17 Number 1's

This collection of 17 Number 1's is deceptive and dubiously marketed even as a budget comp. Despite the rather shoddy packaging, the actual track list here is deceptive. It's not that these aren't the songs Conway Twitty scored the top of the charts with, it's more a question of which versions. For starters, go all the way down to the end and check the version of "It's Only Make Believe" presented here and listen closely. It's re-recorded. This isn't the same young man who hit the big time nationwide with the track initially, it's the mature and seasoned country singer who recut his hit. Listeners will find that this is true of the majority -- if not all -- of the tunes collected on this budget collection. That said, Twitty is Twitty, and -- even when redone -- his voice, phrasing, and delivery were so sophisticated that these performances make excellent additions to an existing collection (again, price makes it attractive), but the novice should look to his #1 Hits Collection on MCA Nashville for a true introduction. ~ Thom Jurek