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Encore Of Golden Hits Review
07/13/2005 5:30 AM, AMG
Both the favored group of inspiration point denizens and one of the classiest of doo wop outfits, the Platters transcended their early R&B beginnings in L.A. to become one of the most popular acts of the early rock & roll era. Avoiding the plight of many one-hit doo wop hopefuls, the Platters scored several hits on both the R&B and pop charts. Classics like "The Great Pretender," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "Only You," and "My Prayer" were all long-running hits and, along with nuggets by Elvis, the Drifters, and the Coasters, helped define the burgeoning, post-war youth culture of America. Part of what kept the group at the top from 1955-'60 was the winning combination of Tony Williams' soaring and svelte lead vocals and producer/A&R man Buck Ram's beautiful, crossover-friendly material. This early hits collection on Mercury rounds up the group's best work with Ram, including not only the sides mentioned above, but other gems like "Remember When," "Twilight Time," and "I'm Sorry." Although now eclipsed by recent CDs on Rhino and Mercury, Encore of Golden Hits is still a worthwhile title to seek out, especially by those looking for only a brief introduction to the group's prime period. ~ Stephen Cook, All Music Guide
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