ARTIST: Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
TITLE: The Definitive Collection
YEAR RELEASED: Compilation
CHART ACTION: None
SINGLES: Top 5: After the Fire Is Gone (#56, #1 Country), Lead Me On (#1 Country), As Soon as I Hang Up the Phone (#1 Country), Feelins (#1 Country), The Letter (#3 Country), I Can’t Love You Enough (#2 Country), I Still Believe in Waltzes (#2 Country)
OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: You’re the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly, Making Believe
LINEUP: Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, and some hot Nashville cats.
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: A solid collection of one of the best country duets in the early 70’s.
SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: Let’s face facts: Conway Twitty was a fine country singer, but Loretta Lynn was a definitive artist. Without her, Twitty is only memorable now or a few schmaltzy ballads. But adding Lynn to his voice, there’s an elevation in quality for sure.
The duo wasn’t afraid to try some interesting things, like having a squabble during the fade out, covering contemporary songs, novelty songs, and a song where Conway is just talking through the phone to Loretta. The definitive songs last to this day and sound fantastic (“Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man” for example).
Loretta Lynn’s a national treasure, and she’s worth this price of admission.
NOTES & MINUTIAE: The duo released 11 albums together, nine between 1971 and 1980.
IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: Nope.
GRADE: B: For Loretta.