Hee-Haw regular Kenny Price (1931-1987), known as "the round mound of sound" was an over-stuffed baritone who had a fine voice, but a poor sense of phrasing and no sense of restraint. Price was a second-tier star for several years before joining the cast of Hee-Haw, and managed to crack the Top Ten a couple of times. Here's a quick look at his work...
Kenny Price "One Hit Follows Another" (Boone Records, 1967) (LP)
Kenny Price "Southern Bound" (Boone Records, 1968) (LP)
Kenny Price "Heavyweight" (RCA Victor, 1970) (LP)
Kenny Price "Northeast Arkansas Mississippi County Bootlegger" (RCA Victor, 1970) (LP)
Kenny Price "A Red Foley Songbook" (RCA Victor, 1971) (LP)
Kenny Price "The Sheriff Of Boone County" (RCA Victor, 1971) (LP)
Kenny Price "Charlotte Fever" (RCA Victor, 1971) (LP)
Kenny Price "Super Sideman" (RCA, 1972) (LP)
Kenny Price "You Almost Slipped My Mind" (RCA Victor, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Ronny Light)
This is a particularly gooey album made at the height of the countrypolitan/sunshine country era, with some interesting song selections but few memorable performances... Want the world's most pretentious version of "San Francisco Mabel Joy"? Here it is. The title track was a minor hit, but the album's most intriguing moments come with a couple of good-Christian novelty songs -- "Don't Let The Good Life Pass You By" (the "good life" being the one where you are kind to others...) and Price's own composition, "Front Of The Bus, Back Of The Church (And The Middle Of The Road)" -- both of which sound clunky when Price sings them, but which could plausibly be covered by someone else to better effect. The production is okay -- standard-issue early '70s pop-country -- it's Price's attempts at classy vocalese that drag things down...
Kenny Price "Sea Of Heartbreak" (RCA Victor, 1973) (LP)
Kenny Price "30 California Women" (RCA Victor, 1973) (LP)
Kenny Price "Turn On Your Light And Let It Shine" (RCA Victor, 1974) (LP)
Kenny Price "Heavy Duty Country" (MRC Records, 1977) (LP)
Kenny Price "The Best Of Both" (Dimension Records, 1980) (LP)
