CD 1 - Where My Heart Is (1973) CD 2 - Pure Love (1974) CD 3 - A Legend In My Time (1975) CD 4 - Night Things (1975) CD 5 - 20/20 Vision (1976) CD 6 - Ronnie Milsap Live (1976) CD 7 - It Was Almost Like A Song (1977) CD 8 - Only One Love In My Life (1978) CD 9 - Images (1979) CD 10 - Milsap Magic (1980) CD 11 - Out Where The Bright Lights Are Glowing (1981) CD 12 - There s No Gettin Over Me (1981) CD 13 - Inside (1982) CD 14 - Keyed Up (1983) CD 15 - One More Try For Love (1984) CD 16 - Lost In The Fifties Tonight (1985) CD 17 - Christmas With Ronnie Milsap (1986) CD 18 - Heart & Soul (1987) CD 19 - Stranger Things Have Happened (1989) CD 20 - Back To The Grindstone (1991) CD 21 - My Life (2006)
CD 1 - Where My Heart Is (1973) (10 / 28:13)
1. That Girl Who Waits On Tables (3:01) 2. I Hate You (2:53) 3. You're Stronger Than Me (2:52) 4. Branded Man (3:11) 5. Where Love Goes When It Dies (2:41) 6. Brothers, Strangers And Friends (3:08) 7. (All Together Now) Let's Fall Apart (2:27) 8. Comin' Down With Love (2:28) 9. Pass Me By (2:56) 10. You're Drivin' Me Out Of Your Mind (2:35)
CD 2 - Pure Love (1974) (10 / 28:38)
1. My Love Is Deep, My Love Is Wide (2:40) 2. Amazing Love (3:23) 3. Pure Love (2:26) 4. Four Walls (3:11) 5. Streets Of Gold (2:22) 6. Love The Second Time Around (3:07) 7. Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends (2:47) 8. All My Roads (Lead Back To You) (2:36) 9. Behind Closed Doors (2:59) 10. Blue Ridge Mountains Turnin' Green (3:07)
CD 3 - A Legend In My Time (1975) (10 / 30:48)
1. The Busiest Memory In Town (2:56) 2. Too Late To Worry, Too Blue To Cry (3:11) 3. (I'd Be) A Legend In My Time (2:59) 4. The Biggest Lie (2:29) 5. Country Cookin' (3:58) 6. She Came Here For The Change (3:03) 7. I'll Leave This World Loving You (2:48) 8. I'm Still Not Over You (2:56) 9. I Honestly Love You (3:27) 10. Clap Your Hands (3:01)
CD 4 - Night Things (1975) (10 / 29:08)
1. (After Sweet Memories) Play Born To Lose Again (3:03) 2. Who'll Turn Out The Lights (In Your World Tonight) (3:22) 3. Daydreams About Night Things (2:25) 4. I'm No Good At Goodbyes (2:48) 5. Just In Case (3:01) 6. Remember To Remind Me (I'm Leaving) (3:03) 7. Borrowed Angel (3:17) 8. Love Takes A Long Time To Die (2:41) 9. (Lying Here With) Linda On My Mind (2:42) 10. I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me) (2:47)
CD 5 - 20-20 Vision (1976) (10 / 32:48)
1. 20-20 Vision (3:08) 2. Lovers, Friends And Strangers (2:57) 3. Not That I Care (3:23) 4. Lovesick Blues (3:27) 5. You Snap Your Fingers (3:24) 6. Looking Out My Window Through The Pain (4:02) 7. What Goes On When The Sun Goes Down (2:54) 8. You've Still Got A Place In My Heart (3:28) 9. I Got Home Just In Time To Say Goodbye (3:09) 10. (I'm A) Stand By My Woman Man (2:57)
CD 6 - Live (1976) (13 / 50:11)
1. Introduction - Ralph Emery - Pure Love (3:56) 2. Medley - I Hate You - That Girl Who Waits On Tables (3:47) 3. Welcome (Talk By Ronnie Milsap) (1:53) 4. Medley - (I'm A) Stand By My Woman Man - What Goes On When The Sun Goes Down - Daydreams About Night Things (3:43) 5. Busy Makin' Plans (3:04) 6. Kaw-Liga (5:53) 7. Country Cookin' (6:02) 8. I Can Almost See Houston From Here (3:44) 9. (After Sweet Memories) Play Born To Lose Again (4:12) 10. Music Style Medley - Daydreams About Night Things - Cattle Call (2:20) 11. Let My Love Be Your Pillow (3:10) 12. (I'd Be) A Legend In My Time (3:32) 13. Honky Tonk Women (4:55)
CD 7 - It Was Almost Like A Song (1977) (10 / 35:43)
1. What A Difference You've Made In My Life (4:01) 2. No One Will Ever Know (3:25) 3. It Was Almost Like A Song (3:40) 4. Selfish (3:23) 5. Long Distance Memory (3:03) 6. Here In Love (3:14) 7. The Future Is Not What It Use To Be (4:19) 8. It Don't Hurt To Dream (2:49) 9. Crystal Fallin' Rain (3:53) 10. The Lovin' Kind (3:55)
CD 8 - Only One Love In My Life (1978) (10 / 35:02)
1. Let's Take The Long Way Around The World (3:29) 2. Back On My Mind Again (3:20) 3. Only One Love In My Life (3:33) 4. I'm Not Trying To Forget (3:06) 5. No Relief In Sight (3:01) 6. Once I Get Over You (3:42) 7. Santa Barbara (4:20) 8. Too Soon To Know (3:26) 9. Yesterday's Lovers Never Make Good Friends (3:34) 10. I've Got The Music In Me (3:32)
CD 9 - Images (1979) (10 / 39:18)
1. Nobody Likes Sad Songs (4:04) 2. Keep The Night Away (3:12) 3. I Really Don't Want To Know (3:13) 4. Just Because It Feels Good (3:44) 5. You Don't Look For Love (5:14) 6. Hi-Heel Sneakers (4:57) 7. In No Time At All (3:46) 8. Delta Queen (2:41) 9. All Good Things Don't Have To End (3:07) 10. Get It Up (5:20)
CD 10 - Milsap Magic (1980) (10 / 37:34)
1. Why Don't You Spend The Night (4:13) 2. She Thinks I Still Care (3:05) 3. My Heart (2:42) 4. Silent Night (After The Fight) (3:21) 5. It's A Beautiful Thing (5:01) 6. Misery Loves Company (4:41) 7. I Let Myself Believe (3:45) 8. If You Don't Want Me To (3:47) 9. What's One More Time (2:58) 10. Still In Love With You (4:01)
CD 11 - Out Where The Bright Lights Are Glowing (1981) (18 / 40:54)
1. Out Where The Bright Lights Are Glowing (3:19) 2. String Interlude (0:31) 3. Four Walls (3:19) 4. Pride Goes Before A Fall (3:04) 5. Guitar Interlude (0:26) 6. I'm Beginning To Forget You (3:03) 7. String Interlude (0:23) 8. He'll Have To Go (2:37) 9. I'm Getting Better (4:10) 10. Am I Losing You (3:39) 11. String Interlude (0:27) 12. I Won't Forget You (2:13) 13. Dobro Interlude (0:32) 14. I Guess I'm Crazy (2:57) 15. When Two Worlds Collide (2:30) 16. String Interlude (0:21) 17. Missing You (2:58) 18. Dear Friend (4:23)
CD 12 - There's No Gettin' Over Me (1981) (10 / 34:45)
1. Everywhere I Turn (There's Your Memory) (3:20) 2. (There's) No Gettin' Over Me (3:20) 3. It's All I Can Do (3:40) 4. Two Hearts Don't Always Make A Pair (3:12) 5. Jesus Is Your Ticket To Heaven (3:18) 6. I Wouldn't Have Missed It For The World (3:38) 7. Too Big For Words (3:32) 8. It Happens Every Time (I Think Of You) (2:54) 9. It's Written All Over Your Face (3:51) 10. I Live My Whole Life At Night (3:59)
CD 13 - Inside (1982) (10 / 37:58)
1. Any Day Now (3:42) 2. Inside (4:03) 3. Carolina Dreams (4:00) 4. Wrong End Of The Rainbow (4:04) 5. I Love New Orleans Music (3:18) 6. He Got You (3:32) 7. Hate The Lies - Love The Liar (3:54) 8. Who's Counting (3:29) 9. You Took Her Off My Hands (Now Take Her Off My Mind) (3:38) 10. It's Just A Room (4:18)
CD 14 - Keyed Up (1983) (10 / 40:28)
1. Stranger In My House (4:13) 2. Show Her (4:00) 3. Don't Your Mem'ry Ever Sleep At Night (3:26) 4. Watch Out For The Other Guy (3:56) 5. I'm Just A Redneck At Heart (3:32) 6. Don't You Know How Much I Love You (3:36) 7. Feelings Change (3:34) 8. Like Children I Have Known (4:10) 9. Is It Over (4:00) 10. We're Here To Love (6:02)
CD 15 - One More Try For Love (1984) (10 / 40:56)
1. One More Try For Love (4:20) 2. She Loves My Car (4:01) 3. Still Losing You (5:19) 4. Suburbia (3:58) 5. Prisoner Of The Highway (4:15) 6. She's Always In Love (4:34) 7. I Might Have Said (4:10) 8. I Guess I Just Missed You (3:25) 9. I'll Take Care Of You (3:28) 10. Night By Night (3:26)
CD 16 - Lost In The Fifties Tonight (1986) (10 / 42:48)
1. Lost In The Fifties Tonight (In The Still Of The Night) (4:18) 2. In Love (4:34) 3. Old Fashioned Girl Like You (3:21) 4. I Heard It Through The Grapevine (4:25) 5. Don't Take It Tonight (5:08) 6. How Do I Turn You On (4:45) 7. Happy, Happy Birthday Baby (3:40) 8. Nashville Moon (3:19) 9. I Only Remember The Good Times (3:59) 10. Money (5:20)
CD 17 - Christmas With Ronnie Milsap (1986) (10 / 35:47)
1. Noel Prelude (0:40) 2. Only One Night Of The Year (3:29) 3. I'll Be Home For Christmas (3:14) 4. Christmas Medley - Carol Of The Bells - O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Silent Night - Joy To The World (6:25) 5. It's Christmas (3:01) 6. It's Just Not Christmas (If I Can't Spend It With You) (3:30) 7. Silver Bells (3:02) 8. O Holy Night (3:53) 9. Christmas Thoughts (Narrative) (2:58) 10. We're Here To Love (5:34)
CD 18 - Heart And Soul (1987) (10 / 41:20)
1. Snap Your Fingers (3:04) 2. Button Off My Shirt (3:55) 3. Where Do The Nights Go (4:33) 4. The Truth Is, I've Been Known To Lie (3:44) 5. Make No Mistake, She's Mine (3:57) 6. One Night (5:00) 7. Somebody Like You (4:11) 8. This Time Last Year (4:30) 9. Earthquake (4:26) 10. Old Folks (4:01)
CD 19 - Stranger Things Have Happened (1989) (10 / 34:58)
1. Stranger Things Have Happened (3:12) 2. Don't You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me) (3:05) 3. A Woman In Love (3:16) 4. You Snap Your Fingers (And I'm Back In Your Hands) (3:26) 5. Starting Today (2:40) 6. Roll The Dice (5:03) 7. I Feel Like I'm Cheating On You (3:51) 8. I Never Expected To See You (3:18) 9. Houston Solution (3:28) 10. Southern Roots (3:39)
CD 20 - Back To The Grindstone (1991) (10 / 46:11)
1. Since I Don't Have You (4:17) 2. All Is Fair In Love And War (4:09) 3. Are You Lovin' Me Like I'm Lovin' You (4:23) 4. When The Hurt Comes Down (4:07) 5. Back To The Grindstone (4:44) 6. Spare The Rod (Love The Child) (5:37) 7. Love Certified (4:41) 8. Turn That Radio On (3:41) 9. Old Habits Are Hard To Break (6:06) 10. I Ain't Gonna Cry No More (4:25)
CD 21 - My Life (2006) (11 / 41:33)
1. You Don't Know My Love (3:37) 2. It's All Coming Back To Me Now (3:31) 3. My Life (4:22) 4. If It's Gonna Rain (3:57) 5. Time Keeps Slipping Away (3:16) 6. Why Can't I (3:49) 7. A Day In The Life Of America (3:59) 8. Somewhere Dry (3:41) 9. Local Girls (3:43) 10. Every Fire (3:35) 11. Accept My Love (4:04)
Released the same autumn as when Ronnie Milsap was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Legacy's The RCA Albums Collection is hefty. It's 21 CDs, collecting every album Milsap released on RCA between 1973's Where My Heart Is and 2006's My Life. Ronnie wasn't on RCA continuously during those 33 years -- he left after 1991's Back to the Grindstone to spend a few unproductive years at Liberty and Capitol Nashville -- but this is where the bulk of his career occurred, and what a career it was. He racked up 40 country chart-toppers at Billboard, with six of his proper albums going gold and a couple compilations cresting platinum status. By the way these hits and certifications break, it's pretty clear that Milsap wasn't often seen as an album artist either by his label or audience, so the fact that RCA/Legacy put out this extensive set is a bit of a welcome surprise. After all, although early albums like Pure Love and Night Things are frequently reissued, sometimes as two-fers, there are many Milsap records that have never seen release on CD, many of which were Top Ten country albums like Only One Love in My Life, Milsap Magic, and Out Where the Bright Lights Are Glowing. What separates these from, say, 1984's One More Try for Love is that they were released in the years before CDs were de rigueur, and they weren't as strong as, say, 1975's Night Things or 1982's Inside, so they never saw CD reissue, but this doesn't mean they were bad records. What this exhaustive box proves is that Milsap wound up being remarkably consistent while also slyly following fashion. Usually, his albums were anchored by one or two hit singles, with the rest of the records being of variable quality -- sometimes the songs stuck, sometimes they were so well-crafted they didn't have a hook -- but the albums always contained a similar feel to the hits. Milsap always specialized in smooth, soulful country-pop -- his delivery so impeccable, it was easy not to notice his skill -- but especially after the crossover hits came in the wake of "It Was Almost Like a Song" in 1977, he found ways to weave in the sounds of the times into his signature, whether it was disco, yacht rock, new wave, or the adult contemporary that overtook his sound in the late '80s. As these 21 albums roll on, what impresses are these sly adaptations and Milsap's reliability: he may not have made many records that were outright knockouts, but he also rarely made something that was less than pleasurable.
