tune's 1950s leanings, and the Killer's honky-tonk spin on Hank Williams's "Lost Highway," which points to his often-overlooked country recordings and features Delaney Bramlett's searing six-string work. Like the latter-day recordings of his old Sun labelmate Johnny Cash, this Lewis collection points to a remarkable legacy, while also displaying his still-formidable talents, resulting in a musical testament to aging impressively well. Personnel: Jerry Lee Lewis (vocals, piano); Keith Richards, B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy (vocals, guitar); Delaney Bramlett, Don Henley, George Jones, John Fogerty, Kid Rock, Little Richard, Merle Haggard, Mick Jagger, Neil Young, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Toby Keith, Bruce Springsteen (vocals); Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jimmy Rip, Kenny Lovelace, Robbie Robertson (guitar); Ron Wood (pedal steel guitar); Ivan Neville (organ); Butch Hutchinson (bass guitar); Jim Keltner (drums).

Last of the Breed album for sale Johnny Cash's final album, AMERICAN V: A HUNDRED HIGHWAYS, is a moving and fitting swan song for the legendary performer. Like Cash's other recordings with producer Rick Rubin, AMERICAN V is quiet, intense, and minimal; it creates a thrilling intimacy by keeping the focus on Cash's aging voice and increasingly soulful, nuanced phrasing. The album was produced piecemeal, with Cash's vocal tracks recorded mere months before the artist's death in 2003, and the backing tracks added two years later. Yet the album coheres remarkably well, thanks in large part to the fine musicians on hand (including ace session guitarist Smokey Hormel). But this is Cash's show through and through. Whether on covers (Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind"), originals ("Like the 309," the last song Cash ever wrote), or spirituals ("I'm Free From the Chain Gang Now," the album's stirring, heartbreakingly appropriate closer), Cash sounds like no one but himself--weary, wise, and touched, perhaps, by an unseen hand The album is a continuation of the highly popular and critically acclaimed series of American recordings produced by Rick Rubin. The series began with 1994's acclaimedAmerican Recordings, followed by Unchained (1996), American III: Solitary Man (2000) and American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002). AMERICAN V contains 12 tracks and includes one Johnny original, 'Like The 309' (the last song that Johnny wrote and recorded before he died). Personnel: Jonny Polonsky, Matt Sweeney, Mike Campbell , Pat McLaughlin, Randy Scruggs, Smokey Hormel (guitar); Benmont Tench (piano, harpsichord, organ). Additional personnel: Mark Howard, Marty Stuart, Pete Wade.

Last of the Breed CD music In a way, Dwight Yoakam had been working up to DWIGHT SINGS BUCK for his whole career. Buck Owens's '60s Bakersfield honky-tonk sound was the primary influence on Yoakam's career, and the latter emerged in the '80s as the proud bearer of the Bakersfield torch. One of Yoakam's earliest hits was in fact a duet with Owens. So it's only natural that in the wake of Buck's passing, his disciple should honor him with a tribute album. Yoakam tackles both classic Owens tunes, such as the evergreen "Act Naturally" and "Crying Time," and more esoteric fare. Often he plays it straight, sticking close to his hero's template, but even when he takes a few liberties with the material, it remains clear just how much of a formative effect this music has had on Yoakam, and how deeply it's ingrained in his own musical makeup. Recording information: Track Record Studios, North Hollywood, CA. Photographer: Cambria Lyn Harkey. Arranger: Dwight Yoakam. Personnel: Dwight Yoakam (vocals, acoustic guitar); Eddie "Scarlito" Perez (electric guitar, electric sitar); Joshua Grange (piano, organ, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards); Skip Edwards (piano); Kevin C. Smith, Jonathan Clark (bass guitar); Mitch Marine (drums); Bobbye Hall (congas, maracas, shaker, tambourine, percussion). Audio Mixer: David Leonard .

Last of the Breed buy CD music Recorded live at Dallas's Texas Stadium in 2004, this long-delayed release is worth the wait. Over 15 tracks, the three superstars sing together, separately, and in pairs for what turns out to be both a musical treat and a long draw of fun. Strait, who normally stands stock still in concert, loosens up and--surprise!--talks between songs ("That's country right there now"), and if my ears heard right, may actually say the word "ass." His is the strongest section musically, as he uses the western-swing classic "Milk Cow Blues" to stretch out with a fine showcase of his Ace in the Hole Band, and brings Jackson out for a masterful version of their hit "Murder on Music Row." But Jackson's set offers a personality-rich rendition of "Where I Come From," as well as a bluegrass version of Steve Young's "Seven Bridges Road" and a sturdy cover of "Texas Women," Hank Williams Jr.'s exercise in Lone Star braggadocio. Buffett gets a little too cute on "Margaritaville," on which over-the-top chorines shout, "Salt! Salt! Salt!" But when Jackson and Strait join him for a rousing romp through "Hey, Good Lookin'," you can almost see the ghost of Hank Sr. dancing in the aisles.

Last of the Breed songs Country legend Willie Nelson was remarkably prolific in the first years of the 21st century, releasing numerous studio and concert albums, which featured intriguing stylistic departures (the reggae-tinged COUNTRYMAN) and a wide array of guest stars (the live OUTLAWS & ANGELS). On 2006's YOU DON'T KNOW ME, Nelson gets back to his roots with an amiable set of Western swing tunes all penned (at least in part) by underrated songwriter Cindy Walker, both an old friend of the famously mellow artist and a fellow Texan. Many of Walker's songs were first performed in the 1940s and '50s by the great Bob Wills, and Nelson stays true to that vintage vibe by including weepy pedal-steel lines and prominent background vocals. "Bubbles in My Beer" gently percolates with melancholy, while the lighthearted "Don't Be Ashamed of Your Age" is especially ideal for Nelson, as he was in his early seventies at the time of this record's release. Easily one of Willie's best post-millennium albums, YOU DON'T KNOW ME showcases both the charms of Walker's whimsical tunes and the evergreen talent of Nelson. Liner Note Author: Daniel Cooper. Recording information: Cartee Day Studios, Nashville, TN; The Blue Room Studios, Nashville, TN. Authors: Fred Foster; Willie Nelson. Photographers: Dorothea Lange; Arthur Rothstein; Dean Dixon ; Danny Clinch. Personnel: Willie Nelson (vocals, gut-string guitar); Willie Nelson; Johnny Gimble, Randy "The Owl" Elmore (fiddle); John Hobbs (Wurlitzer organ, keyboards); Michael Rhodes (electric bass); Curtis Young, Radney Foster, The Jordanaires, Buzz Cason (background vocals); Don Potter (acoustic guitar); Brent Mason (electric guitar); Gordon Mote (piano); Eddie Bayers (drums). Audio Mixers: Fred Foster; Brent Maher.