One of the first in a series of duet albums with legends that undertook during a period of seemingly uncontrolled output at , this remains one of the best. may be regarded as something of a laid-back smoothie by listeners whose ears are stuffed with wax, but the reality is that is one of 's most expressive vocalists as well as a man interested in kicking tempos as well as . In fact, a certain type of beat favored in Texas is known by musicians as "the shuffle." and have a relationship typical of this bearded, bandana-wearing outlaw's collaborations with many stars of 's era. When was struggling to survive in Nashville, he penned or co-wrote some hits for , including the wonderful which has become something of a not only in music but in as well. The crossover between these music forms is bound to come up in the discussion of this album. It is performances such as these that interested the great in , and it is easy to see why when one hears the relaxed phrasing and inventive approach to many of these songs. Of course it is the swinging numbers such as the album's title track that really take off, but even sounds fresh here. That's quite an accomplishment considering that this song was so played to death at one point that jukebox customers began to wish that the song's title had been "Don't Release Me" and that someone at the record label had followed instructions accordingly. a haunting tune, gets a superior reading and, on the version of there is singing that rivals in inspiration any such performance released, although the duet version recorded with for this series comes darn close. Comparing the vocalists as they trade verses is one of the best aspects of this duet series and, in this case, the styles of the singers are perfectly matched. ~ Eugene Chadbourne