Roy Acuff:

Jeff Tweedy once sang, "Name me a song everybody knows, and I'll bet you it belongs to Acuff-Rose." The Acuff of which he sang was none other than the "King of Country Music", Mr. Roy Acuff. So it is here that I'll start this blog at the top of the alphabetical setup of this section of the collection with four Acuff records.

Country Music Hall Of Fame's Roy Acuff and His Smokey Mountain Boys: Twelve of Their Most Famous Songs of The Smokey Mountains (1964)

When this Best Of album came out, they certainly didn't skimp on the title. Could it be more of mouthful? In any case, it's a nice selection of highlights from a towering figure in music history. Why limit his name to the field of Country when so many artists from parades as different as Punk to Indie to Hardcore to Jazz have all reminisced about influence of either hearing Roy on the Grand Ole Opry, or discovering that a song they love had been made famous by him.

Great Speckled Bird (1958)

 Great Speckled Bird is a tune the Acuff first recorded in 1936, and has enjoyed great longevity with covers by Johnny Cash, Lucinda Williams, and many others. Acuff himself recorded it many times in his career, and this 1958 rendition is a fine example of his yelping vocal style that Hank Williams sited as a great influence on his own style. But maybe my favorite on this album is Wreck On The Highway. Which I can't help but feel might have had some sway on the Springsteen song by the same name. It's a great take on the morality play song serving as a warning that without true fine religion in your life you could be left high and dry when you really need help. 
"When I heard that crash on the highway
I knew what it was from the start
I went to the scene of destruction
And a picture was stamped on my heart
There was whiskey and blood all together
Mixed with glass where they lay
Death played her hand in destruction
But I didn't hear nobody pray"

This album also holds a great version of Tennessee Waltz, which would inspire an amazing retelling from Jesse Winchester, but more on that later. We've got a long way to go to get to the W section of the collection. I'd like to mention at this time that Great Speckled Bird has some killer album art. A classic bit of Western pastiche.

Waiting For My Call To Glory (1966)

Acuff's success was deeply rooted in his spirituality, and connection to a religious core. After all, his father was a Baptist preacher. That said, I've never felt that he was heavy handed with it, even on albums like this, which I think speaks to his aptitude as an entertainer. He always maintained a jaunty bounce in his brand of Country that went right along with the friendly smile he plied on every audience he came in contact with. A key track for me is The Devil's Train.

I Saw The Light (1971)

Hank Williams was one of the monuments Roy Acuff helped to erect, and on this release from '71 Acuff pulls out two Williams penned tunes. One of which being the title track, which might be the next best version to Williams' own... I'll state that now, and reserve the right to recant later. Turn Your Radio on is a tune that makes me giggle. Why? Well, because the first time I heard this song it was being sung by Ray Stevens, and as a kid I didn't know he did anything by funny songs. So in my child's brain I tried to find humor in all the songs he did, and you know, I did. So even this serious Acuff cut still tickles me. Wait For The Light To Shine is a favorite of mine on this record.