Search - Rex Allen Jr, Rex Allen Sr :: Singing Cowboys

Western Music at its best

desertsong | Former Tucsonian | 12/24/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rex Allen Sr had the best voice of all the singing cowboys, maybe because it 'sounded' Western and he was a genuine cowboy from Arizona. Unfortunately, he appeared in movies and recorded Western songs when the genre was taking its last breaths. Rex Jr has a fine voice that seems to improve over the years. And when they sing Cowboy and Western music - there are few who can equal their unique sound. This compilation includes many classic Western tunes and each is sung with such depth and love for the music, they paint a picture in your mind of the countless scenes of the desert and Wild West of movies and TV. Senior and Junior should have much more airplay so this music won't be forgotten. And Rex Allen Sr fans can take heart in the fact that even with his unexpected passing, his music will live on thru the ages. This recording gives us all a hint of the greatness of both these fine singers and the wealth of outstanding music they've recorded over the years."

A great introduction to good Western music

Randall G. Arnold | North Texas | 07/10/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Rex Allen Jr was the one who, by virtue of the wide-open Country radio formats in the 1970s, introduced me to Western music. Prior to buying the original "Best of Rex" album, my exposure to Western music had been limited to black and white movies with grainy pictures and even grainier sound, and I never gave the songs much consideration. But upon hearing "Can You Hear Those Pioneers?" and Rex's lively "Tumblin' Tumbleweeds/Cool Water" medley, I was hooked. His rich, smooth voice and comfortable delivery made me a convert. Hearing the sparse yet hauntingly beautiful "Kin to the Wind" on his "Brand New" album (not available on CD as of this writing) aced it for me.



On this album Rex Jr offers us a mix of some of his older cuts along with a few he hadn't released on his own before. On the pre-released orginals, his Dad's voice is mixed in to great effect; Western movie and recording star Rex Allen Sr's lower, coarser baritone adds a warm texture to the recordings. Although it's obvious that Rex Sr was advancing in years when his vocals were dubbed, his voice makes up in character what it had lost in strength from the years and is a perfect complement to his son's.



Of all the cuts here, "Yippi Cry Yi" is my personal favorite. It was the lead-off song on side 2 of "Oklahoma Rose", arguably one of the finest Country albums ever produced. Amazingly enough, this Western song actually got airplay in the 1980s, but remember, radio was more open and accepting then. I also really enjoy "Arizona", which naturally became that state's official song. However, there's not a turkey in this bunch so you won't be disappointed by the ones I didn't highlight.



The transitions between Rex's own work and the more traditional cuts like "Tyin' Knots In The Devil's Tail" and "When The Work's All Done This Fall" (two that Rex Sr recorded many years ago) are seamless, a testament to Rex's keen sense of how to write and sing traditional western music as well as the overall production.



I would have liked to have seen a few more songs, especially the aforementioned "Kin to the Wind" (written by the great Marty Robbin's son, Ronny). Better yet, a duet by father and son on the soulful "Streets of Laredo" would have been icing on the cake. Twelve to fifteen songs would have raised this to 5 stars from 4 in my book.



This album makes a perfect introduction for anyone even remotely curious about what good Western music sounds like when it's not confined to the soundtrack of fading films. Adults will appreciate it for nostalgia's sake, and kids will like it for the novelty of the old cowboy tunes. "The Singing Cowboys" would make a great ambiance track for western clothing stores, western-themed restauarants, etc.



Hopefully this compilation will gain new converts to this classic, wonderful sound. Thank you to both Rex Sr and Jr for doing their parts to keep Western music alive and kicking!"

The singing cowboys

Sandra Miller | Hoover, Al USA | 01/14/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this cd because Rex Allen Sr & Rex Allen Jr were both on it. I love all the songs on it and father and son sound terrific. I'm undecided if Can You Hear Those Pioneers, Ride Cowboy Ride (which is an old song of Marty Robbins), or Arizona is my favorite on it. The whole album is diffently a must on any country music fan's list.



"