Merle Travis was one of Nashville's first great triple threats -- a gifted songwriter, a fine singer, and an exceptional guitarist -- and it says a tremendous amount about his talents as an instrumentalist that his picking is regarded even more highly than his other work. Travis' influential fingerpicking style married the melodic traditions of country with the lilting swing of jazz, and he was a massive influence on an entire generation of Nashville guitarists (among them Chet Atkins), few of whom could match him for speed, accuracy, and a fine touch.
This nice set combines a pair of Merle Travis LPs, 1956's The Merle Travis Guitar and 1960's Walkin' the Strings, with a half-dozen or so bonus tracks and radio transcriptions, and it spotlights all the parts of Travis' impressive talent as a performer -- and Travis could pretty much do it all.