Gene Autry - The Gene Autry Show: The Complete 1950's Television Recordings (2000/2020)

The Gene Autry Show was a weekly television program on which Autry, after the obligatory horse chases and shoot-outs, brought an endless parade of bad guys to justice. It was primarily a Western action series, but Autry usually managed to squeeze in one or two brief songs, mostly Western favorites and his own hits, but sometimes unusual selections. This three-disc box set collects every musical performance from the entire 1950-55 run of the program, which amounts to over a hundred songs, plus bits of dialogue and the opening and closing scores. Since these recordings were taken directly from the television series, there is often extraneous noise over the music -- hammering, gunshots, and the like, and many of the tracks are mere song fragments. But the music and dialogue is wonderfully entertaining, particularly for fans of the television series, and the occasional oddball composition, such as "Crime Will Never Pay," is a hoot. This is a box set designed for fans, but it wouldn't take too much of a diehard to find enjoyment within.