This isn't a definitive
Merle Travis collection, but it does a good job of filling the gaps in Razor & Tie's
Sweet Temptation compilation. It may omit "Cannon Ball Rag" and some other quintessential performances, but makes up for it by including the entire Folk Songs of the Hills album, with the original versions of "Nine Pound Hammer" and "Dark as a Dungeon." The bulk of this material was recorded during
Travis' late-'40s peak, which means, unfortunately, that there is nothing from
Walkin' the Strings, but then, anyone lucky enough to find a copy of that album should have a contractual obligation to pick it up.