Merle Travis Guitar / Walkin the Strings Plus

Product Review

For the first time on one CD Raven presents two original, classic albums by MERLE TRAVIS: The Merle Travis Guitar and Walkin' the Strings. One of the greatest multi-talented artists in the history of Country and Western, Travis was born in Kentucky (1917) and began recording for Capitol in the 1940s. A singer and songwriter of major proportions ('Sixteen Tons', 'Smoke, Smoke, Smoke', 'No Vacancy', 'Cincinnati Lou') he was also a guitar stylist of monumental influence (Chet Atkins, among others). With a sophisticated and complex finger picking style and rich, expressive tone his guitar playing became known as the "Travis Style". The "Travis Style" incorporated country, folk, blues and jazz elements and its impact cannot be under estimated. The Merle Travis Guitar highlights his playing on the likes of 'Blue Smoke', 'Saturday Night Shuffle', 'The Memphis Blues' and 'Rockabye Rag'. Walkin' The Strings includes some of his best-known and best-loved music, serving to illustrate the versatility and originality that have always made Merle a truly great performer: 'Walkin' the Strings', 'My Old Kentucky Home', 'Cannon Ball Stomp', 'Travis Trot'. With five bonus tracks taken from singles, including one of his biggest hits 'So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed'. "One of the most influential guitarists in country music history" - Allmusic Guide. With superb quality audio, detailed liner notes, color booklet, 39 tracks and 77 minutes of music.

Title Tracks for Merle Travis Guitar / Walkin the Strings Plus

1. Blue Smoke
2. Black Diamond Blues
3. On a Bicycle Built for Two
4. Saturday Night Shuffle
5. Bugle Call Rag
6. Tuck Me to Sleep in My Old 'Tucky Home
7. Walkin' the Strings
8. The Memphis Blues
9. The Sheik of Araby
10. Blue Bell
11. The Waltz You Saved for Me
12. Rockabye Rag
13. Walkin' the Strings
14. Little David Play on Your Harp
15. Saturday Night Shuffle
16. Thumbing the Bass
17. Cane Break Blues
18. Darby's Ram
19. Everly Rag
20. Rose Time
21. Old Aunt Dinah
22. My Old Kentucky Home
23. Pigmeat Stomp
24. Blue Smoke
25. Dry Bread
26. Louisville Clog
27. On a Bicycle Built for Two
28. Green Bay Polka
29. Jordan Am a Hard Road to Travel
30. Travis Trot
31. Cannon Ball Stomp
32. Fuller Blues
33. Blue Bell
34. Take My Hand, Precious Lord
35. Turn My Picture Upside Down [*]
36. I'm Knee Deep in Trouble [*]
37. A Too Fast Past [*]
38. Louisiana Boogie [*]
39. So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed [*]

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review

(6 customer reviews)

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

At last available!!, August 14, 2009

Paco "Music fan" (Spain) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Merle Travis Guitar / Walkin the Strings Plus (Audio CD)

At last these two seminal Merle Travis albums are available in their gloriuos integrity.

If you are a guitar aficionado this is it: almost the holy grail of american fingerpicking style

The Merle Travis Guitar is an only instrumental electric gutar set, with definitive versions of Saturday night shuffle, My Bluebell and many more. It was originally issued in 1956. A previous release of this album shuffled tracks from both LPs, but this is the right one.

Walking the strings is the acoustic set and it includes vocals on three tracks and Travis's typical spoken introductions , which are welcomed.
This was a compilation of recordings from the early fifties late forties.
It repeats (better say reinterpret) some of the electric set tracks. This
way you get twice amazed.

Loads and loads of Travis Picking to enjoy.Chet Atkins would develope and somehow smooth the style, but I like Travis more.

Sound quality is very good. It...Read more

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

Killer Travis Pickin', August 17, 2009

W. Giles - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Merle Travis Guitar / Walkin the Strings Plus (Audio CD)

This is a great album of instrmental guitar pickin by the master himself! Especially the first set "The Merle Travis Guitar". The sound quality is light years ahead of the Bear Family box set of the same tunes.
The second set "Walkin The Strings" is a little rough around the edges due to it's age, but still good to hear Merle on an acoustic set. Great Guitar Stuff, by a Great Guitar Legend!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

the best one, October 12, 2009

S. Barrow "tree hugger" (Patrick Springs, VA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Merle Travis Guitar / Walkin the Strings Plus (Audio CD)

I bought 3 other Merle Travis compilations before I finally found the best one. Unless you like over-produced, 1970s country music, don't waste your money on any of the other compilations. "Walking The Strings" is Travis' signature album, and while I'm not crazy in love with all the cuts on this 2-cd combo, the guitar of Mr. Travis makes up for what is lacking on some songs.