The One and Only Webb Pierce

AMG Review of The One and Only Webb Pierce

Greg Adams
All Music Guide

In 1950, before signing with Decca and beginning his five-year stretch of chart domination, Webb Pierce recorded 13 sides for King. Most of these songs were never re-recorded by Pierce, so the appearance of 12 of them on CD would normally make for an interesting--if not essential- purchase. Unfortunately, the tracks are utterly ruined by the addition of incongruous acoustic guitar and vocal chorus overdubs that sound as though they were recorded in a different decade (as they probably were). Even die-hard fans will have difficulty enduring this one. The unadulterated King recordings were once available on LP, and we can only hope that they will someday arrive in the digital age.