Marty Robbins - Gunfighter Ballads & Trail Songs

A lonely Westerner in Nashville, Marty Robbins salved his soul by cutting an album (in one afternoon) of mostly self-composed cowboy ballads. One of them was a four-and-a-half-minute epic, "El Paso," that broke every rule of Top 40 programming to become a No. 1 pop and country hit in 1960. Robbins was arguably the most surefooted and accomplished singer in all country music, and that was never more obvious than on these Western ballads performed to often breathtaking perfection with a very small group and a vocal trio. Other titles include "Big Iron" (also a Top 30 hit), "Running Gun," and Western classics like "Cool Water," "Billy the Kid," and "The Strawberry Roan." Three extra tracks flesh out the 1999 release, including "Saddle Tramp" (the B-side of "Big Iron") and "The Hanging Tree" (title song from the 1959 Gary Cooper Western). --Colin Escott Amazon.com

Terrific!

Old standards that have been great for almost fifty years. Well worth having in one's collection. August 24, 2008

A True Classic

This album will never go out of style. It is classic lyrics, voice, and band combined. August 7, 2008

great music - really brings back memories

My dad had this album when I was a kid and listened to it a lot. He really liked Marty Robbins. Now, a zillion years later, I stumbled upon this album while surfing around Amazon looking for music. This is great! I love how simply this is recorded - just Marty Robbins' voice and an acoustic guitar in the background. He has a really nice musical voice. This is not the kind of music I would normally listen to. I have always liked artists like Al Dimeola, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Roy Buchanan, etc. and have never liked "country" music, but this is certainly an exception! My dad isn't doing so well these days and I thought I would send him a copy and it might help brighten his day. I like it so much, I may just buy a copy for myself too!

I especially like "Cool Water" - I remember that song oh so well from around the house when I was a kid, and I liked it then. I could listen to 70's rock like Foghat, Led Zeppelin, etc. upstairs, then go downstairs and listen to Marty Robbins with my dad - "cool, clear water".

I also always liked "El Paso" too. Really, every single song on this album is great! July 19, 2008

The Ultimate C & W Album

When I Listen To What Passes For C&W Music Nowadays, I GET Depressed.Most Of The New Breed Of Country Singers Are Just Pseudo Rock Singers Latching Onto A Lucrative Market.Marty Robbins Would Be In The Top Five Of My All Time Greats.Gunfighter Ballads Has To BE In The Top Three Of The Greatest Country Albums Ever Recorded.The Marvellous Acoustic Spanish Guitar Sound That Accompanied Most Of His Gunfighter Ballads Is So Refreshing.Being Around Awhile Needless To Say I'VE Practically All His Albums March 25, 2008

All-time classic

This is one of the great classic country crossover albums. If you like cowboy songs, this one of the best, if not the best album ever recorded.
Marty Robbins wrote the best songs on this disc, and has one of the great voices of 1950s Country music.
El Paso and Big Iron alone make this a worthwhile purchase. March 15, 2008

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