The "legends" of Cleopatra Records' 2013 collection
Rockin' Legends Pay Tribute to Jack White may not really qualify as legends, at least to the general public. Sure, some might recognize
Wanda Jackson -- who has been produced by the man himself -- but
Sonny Burgess,
Robert Gordon,
Johnny Powers, and
Rosie Flores are big names only to hardcore rockabilly cats, while
Gary U.S. Bonds and
Bobby Vee are staples of oldies radio, not the kind of acts that carry a certain legendary mystique. These are recognizable names, though. The rest of the artists on the collection are obscure, reflecting both the budget and profile Cleopatra had to worth with here. This doesn't necessarily mean that the compilation is bad, but at times the enthusiasm contradicts the meaning of the songs:
Burgess just raves it up through "Steady as She Goes," and there may be no other singer as characteristically ill-suited for the simmering spite of "Salute Your Solution" as
Gary U.S. Bonds. Elsewhere, "I'm Shakin'" gets adopted as a
Jack original, but
Big Jay McNeely performs it like he only knows
Little Willie John, and
Vee sleepwalks through "We're Going to Be Friends," leaving such unknowns as
Knox,
Rejected Youth Nation, and
the Dirt Daubers to deliver the most spirited moments here.