Beverly Hillbillies

Producers: Johnny Slate and Joe Diffie; Richard Landis (tracks 2-3 & 8); Buddy Cannon and Noro Wilson; Scott Hendricks; Garth Fundis; Joe Walsh, Steve Earle & Chris Lord-Alge; Steve Buckingham; Bill Halverson; Dolly Parton and The Mighty Fine Band; Bela Fleck.
Engineers: Mike Bradley; Chuck Ainley (track 2-3 & 8); Bill Sherrill; Mike Bradley; Gary Laney; Chris Lord-Alge; Gary Paczosa; Bill Halverson; Csaba Petocz; Charlie Brocca.
Just as the movie version of "The Beverly Hillbillies" television show features an all-new cast playing the parts of the original stars, the soundtrack album features a bunch of current Nashville stars covering roadhouse oldies associated with others, from Joe Diffie's take on George Jones's "White Lightnin'" to Jerry Scoggins's version of Flatt & Scruggs' "The Ballad Of Jed Clampett." And as in the film, the newcomers mostly have nothing on their progenitors. Joe Walsh and Steve Earle are the chief exception, their version of "Honey Don't" showing no respect for Carl Perkins and being all the better for it. (The Texas Tornados' version of "Wasted Days And Wasted Nights" is something of a ringer, since lead singer Freddy Fender wrote and recorded the original.) ~ William Ruhlmann