John Prine - "The Missing Years" (1991)

John Prine has a way of calming you down. He pushes all else away for the simple stories he'd like to tell you. He's a guy you can't help but grin around. Never taking himself all too seriously, he always speaks his music with a son of a gun smile. And he gives all those qualities to you when you hear his songs. On the Grammy award winning The Missing Years, John does what he does best - sing unvarnished tales of life with a rolling ease that makes you feel like you're listening to him on his back porch with a couple cans of beer between you both. -- Chris Baginski

1. "Picture Show" (3:22)
2. "All the Best" (3:28)
3. "The Sins of Memphisto" (4:13)
4. "Everybody Wants to Feel Like You" (3:09)
5. "It's a Big Old Goofy World" (5:10)
6. "I Want to Be With You Always" (3:01)
7. "Daddy's Little Pumpkin" (2:41)
8. "Take a Look at My Heart" (3:38)
9. "Great Rain" (4:08)
10. "Way Back Then" (3:39)
11. "Unlonely" (4:35)
12. "You Got Gold" (4:38)
13. "Everything Is Cool" (2:46)
14. "Jesus the Missing Years" (5:55)

See John Prine on Tour

Sam Cooke - "Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964" (2003)

This collection of music is so appropriately named Portrait of a Legend in that Sam Cooke completely deserves that title. Not only is he one of the most influential Soul singers, he's one of the founders and pioneers of the genre. And like so many other legends, his life was brief, surviving only to the age of 33 after being shot in a Los Angeles hotel in 1964. But his heavenly voice lives well beyond that day and pure emotion remains wrapped in every note he sang . -- Chris Baginski

1. "Touch the Hem of His Garment"
2. "Lovable"
3. "You Send Me"
4. "Only Sixteen"
5. "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons"
6. "Just for You"
7. "Win Your Love (For Me)"
8. "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha"
9. "I'll Come Running Back to You"
10. "You Were Made for Me"
11. "Sad Mood"
12. "Cupid"
13. "Wonderful World"
14. "Chain Gang"
15. "Summertime"
16. "Little Red Rooster"
17. "Bring It on Home to Me" *
18. "Nothing Can Change This Love"
19. "Sugar Dumpling"
20. "(Ain't That) Good News"
21. "Meet Me at Mary's Place"
22. "Twistin' the Night Away"
23. "Shake"
24. "Tennessee Waltz"
25. "Another Saturday Night"
26. "Good Times"
27. "Having a Party"
28. "That's Where It's At"
29. "A Change Is Gonna Come"
30. "Jesus Gave Me Water"