The Best Of Marty Robbins (CD, Imported)

There are literally a hundred Marty Robbins compilations, and most of them have a handful of the same songs, "El Paso," "La Paloma," and "Riders in the Sky" being among the foremost. Robbins enjoyed a long and fruitful career with Columbia, and this collection, which ranges over most of it, is a solid if not an exemplary set. The Essential Marty Robbins on Sony/Columbia's Legacy imprint is the best one, but this will more than do, and is considerably less dear in terms of price. The breadth of Robbins singing those old cowboy and love songs shows a solid and well-known aspect of his gift as an interpreter, but versions of Jimmy Webb's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Can't Help Falling in Love," and the old rock & roll chestnut "A White Sports Coat (And a Pink Carnation)" are just a few of the other choices here that will satisfy both new and seasoned Robbins fans. ~ Thom Jurek