RW HAMPTON
This Cowboy
Cimarron Sounds CS1409-2

In the brief liner notes to this 2014 release, RW Hampton explains that this new CD of 12 selections is the product of where he finds himself today. A second installment will be coming later in 2015, but there’s no need to wait; there’s plenty to enjoy on this one!

Recently, RW departed from his well-established repertoire of Western music to record some powerful patriotic and inspirational songs, in some instances released as “singles,” and for those who missed them or who are into downloads, they are included in this CD. But there’s much more here, a mix of RW’s own compositions and those of others. One of my favorites in this collection is a song he co-wrote with Hal Spencer, a Western inspirational song titled “Letting Go.”

Other new Hampton compositions include “Driftin’ Cowboy,” “Angel in Levis” & “Bass Reeves,” and I started programing them on my show even before I began to work on this review! But the CD also includes RW’s fine renditions of Mike Beck’s “Don’t Tell Me,” Marty’s “El Paso,” the rarely heard “Comanche” and his own arrangement of the wonderful Western standard, “I’d Like to be in Texas (for the Roundup in the Spring),” among others. This album is a “must have” for all RW Hampton fans, and if you’re not familiar with his music, this one’s a great introduction.