Nat Stuckey (1933-1988) was a Nashville second-stringer who had a number of mid-level hits in the 1960s and '60s, and who wrote several hit songs recorded by other artists, including "Waitin' In The Welfare Line," which was a hit for Buck Owens. He also recorded a couple of duet albums with Connie Smith which are worth tracking down. Here's a quick look at his work...
Nat Stuckey "The Very Best Of Nat Stuckey" (Koch, 2006)
Nat Stuckey "The Best Of Nat Stuckey" (Fuel, 2007)
Nat Stuckey "Pop A Top" (Music Row Talent, 1999)
Nat Stuckey & Connie Smith "God Will" (Music Row Talent, 2001)
A highly welcome CD reissue of classic gospel duets recorded with Connie Smith in the late 1960s. This disc combines all the material from the much sought-after Sunday Morning album, and some tracks off of the earlier Young Love LP. Country gospel fans in particular will be ecstatic that Stuckey's family was able to convince RCA to let them reissue this album, so that fans no longer have to contend with extravagant collector prices to hear this fine Nashville-politan gospel material! (Also see my Country Gospel section.)
Nat Stuckey "Nat Stuckey Really Sings" (Paula, 1966) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "All My Tomorrows" (Paula, 1967) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "Stuckey Style" (Paula, 1968) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "Nat Stuckey Sings" (RCA, 1968) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "Keep 'Em Country" (RCA, 1969) (LP)
Nat Stuckey & Connie Smith "Young Love" (RCA, 1969) (LP)
Moderately goofy, but fairly solid, countrypolitan. Stuckey does okay on this one -- in fact, I'd say he did better while working with Smith than he did on many of his solo albums. And even with the occassional wah-wah guitar or studio frill, Smith also gets in some good licks on this album. Not earthshaking, but not complete drek, either.
Nat Stuckey "New Country Roads" (RCA, 1969) (LP)
Nat Stuckey & Connie Smith "Sunday Morning" (RCA, 1970) (LP)
A gospel duets album that also includes popular tunes such as "Daddy Sang Bass" The original LP is a highly sought-after collector's item, but if you just wanna check out the music, it has (hoorah!) been reissued on CD under the title God Will on an indie label run by Stuckey's family. (See CD reviews above for more info...)
Nat Stuckey "Old Man Willis" (RCA, 1970) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "Country Fever" (RCA, 1970) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "She Wakes Me With A Kiss Every Morning" (RCA, 1971) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "Only A Woman Like You" (RCA, 1971) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "Forgive Me For Calling You Darling" (RCA, 1972) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "Is It Any Wonder That I Love You" (RCA, 1972) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "Take Time To Love Her/I Used It All On You" (RCA, 1973) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "The Best Of Nat Stuckey" (RCA, 1974) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "In The Ghetto" (RCA-Camden, 1974) (LP)
Nat Stuckey "Independence" (MCA, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by David Barnes)
He really kind of cuts loose on this outlaw-tinged, honky-tonk heavy outing, with a bunch of surprisingly robust hard-country outings such as Troy Seals' "Honky Tonk Dreams" and the rollicking "She Stays In The Name Of Love," packed with thumping snare drums and nice pedal steel from John Hughey. The album opens with "Sun Comin' Up," a scathing novelty number sung from the point of view of a panhandling wino -- written by Stuckey, but worthy of Porter Wagoner -- and also includes a cover of "Lyin Eyes," by the Eagles. There are a couple of songs with swooping, over-the-top orchestrations, but mostly this is a solid hard-country outing, with Stuckey benefitting greatly from the bright mid-'70s MCA production style that I love so much. Recommended!
Nat Stuckey "Nat Stuckey" (51 West, 1982)
