The ink had barely dried on Marty Robbins"s Columbia recording contract when the Arizona-based singer debuted on the Grand Ole Opry on June 30, 1951. No matter where his career took him, the Opry remained home base until his death in 1982. This collection surveys Robbins"s first eight years on the show. On that solid, confident 1951 debut performance, "Ain"t You Ashamed" reflected his plaintive side. He tore through "Good Night Cincinnati, Good Mornin" Tennessee," backed by hot lead guitar almost certainly from Grady Martin. The remaining selections, in crystal-clear mono, reflect a bit of Robbins"s gleeful eclecticism. He rendered the 1920s pop standard "My Isle of Golden Dreams" as a plaintive country tune. A stunning "I Can"t Help It (If I"m Still in Love with You)" affirmed his mastery of Hank Williams. Perhaps this set"s greatest value is hearing contemporary audiences embracing "Singing the Blues," "The Story! of My Life," "A White Sport Coat," and "El Paso," all classic Robbins hits today, when they were still new and fresh. --Rich Kienzle