Whether these 20 tracks constitute Gene Autry's "greatest movie hits" is anybody's guess, but they are extremely strong performances and the range of material is truly representative of the diversity of Autry's talent. The array of songs will astonish those who are unfamiliar with Autry's true musical depth -- "That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine" is represented, as are "Back in the Saddle Again," "Melody Ranch," "I'm an Old Cowhand," "Sioux City Sue," and "Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)," but so are "My Buddy," "Blueberry Hill," "In the Jailhouse Now," and "Oklahoma Hills." His singing is amazing, not a trained voice but an honest and expressive one, rather like that of Fred Astaire; "Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie" is one of Autry's towering performances, gently and convincingly dramatic and honest, while "I'm an Old Cowhand" is just as impressive for its good humor and jocularity.
The accompaniment varies from unobtrusive choir to straight, stripped-down Western band, and Autry is joined on some tracks by Ann Miller, Mary Lee, and Smiley Burnette. In contrast to the earlier volumes, the audio quality on this disc is remarkably good, and none of the movie-action noise intrudes on any of the songs. Indeed, in the absence of a decent, well-thought-out Columbia Records (where he spent most of his career) collection on Gene Autry, 20 Greatest Movie Hits could be the best single disc through which to get a glimpse of the triple-threat talent that was Gene Autry, although without "Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer," it's not definitive either (although it does give us "Here Comes Santa Claus" as compensation). The notes by James Laredo are loving and honest in dealing with their subject.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo