From the very first moments of ‘Call Off The Wedding’ you know nothing is ever going to go right. Sure enough the legendary Goldie Hill had hits and uptempo moments aplenty but this gathering of songs focuses on her early singles and some of the most aching country music imaginable. That’s what we want to hear, the music that illustrates just how bad things can be. By the time you get to the penultimate cut here, ‘Liquor And Women’, you’ll be lucky if you haven’t succumbed to these sorrowful storylines, the exquisite arrangements, and Goldie’s melancholy vocal lines.
Renowned as an inspiration on Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton, Goldie Hill was one of the first successful country singers, hitting the charts in 1953 with ‘I Let The Stars get In My Eyes’, following in the footsteps of her brothers, Ken and Tommy Hill who backed the likes of Johnny Horton, Webb Pierce and the legendary Hank Williams. In such company and getting her first break on the Louisianna Hayride in 1952, Goldie Hill proved to be an inspirational singer teaming up with Justin Tubb (the son of Ernest Tubb one of the key radio stars of ‘40s and ‘50s country music) for several legendary duets – both ‘Fickle Heart’ and ‘I Miss You So’ are featured here.
Goldie Hill’s career seemed set to become the stuff of legend but, as the early ‘60s changed perceptions about country music, her style changed to embrace a more radio-friendly sound and her subsequent album deal with Decca only delivered a couple of under-achieving less than heartbroken collections. Perhaps if the ‘60s hadn’t have been so swinging she would have stayed true to her downbeat past.
Her career took a back seat when she married singer Carl Smith and her early recordings became the stuff of legend and inspiration. Indeed, you could say that her personal happiness survived while her troubled storytelling on wax didn’t. Still, we do have these 16 tracks to remind us that everything isn’t always going to turn out well. Thank goodness.
1 Call Off The Wedding 2 Don't Send No More Roses 3 Waiting For A Letter 4 I'm The Loneliest Gal In Town 5 Fickle Heart 6 Why Talk To My Heart 7 I'm Yesterday's Girl 8 I Miss You So 9 Let Me Be The One 10 Please Don't Betray Me 11 Cry Cry Darling 12 Young At Heart 13 Say Big Boy 14 Treat Me Kind 15 Liquor And Women 16 Why Don't You Let Me Go
