Big Boss Man/River Stay ‘Way From My Door/Big Jack/Mountain Dew/She Loved Everybody But Me/Let Me Go My Merry Way/Ol’ Man River/The Grass Is Always Greener/The Ways Of A Woman In Love/Why Oh Why/ Rosanna/Are You Still My Baby
Country artist Charlie Rich covered a variety of styles with many changes of record label before attaining commercial success in the mid seventies. On this self titled album, released on the short lived Groove label, he is teamed up with Chet Atkins on production duties.
“These mostly superb tracks were waxed for Groove Records, RCA's short-lived R & B imprint, and were produced by Chet Atkins, the country-soul mix is therefore more than implied. Rich was simply a master of passionate precision, whether through a brilliant understatement on piano or a soulful inflection in his ripe voice. In addition to staples such as Big Boss Man, River Stay Away From My Door and a hip Ol' Man River, Rich contributes some terrific originals, especially the ballad Mountain Dew, the down-home Let Me Go My Merry Way, and a funky reworking of Ways Of A Woman In Love."
“Very good-sounding album, produced by Chet Atkins after Charlie was dumped by Sun Records, Not that he was any more successful at Groove records, an RCA sub-label, but at least artistically it's full on and can stick up to his best.”
“First, there’s what might be the best version of Big Boss Man, a song which Charlie made his own. Another cover is the tasteful, groovy version of the standard Ol’ Man River. Most of the songs here are written by Charlie himself though. There is, for example, an early version of Why Oh Why, one of my personal favourites and it's also great how he reinvents The Ways Of A Woman In Love into an R & B song.”
“There is a bit of a slick Nashville feel here, especially on pathos-filled ballads like Mountain Dew or Rosanna with strings and background chorus. He doesn't hide his love for the blues and his general eclecticism on most numbers, so this is in no way a standard Nashville sound album, but more one with a very individual feel to it.”
“This was the first Charlie Rich LP I ever bought and blew me away completely - not a dud track on it and a magnificent showcase of the range of Charlie's musical talents. Fortunately, the glossier elements of the Groove sides collected here are neutralized by Rich's powerful tenor voice and solid, jazz-tinged piano work."
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