The Essential

Performer: Ray Price
Producer: Gregg Geller (Compilation)
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Personnel: Ray Price (guitar); Clay Allen, Lefty Perkins, Spider Wilson, Donny "Johnny Paycheck" Lytle, Art Bishop, Darrell McCall, Grady Martin, Hank Cochran, Jerry Kennedy, Jody Payne, Leon Rhodes, Pete Wade, Ray Edenton, Rusty Gabbard, Tommy Williams , Ray Sanders, Buddy Griffin (guitar); Chet Atkins, Samuel K. "Sammy" Pruett (electric guitar); George McCoy, Jack Evins, Don Helms, Jimmy Day, Paul Blunt, Pete Drake, Walter Haynes, Eddie Martin , Buddy Emmons (steel guitar); Marvin Montgomery (mandolin); Carroll Hubard, Jim Belkin, Georgia Slim Rutland, Dale Potter, Jerry Rivers, Johnny Gimble, Shorty Lavender, Tommy Jackson, Cecil Brower, Buddy Spicher (fiddle); Hi 'Highpockets' Busse (accordion); Fred Burkhalter, Floyd Cramer, Leon Russell, Marvin Hughes, Bill Pursell, Hargus "Pig" Robbins (piano); Blondie Calderon (keyboards); Joe Zinkan, Bob Moore (acoustic bass); Chris Ethridge, Floyd T. Lightnin' Chance, Red Kidwell, Don Poole, Howard Watts, Harold Bradley, Bee Spears, Buddy Killen, Bob Keller (bass guitar); Douglas Kirkham, Steve Bess, Bob Preston, Jan Kurtis, Paul English, Farris Coursey, Willie Ackerman, Buddy Harman (drums); Farrell Morris (percussion); Van Howard, Crystal Gayle (background vocals). Additional personnel: Willie Nelson (vocals). This double-CD best-of displays the Texas singer Ray Price at his early best. By the mid-1960s, Price had radically altered his approach, adopting a countrypolitan ballad style of singing, and leaving behind his honky-tonk roots, including his nasal, Hank Williams-influenced vocal style. However, THE ESSENTIAL RAY PRICE presents the country legend in his exciting honky-tonk years, making the music that would later be embraced so widely by country music's 1980s New Traditionalists. Backed by Hank Williams's Drifting Cowboys, Price excels on classics such as "The Road of No Return," "Heartaches By the Number," and "Talk to Your Heart." Though Williams's influence is evident throughout, cuts such as "The Same Old Me" show the beginnings of Price's unique, innovative style.

Texan country singer Ray Price got the best possible start by having Hank Williams himself for a mentor. After Williams's death, Price began using Hank's Drifting Cowboys as a backup band and performing in a remarkably similar style. After putting together a new band to find his own sound, he essentially invented the 4/4 country shuffle, replacing the traditional country 2/4 beat. This combination of honky-tonk and Western Swing both influenced a whole school of country and helped pave the way for rockabilly. Besides his voluminous body of solo work, Price was also known for his latter-day collaborations with Willie Nelson, whose "Night Life" had been an early-'60s Price hit.

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