Johnnie Ray

Singer Johnnie Ray had a dynamic, powerful voice and made consistently even records throughout the '50s. With that in mind, his records take on a totally different standard of excellence considering Ray was practically deaf. The singer's refusal to be pigeonholed finds him balancing varying styles, incorporating them evenly and making it work, as proven on this Collectables two-fer. This collection highlights Ray's earliest pop records from 1952, mainly standards like "All of Me" and "Don't Blame Me," and the country-pop of On the Trail from 1959, featuring "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," "Home on the Range," and "I'm an Old Cowhand." ~ Al Campbell, All Music Guide