I was thumbin' thru my CD's just the other day when I came across my collection of Radney Foster CD's.  Having just met him at TMR-7 I figure I needed to listen to a few cuts off of his older stuff to keep his career in perspective.  So I whipped out his initial solo release, Del Rio, Texas 1959 and dusted it off before poppin' it in the old Yamaha for a quick ride around memory lane.

As I gazed at the liner I was amazed at the quality of musicians that Radney acquired for the album, from back up vocals of Kim Richey, Mary Chapin-Carpenter and John Hiatt to the guitar work of Lee Roy Parnell, Randy Scruggs, and Dan Dugmore.  Bill Hullett and Sam Bush take the mandolin to task and Harry Stinson does back vocals and drums throughout the disk to compliment a line up of master musicians.

From the first notes of his staple hit "Just Call Me Lonesome" Radney takes us on a journey thru Texas in and out of love.  Radney sings the angst riddled love song better than anyone else on the circuit today.  He makes you feel as if you had just lost your high school sweetheart all over again.  With lines like:

 "There's a curve in the highway just south of town

 where a man has pulled over to figure life out

 with only his conscience and the lonesome sound

 of diesels windin' upgrade"

Radney puts you in a place in time where lifes decisions are made while everyday life pass's by without notice.

This classic CD is filled with songs that have become hits and others that lay back and age like a vintage wine.  It just keeps getting better.

My personal favorite off this collection is "Closing Time".  Unlike Clint Black's song of the same name,  this Mark Sager and Radney Foster written gem will make ya grab a beer and cry a tear for your last heartbroken relationship.  This could be the ultimate country/western song.  Sorry Steve Goodman.

So every afternoon at 5:00 o'clock throw this great CD in the player and put your life back into perspective with a fine collection of hits by the great Texan songwriter Radney Foster.

Mark Akins Take Country Back May 2003