ROBBINS, MARTY

Since Marty Robbins scored 16 number one country hits between 1952 and 1976, a list of them provides a good standard against which to measure an album called 16 Biggest Hits. By that standard, the album scores 15 out of 16, presenting Robbins' number one hits from 1952's "I'll Go Alone" to 1976's "Among My Souvenirs," with one exception. "El Paso City," a number one hit in 1976, is absent, and instead the album ends with "Some Memories Just Won't Die," Robbins' last Top Ten country hit before his death in 1982. As "El Paso City" is a sequel to the included "El Paso," such a substitution is understandable, and so 16 Biggest Hits, which just about lives up to its name, is the best available collection of Robbins' most popular songs through the years. There are several lengthier Robbins compilations on the market, but this one was released with a discounted list price of $11.97, which makes it particularly appealing to the new fan. ~ William Ruhlmann, AMG

Estimated despatch 5-10 days after ordering.