Bob King - Songs That Tell a Story (CD)

All Music Guide

Thirty songs from Bob King's early-1960s Rodeo/Banff library, culled from the albums Sing a Country Song, Songs That Tell a Story, and Songs That Tell a Story, Vol. 2. These are, as the title implies, story songs, such as "The Ballad of the Chapeau Boys," "Strawberry Roan" (which he probably learned from Wilf Carter), "When the Work's All Done This Fall," "The Cat Came Back," "Little Tom," "Jimmie Brown the Newsboy," and "The Ballad of Jed Clampett." About half of this stuff is accompanied only by King's acoustic guitar, and they're very impressive as attempts at authenticity; even the stuff with a band is nicely stripped down and lean. A handful are duets of Bob and Marie King together, and they harmonize beautifully.

- Bruce Eder, All Music Guide