And indeed he does.  Dugg Collins, with a voice that is reminiscent of the honky-tonkin' Ray Price, sets down some classic Texas swing with this delightfully fun disc.        

This gentleman knows his western and country music.  He makes it seem easy, effortlessly giving us some terrific covers of such classics as the Bob Wills' "Roly Poly" and Roger Miller's "When Your House Is Not A Home," as well as his own compositions, such as the lovely "Each Time I Hear That Song" ("Song of the Year" - Academy of Western Artists).  Dugg's mellow approach suits his songs well, his honey-sweet voice confident and back-to-basics straightforward.        

This smooth-voiced country crooner did his time before starting to record as a disc jockey, and continued in that career even after starting to perform (and is today at KFDI in Wichita); as a broadcaster, he's won countless awards, including becoming a member of the Disc Jockey Hall of Fame.  Perhaps spinning so many great tunes inspired him; but whatever the inspiration or the background, he knows how to sing a good country song.  As a performer, he's been inducted into America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame, and won the Song of the Year from the Academy of
Western Artists.        

With this straightforward, no-BS disc, Dugg Collins certainly proves he's as good a performer as he is a DJ, and this sure does "sound like Texas" (or, perhaps, what we've come to think of as sounding like Texas, which is just as good).  There's nothing at all not to like about this, and everything to enjoy.

Kathy Coleman Take Country Back January 2003