Columbia/Legacy has assembled a single-disc treasure-trove introduction to Roy Acuff that is simply unbeatable. These 20 cuts make the finest case of all for Acuff’s long reign as king of the Grand Ole Opry as well as his cornerstone influence on American country music. Certainly “Great Speckled Bird” is here, but so are “Night Train to Memphis,” “Black Mountain Rag,” “Wreck on the Highway,” and his signature version of Floyd Jenkins’ “Prodigal Son.” Along the way are the portraits from an artist at the height of his power such as “A Sinner’s Dying Breath (I’m Dying),” “Freight Train Blues,” and “Fireball Mail.” Colin Escott’s fine liner notes provide a well-rounded portrait of both the man and the scene at the time of his ascension to the pinnacle of it. – Thom Jurek
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