By the standards of Don Gibson, this is a pretty good album and one that should satisfy listeners who like their country with a bit of folk-rock mixed in. There are country artists who sing much better than Gibson, however, so his limitations should be taken into account. It isn't that he sings off key, since many country stars can get by simply talking their way through a song, even if they can't talk their way out of drunk driving convictions. Gibson just doesn't express a whole lot of personality through his voice no matter what the subject or setting of the song, usually sounding like some friendly truck driver singing along with the radio. The arrangements and playing were really totally with it in terms of what was going on musically in the first half of the '60s, and these carefully played tracks, heavy on acoustic guitar and harmonica, have an authentic Nashville groove and roots that go deep into the earth. Some unidentified wizard comes up with good pedal steel breaks, usually timed in such a way to balance out the folk element with a traditional country signature. It is a winning combination that has stood the test of time. The songs include some quite popular standards, whose presence in the title list was probably sales insurance; in fact, between the song selection and Gibson's voice, in some ways the second side is like hanging out in a country karaoke bar. But, as usual for his projects, lesser-known yet quality material by interesting country songwriters is tucked in the folds here and there. In this album's case, the highlight is a Roger Miller cover, and there is also a good version of a typically maudlin Mel Foree number. The Jordanaires don't get in the way that much.
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