Picks and Pans Review: Various Artists

UPDATED 12/13/2004 at 01:00 AM EST • Originally published 12/13/2004 at 01:00 AM EST

A Songwriter's Tribute to George Strait Vol.1

    

George Strait has certainly sweetened plenty of bank accounts with royalties, in fact, he recently hit the top of the Billboard pop albums chart with his 50 Number Ones retrospective. So it's only fair that the songwriters who have profited thereby honor Strait with their own versions of his hits. Not surprisingly, a number of them are splendid singers. A talent scout might single out Whitey Shafer, who displays an easy, swingy style reminiscent of Eddy Arnold on "Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your Mind" and "All My Ex's Live in Texas," both of which he co-wrote. And Dana Hunt Black ingratiatingly handles her and Danny Wells's clever "Check Yes or No." Inspired in both conception and execution, this CD could spur a whole series of song-writer tributes.