34 Number Ones

The title of this review pretty much sums up how I feel about my favorite male country music singer, Alan Jackson. Ever since I saw him open for Randy Travis back in 1990 when "Here In The Real World" (Alan's first #1) came out I knew Alan was destined to be not only a country music singer, but a country music superstar with staying power. He has always been a man who has never disappointed his audience with his pure country music songs, most of which he has written himself. He is widely regarded, along with Garth Brooks, for changing the face of country music in the early '90's, by giving country its roots back after the industry in Nashville became too pop-sounding.

In this excellent two-disc CD set fans get a complete overview of Alan's remarkable twenty year career with every single of his remarkable 34 #1 songs along with three new singles. Highlights include "Don't Rock The Jukebox", "Dallas", "Wanted", "Chatahoochee", "Summertime Blues", and my favorite of all his compositions "Remember When", a song he wrote for his wife Denise. The package also contains the healing 9 11 song "Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?", Alan's masterpiece in his response to the terrorist attacks in 2001. The three new songs in the set include a remake of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" with Lee Ann Womack and "As She's Walking Away" with the Zac Brown Band.

An amazing career set, Alan's "34 #1's" is not only for the ardent Alan Jackson fan, but for lovers of music who would like to own material from one of the most honored male singers in the last twenty years.

A+!

Whenever an artist --- any artist --- puts out a "best-of" set, there are always people who lash out at the concept of a "best-of," and it's always the same old stuff: The "best-of" is unnecessary because the songs are available on their albums (and on other "best-ofs"), so the "best-of" is purely for money. Well, I don't "buy" that (at least not in all cases)! A "best-of" can have several positive points. Sure, every artist has their die-hard fans who have all of their albums and singles, but they also have their more "casual" fans who like and have some of their stuff but not a lot of it (they might prefer a "best-of" over an album), and other die-hard fans who have most if not all of their songs but still like a good "best-of," even if they already have at least one. Having a lot if not all of an artist's best songs in one set is pretty handy, especially if the set has as many songs as this one does. And, when someone doesn't have and hasn't heard any of an artist's songs but wants to give them a try, a "best-of" can be a good place to start. Also, some "best-ofs" are more up to date and/or better than others. If someone only has one or two "best-ofs" by a particular artist (or none at all), and there are several of them out, then there is a good selection of them for the person to decide between (if they want any of them at all). I'm not much into country music, but I consider myself a "casual" Alan Jackson fan. I had the 20-song Greatest Hits Collection that came out in '95, but no other Alan Jackson CDs. Sure, 34 Number 1s has the songs that Greatest Hits has, but it also has 17 others, which are later songs than the ones on Greatest Hits. I don't mind getting songs I already have if I think that a "best-of" is as good as this one; I think it's even better than Greatest Hits. Alan Jackson is one of the very, very few country artists who have done even one or two songs that I really like, and he's done many (comparatively, anyway). All of them are on 34 Number 1s. Alan doesn't deserve criticism for this collection; he deserves thanks. THANKS, ALAN!!

Just went to see Alan Jackson in Las Vegas and he continues to prove that he is a living legend as I told my buddies that went also to the concert 11/6/10 at the UNLV arena. This is a great collection of songs along with a few new ones for an additional treat. I especially liked his version of Ring of Fire and the lastest that is getting air play right now with the Zack Brown Band. Great gift for the Christmas Season for any country music fan. Greetings to Alan and his family this holiday season.