Sam With Kirk McGee & the Crook Brothers - Opry Old Timers

All Music Guide

The Starday label puts together two groups that revolve around "brother" duets for an album that is certainly enjoyable, if a bit confusing in presentation. The song credits would make it seem that this is a sort of split disc, in which the tracks alternate between Sam and Kirk McGee and the Crook Brothers, and, to the extent of who is handling the leadership of a particular tune, that would be true. However, there is an overlap of the musicians in the different groups; for example, the Crook Brothers are onstage with the McGees, and Sam McGee is picking guitar with the Crook Brothers, and so forth. Best thing is probably to just sit and back and enjoy this program, which is sort of an anniversary card for 35 years of active service with the ~Grand Old Opry, which started out in 1925 as the WSM Barn Dance. Listeners may want to quibble about whether they want to hear some of these numbers for the umpteenth time, yet the musicians crank out some of these too-familiar songs as if they we...re proving their worth, so no complaint there. Fiddler Gerry Rivers, who also worked with Hank Williams, is on hand for all the tracks, and gets pushy in the instrumental exchanges with both bands. - Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide Read more Less