Playlist: The Very Best of Waylon Jennings

's series is a 21st century approach to the "best-of" compilation. The packaging is "eco-friendly," and the sets offer both CD-quality music and downloadable MP3 files. In addition, instead of liner notes and photos in a printed booklet, they are provided as extra material on the CD itself. Budget-priced, they attempt to provide a well-rounded view of each artist in studio and live settings from well-known songs and albums. ' volume contains some of his most beloved songs, yet a few of these choices are somewhat curious. The early '70s are represented by the title cut from and the reading of 's "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)" from . "Dreaming My Dreams," from the absolutely classic album of the same name, is here, as is "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean" from and "Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand" off . And while it's essential that "Good Ol' Boys" -- the theme from The Dukes of Hazzard -- and "Luckenbach, Texas" with are here, was it absolutely essential to include "Amanda" from or "The Conversation" duet with , or even "Good Hearted Woman," a second duet with ? This collection might have been more balanced if the producers had at least included one cut from the 1960s, such as the cover of 's "It's All Over Now" from (the album was issued as in 1967, then re-released in 1976 with its more famous title), "Love of the Common People," or even the well-known cover of 's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" from ' self-titled album in 1969. Certainly one can't have everything on a 14-song compilation, but given the limitations of the format, every song should count in delivering the best representation possible of an artist's career. This one defines the superstar, but not the singer and songwriter who was the original outlaw. ~ Thom Jurek