It's Awards time again - and out come the compilations!!

Ultimate GRAMMY Collection: Classic Country
and
Ultimate GRAMMY Collection: Contemporary Country

Next weekend, the "great and good" of the music world will gather for the 50th annual grammy awards.

I put the words in quotation marks because such awards have a habit of ignoring the true musical pioneers of the day and recognise others way after their "best before" date.

That said, the folks who decide to put out the "Ultimate Grammy Collections" deserve a pat on the back.

The "Classic Collection" goes from 1965 to 1982 and the "Contemporary Collection" follows on up to 2006.

Highlight of the classics has to be Waylon (Jennings) and Willie (Nelson) singing "Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys", though the recording here is far from the best that the pair recorded.

The same can be said of Nelson's "Always On  My Mind". In fact, this recording might be enough to put folks off.

One testament to a song's quality is whether it sounds as good as it did when it first came out, and whether it illicit's the same response as it did back then.

So it was no surprise when I heard my nine-year-old son chuckling as Johnny Cash sang "A Boy Named Sue".

I was surprised at how much I hate Ray Price's version of "For The Good Times". It was Price's recording which gave Kris Kristofferson his first hit, but anyone who's heard Kristofferson sing it will realise how mushy Price's take was.

There isn't room to go through every track here, but it was good to be reminded what a fine vocal couple Cash and June Carter were on Tim Hardin's "If I Were a Carpenter".

Other highlights include Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler" and Dolly Parton's "9 to 5".

The "Contemporary Collection" includes some classics and some songs which NEVER deserved the credit they were given.

On the positive side, there's Mary Chapin Carpenter's brilliant "Down At The Twist And Shout" - as infectious now as it was back in 1991. Was it really THAT long ago?

There's Dwight Yoakam's superb "Ain't That Lonely Yet" - one of those songs that folks forget until they hear it played again.

And Emmylou Harris's "The Connection" from 2005 is almost beyond compare. That lady can sing, she can choose a song, and she's been doing it for years.

But I stand by what I said - there are songs here which really don't match that kind of quality.

I'll probably offend many by asking how "Blue" by Leanne Rimes can be compared to "Choices" by George Jones?

Who really believes that Brooks & Dunn's "Hard Workin' Man" can be mentioned in the same breath as June Carter's labored version of "Keep On The Sunny Side"?

Finally, I have almost no time at all for Carrie Underwood. I've been the target of vicious and vitriolic and libelous attacks by her legions of fans for my criticisms of her since she entered the world of music via a TV talent show.

Sure, she can sing, but she's NOT the greatest thing since sliced bread as the hype machine which drives her career would have us believe.

She has done ONE good song, and it's here. "Jesus Take The Wheel" is a superb Country song. It's brilliantly sung. But Underwood dumped Country and turned into is now Nashville's favorite Pop singer.

Good riddance!

My View: Not a history of Country music; not the best way to show the neighbors that you're "into" Country music. Good background music!

Tell us YOUR views.

Release date: January 8,  2008
Albums: "Ultimate GRAMMY Collection: Classic Country" and "Ultimate GRAMMY Collection: Contemporary Country Collection: Contemporary Country"
Label: Shout! Factory/Grammy Recordings
Artist web site: www.grammy.com