Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys - 24 Greatest Hits

Bob Wills is the king of Western swing, a country music hall-of-famer and honky-tonk legend whose place in the country pantheon is rivaled only by Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams Sr. Starting in the '30s, Wills pioneered a new country sound that merged his Texas frontier fiddle with big band, Dixieland, and the blues, creating country swing with his band the Texas Playboys (and inspiring a young Merle Haggard and George Jones). Recent Wills compilations are uniformly strong and essential, and neatly avoid unnecessary duplication. This 1994 collection is exceptional; a fine combination of signature songs and smaller hits, it's the perfect place for new fans to introduce themselves to "Faded Love," "Waltzing in San Antone," and "I'm Dotting Each I with a Teardrop." --David Daley