The Great Hank Locklin

Classic country tenor Locklin came out of the Texas dance band scene but had his real chart success in Nashville under the helm of Chet Atkins. It was before Atkins and his simple studio approach would become bloated by choruses and string sections, so some of the most famous performances here — such as the hit "Send Me the Pillow You Dream On" — are marked by the understated presence of Atkins on guitar and the umistakable midnight tinkle of pianist Floyd Cramer. Some listeners may find the Locklin repertoire a bit on the sentimental side; the point is, he had both the voice and the passion to pull off this kind of material — even "Danny Boy." This is a nice collection; the four Locklin collections advertised on the back cover are even better bets.