16 Biggest Hits

From the time he captured America's heart with a rip-roaring rendition of "The Battle Of New Orleans" until his final release with "North To Alaska", Johnny Horton surprised, delighted and amazed us with his crossover country style, sung with a muted twang. Anyone who listened to his album fell in love with that voice, which was quite distinctive and quite a vehicle for everything he sang. From his plaintive "All For The Love Of A Girl" to a haunting rendition of "Whispering Pines", it was clear he was basically a very talented country singer, whether he was singing something very commercial like "Johnny Reb" or "Sink The Bismark" or something closer to his heart, like "The Mansion You Stole". He had a sense of humor, which he exhibited with songs like "When It's Springtime In Alaska, It's Forty Below". yet it was his range of subjects and versatility in terms of style that we found so attractive and so irresistable. Had he not left us so suddenly, taken from his fans so young, who...Read more

Enjoying Johnny Horton's vocal style and songs might be a learned taste, but once you develop it, it's a difficult habit to break. This genre of song is almost totally extinct today, but Horton was a master at the historical narrative put to catchy melodies. Who else sang songs about such historical events as the sinking of the Bismarck, Andrew Jackson and the war of 1812 or the Alaskan gold rush? Horton's musical style bridges the gulf of generations: it's easy to see a child loving these songs, or an elderly retired person.

Horton's plaintive wail in his songs is one of his trademarks, notice the way there's a tremor in the way he phrases, "*North* to Alaska," and in Jim Bridger, "Lift your glasses *high!*" Some amazing tenor notes in these two standards. This is a lovely collection of songs which are catchy and fun to listen to. They also bear endless repetition, it's hard to listen to "Battle of New Orleans" and not want to heat it endlessly...Read more

I grew up with this record. A facinating collection of freedom songs and wide open spaces. In my opinion, the best record he ever recorded. I love all his songs, but I love this collection the best.