Various Artists : Across The Tracks

Nashville is now firmly cemented in the collective consciousness as a country capital. But in the '50s and '60s, it did harbor a reasonably active R&B/blues/soul scene. Of the Nashville-based R&B labels, Excello had the highest profile; this compilation gathers 28 late '50s and early '60s tracks from several smaller local competitors (the Champion, Cherokee, Kit, Calvert, Poncello, Spar, and Valdot labels). Few of the performers are even known on a cult level; Gene Allison (who had a hit with 'You Can Make It If You Try,' not included here) is about the only one with even modest name recognition value. It's decent but generic early R&B, a bit of gospel, pure soul, or out-and-out Little Richard-like rock'n'roll thrown in, recommended only if early R&B/soul if your main bag. Which isn't to say it's mediocre; there is not, however, a clearly identifiable Nashville R&B sound, as there is for, say, Memphis. The highlights are the most soul-oriented outings from the early '60s (by Lucille & the Strangers, Herbert Hunter, Leevert Allison, and Roscoe Shelton), if only because the tunes are more sophisticated and the production a bit more ambitious. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide