Two full albums from the many who was an important influence on California country giants Merle Haggard and Buck Owens! The first album is pure genius from the young Tommy Collins – an early figure on the Bakersfield scene, and an artist who almost single-handedly shaped the sound of the west coast scene with his
Capitol Records material included here! Collins had a wonderful way of updating older hillbilly modes – traces of Texas and Arkansas, moved over to postwar Cali – where things got tightened up, became a bit more confident, and were given a razor-sharp sound by the excellent
Capitol production. Every tune here is a classic – and many have a sense of double-entendre that rivals the hippest R&B work of the period, but with a very different sound overall – on titles that include "You Better Not Do That", "How Do I Say Goodbye", "It Tickles", "You Gotta Have A License", "Smooth Sailin", and "Whatcha Gonna Do Now". Words & Music Country Style features the wit, wisdom, and wild twang of the great Tommy Collins – brought together in a killer collection of early work for
Capitol! The music here is the ultimate peak of the hillbilly generation – not the codified country of the Nashville scene to come, but much more rough-edged and wooley – with more than a few elements that could influence the sound of rock and roll as well! Titles include "The Feet Of The Traveler", "How Do I Say Goodbye", "Think It Over Boys", "Are You Ready To Go", and "All Of The Monkeys Ain't In The Zoo".