The pairing of
Hank Williams, Jr. and
Connie Francis seems like a coming together of equals now that
Williams has become a big star, but at the time the duo recorded
Sing Great Country Favorites,
Williams was a 15-year-old boy at the beginning of his recording career and
Francis was a very well-established artist.
Francis, ten years
Williams' senior, was given the task of gazing adoringly at
Williams for the photo session, which must have been an awkward shoot. Thankfully, the age disparity isn't reflected in the music, as
Williams' mature-sounding vocals take the lead and
Francis sings mostly harmonies. The songs are a collection of country standards and recent hits such as "Wolverton Mountain," "Walk on By," and "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On." A few, including "Bye Bye Love" and "Singing the Blues," are new recordings of songs that
Francis had already tackled as a solo vocalist a few years earlier. MGM's goal in pairing the two singers may have been to prop up
Francis' career and to boost
Williams', but the effort was unsuccessful from a commercial standpoint. In retrospect, the album seems even more unusual than it did at the time, since
Williams transformed into the wild
Bocephus and
Francis is sometimes described as the female
Pat Boone. The Bear Family reissue appends two alternate takes, including a more spirited rendition of "Mule Skinner Blues" that rivals the album take. ~ Greg Adams