Marty Stuart - Icon (2012)

Marty Stuart knows country music because he's loved it all of his life, and he's musically explored the folk, gospel, and blues roots of it. Stuart's brand of hillbilly country, which mixes all of this together, somehow comes out sounding deeply traditional and yet surprisingly contemporary at the same time, and he's well aware of what he's doing, and the rich and colorful history behind it. He wears rhinestone nudie suits. He's an entertainer. He's an ardent fan and collector -- his archived collection of country music memorabilia has toured the U.S. This man simply loves country music in all of its branches, and when he gets experimental, it is usually a dive even deeper into the roots of country. What makes Stuart such a treasure is that he just so happens to be one hell of a musician, too. This set brings together some of his signature tunes from when he was signed to MCA Records between 1989 and 1999, including "Burn Me Down," "Hillbilly Rock," and "Tempted," all of which were sizable hits, and while this collection doesn't tell the whole Stuart story, it provides a portrait of him during his commercial peak.