Icon

Universal's Icon series is, by all appearances, meant to give a rounded impression of an artist rather than be a representative greatest-hits collection. In that regard, the Loretta Lynn volume succeeds in spades. It contains a dozen tracks chosen from her voluminous catalog and includes some of her biggest hits, such as "Don't Come Home a Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)," "Blue Kentucky Girl," "Coal Miner's Daughter," "You Ain't Woman Enough to Take My Man," "Rated X," and "The Pill." In addition, this hip little set also represents a sliver of the successful duet partnership between Lynn and Conway Twitty in the cuts "After the Fire Is Gone" and "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man." This collection isn't so much for the hardcore fans and collectors, since there are no rarities, but it does function as a solid -- and dirt cheap -- introduction to one of the greatest talents in country music history. ~ Thom Jurek