Buck Helton - On The Trail To Where I Belong

Mostly made up of re-releases from the past fifteen years or so, this congenial collection of originals and covers is delivered with baritone-bass authority by Mr. Helton.  Picks include Cindy Walker’s infrequently covered “Jim I Wore A Tie Today” and the old classic “Aura Lee.” Also of interest are medley arrangements of Western standards combined with their “source” songs. Cases in point: “Bard of Armagh/Streets Of Laredo,” “My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean/Cowboy’s Dream” and the somewhat puzzling (to me) “Bury Me Not In The Deep Blue Sea/I’m Going To Leave Old Texas Now.” For them Helton uses the more familiar melody from Carson Robison’s answer song “Carry Me Back To The Lone Prairie.” I had always heard the melody for the previous pair to be the dirge used by Tex Ritter in his recorded version of “Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie!” Hmmm…a puzzler… Three Helton originals are religious and a poem “Keeper Of The Fire” rather supports his reasons for doing his “Golden Nuggets” column! Ten tracks. CD: (Ordering information at www.BuckHelton.com)