Rex Allen - The Arizona Cowboy: Selected Singles 1946-62 (2021)

Rex Allen was one of the later era of Singing Cowboys, whose career encompassed not only being a recording artist but also having a high profile as a star of western movies and TV series, and later as a narrator on many Disney productions. Born in Arizona, he made his start as a singer, becoming known as “The Arizona Cowboy”, which became the title of one of his first films after signing to Republic Pictures. Although most of his hits were in his early career he maintained his popularity and visibility to have more hits at the beginning of the 1960s. This great-value 55-track 2-CD set comprises selected A & B sides of his singles on the Mercury, Decca & Buena Vista labels from these years. Initially recording with his groups The Dawn Busters, The Prairie Ramblers and The Arizona Cowboys, he later recorded solo, in a duet with Tex Williams, with The Anita Kerr Singers and with various orchestras in later times. It features his 1953 No. 4 “Crying In The Chapel”, and 1962 No. 4 “Don’t Go Near The Indians”, along with his other hits from this era “Sparrow In The Treetop”, a No. 10, “Afraid”, a No. 14 and the movie song “Marines, Let’s Go”, a No. 21. He was a versatile and distinctive artist, a talented writer as well as performer, and this collection offers an entertaining showcase for his varied output across the most significant 15 years of his career.