The Sensational Charley Pride (Koch, 1998)

Originally recorded in 1969, two years before his signature hit, "Kiss An Angel Good Morning," this album gives a glimpse into the early part of Charley Pride's RCA recording career.

Though Pride is in excellent voice, the material is uninspired. The best tune, and the only real hit is, "Let The Chips Fall." There are unconvincing covers of Doug Kershaw's "Louisiana Man," and Roger Miller's "Billy Bayou," and lots of overproduced tunes with totally unnecessary choruses and back-up singers. Produced at RCA's legendary, Nashville Sound Studio by Jack Clement and Felton Jarvis, this is a reminder of how slick and 'pop' many country recordings from that era sounded.

Pride is one of the most important country singers of the past 30 years. He is a crooner and a song-stylist, rather than a country singer-songwriter. His best work is not represented here. This isn't a knock on him, rather on his producers and the conventional wisdom in Nashville at the time.