Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(24 customer reviews) 22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Like Ken Burns on CD! Well Done!,
September 21, 2011 Albert F. White (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mark Twain: Words & Music (Audio CD)
I am more of a Mark Twain fan than bluegrass/country music fan. In fact, when I saw a sample of this on a recent trip to Hannibal, I didn't know who half the artists were! I was, however, able to listen to the entire CD from start to finish and read through the liner notes. All around, this is a quality project. The music reminds me of "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" and the narration tells a splendid story in just the right amount. The songs selected to accompany the narration were spot on - some old stuff, some new stuff.
This Two-CD set tells the life story of Mark Twain, but not just the nuts-and-bolts of his life, but it tells the emotional story of his life. His love, and his loss. Mark Twain is a complicated character but this CD set captures the essence of who he was.
The liner notes are well done and include pictures of Twain interspersed with notes about the songs and a transcript of the narration. I don't know how the producers did it, but they got...Read more
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Simply sensational -- a "buffett" for the ears and intellect!,
October 21, 2011 Ryconic "Ryconic" (HUNNEWELL, MISSOURI, US) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Mark Twain: Words & Music (Audio CD)
It is a rarity to come across a project of this caliber. Hannibal, Missouri is and will forever be the Mecca that is America's hometown, and what better way to share it with the world than Mark Twain: Words & Music. You can't experience Hannibal without Mark Twain, and you can't experience Mark Twain without Hannibal.
I was pleasantly stunned to be greeted by the veritable Jimmy Buffett as the voice of Huckleberry Finn, Garrison Keillor as the narrator and the timeless Clint Eastwood as our first American celebrity, Mark Twain. The trio compliments the project with tales woven around an impressive list of artists and songs.
With a wide range of artists like Emmylou Harris, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Rhonda Vincent, Bradley Walker, Carl Jackson, The Church Sisters, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, Marty Raybon, Val Storey, Vince Gill, Joe Diffie and Ricky Skaggs you won't be disappointed. Each song adds soul to the compilation, yet each song stands alone as an...Read more
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Worth the Wait!,
September 23, 2011 Mema Cookie - See all my reviews
This review is from: Mark Twain: Words & Music (Audio CD)
It's no wonder this CD took five years to make--it's chock-full of well-known and impressive singers, songwriters, musicians and actors!
Garrison Keillor is perfect as the narrator, and Jimmy Buffet's voice brings Huck Finn to life in the most surprisingly boyish way. Clint Eastwood does a fine job as Mark Twain, but no one could have read the part of Susy Clemens any better than Angela Lovell.
The music doesn't disappoint either. I enjoyed all the songs and can't pick a favorite although "Huck Finn Blues" sung by Brad Paisley and "Better Times A' Comin'" by Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver are fun standouts. Songs like "Comet Ride" sung by Ricky Skaggs is especially good and so perfect for a Mark Twain CD. Listen to the words and the song and you'll find out why!! Old songs like "Beautiful Dreamer" sung by Sheryl Crow give this CD a nice mix of the past along with songs written especially for the CD like "Ink" sung by Joe Diffie and written by Carl Jackson, Don...Read more
