About.com Rating
The Bottom Line
This album was originally released in 1984, and is a series of duets that Ray Charles did with country artists. It was great then, and it is still terrific now. It is nice having these older albums released in CD format, and this re-release comes with the addition of two new tracks. This album is perfect for any album collection.
Pros
- "We Didn't See A Thing"
- "Seven Spanish Angels"
- "Crazy Old Soldier"
Cons
- None.
Description
- 12 tracks, which include the two bonus tracks.
- Duets with various country artists.
- Released by Legacy/Columbia.
Guide Review - Ray Charles - Friendship
"Friendship" was Ray's third album after signing with Columbia in the early 80's. He had long been fond of duets, and this album gave him a chance to sing with some of the top country and western artists who were signed with Columbia and Epic Records. The album was a little slow to take off, but once "Seven Spanish Angels" with Willie Nelson hit the airwaves as a single, the single and the album quickly climbed to number one on the C & W charts.
There are some excellent songs on here. It is a fun album to listen to, and I was very happy to see it being released on CD with two new tracks. It has been a favorite of mine for years. I love all the songs, and it is really hard to pick favorites, but I'll touch on a few. "This Old Heart (Is Gonna Rise Again)" with the Oak Ridge Boys is a fast and fun song. "Seven Spanish Angels" with Willie Nelson is a heart-tugging ballad.
George Jones and Ray sing about male bonding with "We Didn't See A Thing." They are each other's alibi for a guy's night out in which neither of them seen a thing. Janie Fricke lends her distinctive vocals to "Who Cares." Ricky Skaggs joins Ray for the title track, "Friendship." "Crazy Old Soldier" features Johnny Cash. The two new tracks feature Tony Bennett and Billy Joel, also label mates and were recorded after the original release. This is an awesome album and will fit well in any music collection.