{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox album | name = Remembers Jim Reeves | type = studio | artist = [[Ed Ames]] | cover = File:Remembers Jim Reeves by Ed Ames.png | released = {{start date|1972|05}} | studio = RCA's Music Center of the World, [[Hollywood, California]] | genre = {{hlist|[[Pop music|Pop]]<ref name="Billboard Review" />|[[Country pop|country-pop]]<ref name="AllMusicReview" />}} | label = [[RCA Records|RCA Victor]] | producer = {{hlist|[[Joe Reisman]]}} | prev_title = [[Ed Ames (album)|Ed Ames]] | prev_year = 1972 | next_title = [[Songs from "Lost Horizon" and Themes from Other Movies]] | next_year = 1972 | misc = {{Singles | name = Remembers Jim Reeves | type = studio | single1 = [[Distant Drums (song)|Distant Drums]] | single1date = May 1972 }} }}
'''''Remembers Jim Reeves''''' is a [[tribute album]] by American singer [[Ed Ames]] to country singer [[Jim Reeves]]. It was released in late May 1972 via [[RCA Records|RCA Victor]] and was the twenty-first studio album of his career. It was also his second-to-last studio album released by RCA Victor. ''Remembers Jim Reeves'' contained a total of 10 tracks. Two tracks were originally released as a single. The album was given a positive critical reception following its release.
==Background, recording and content== Ed Ames had been a recording artist for RCA Victor since the 1950s, during his time with the [[Ames Brothers]]. In 1966, his solo career took off with the chart-topping hit "[[My Cup Runneth Over (song)|My Cup Runneth Over]]".<ref name="Pop Songs" /> He continued to have hit singles and best-selling albums. Unlike his previous releases, the album was produced by [[Joe Reisman]].<ref name="Liner Notes">{{cite journal |last1=Ames |first1=Ed |title=''Remembers Jim Reeves'' (Disc Information) |journal=[[RCA Records|RCA Victor]] |date=May 1972 |id=LSP-4683 (Stereo)}}</ref> ''Remembers Jim Reeves'' consisted of 10 tracks in total.<ref name="Apple">{{cite web |title=''Remembers Jim Reeves'' by Ed Ames |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/remembers-jim-reeves/1617333650 |website=[[Apple Music]] |access-date=May 12, 2026}}</ref> All of the tracks were hit songs by well-known American [[country music|country]] singer [[Jim Reeves]]. The songs varied in popularity, and several were released posthumously following Reeves' death in a plane crash in 1964.<ref name="Pop Songs">{{cite book |last1=Whitburn |first1=Joel |title=Joel Whitburn, Top Pop Singles 1955-1999 |date=2000 |publisher=Record Research |location=Menomonee Falls, WI |page=various}}</ref>
== Release and singles == ''Remembers Jim Reeves'' was originally released in May 1972 by RCA Victor. It was the twenty-first studio album of Ames' career. The label originally offered it as a [[Gramophone record|vinyl LP]], with five songs on "Side A" and five songs on "Side B".<ref name="Liner Notes"/> It was only available in [[stereo]] sound.<ref name="goldmine">{{cite book |last=Kinslow |first=Chris |title=Goldmine Record Album Price Guide |publisher=Penguin |year=2022 |isbn=978-1-68145-973-8 |page=1881 |url=https://www.google.lt/books/edition/Goldmine_Record_Album_Price_Guide/vBVjDwAAQBAJ?hl=lt&gbpv=1&dq=ed+ames+love+of+the+common+people&pg=PA1881&printsec=frontcover |access-date=May 12, 2026}}</ref> Since then, it has been digitilized onto streaming platforms in the 2020s as well.<ref name="Apple" />
One lead single was included on ''Remembers Jim Reeves''. "[[Distant Drums (song)|Distant Drums]]" was first released by RCA Victor as a single in May 1972.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ames |first1=Ed |title="[[Distant Drums (song)|Distant Drums]]"/"[[Blue Side of Lonesome (song)|Blue Side of Lonesome]]" (7" vinyl single) |journal=[[RCA Records|RCA Victor]] |date=May 1972 |id=74-0726}}</ref> ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]'' magazine stated that "The sound of distant drums could very well be announcing a country MOR hit for pop singer Ed Ames, who puts convincing feeling into this slow [[ballad]]."<ref name="Cashbox Review">{{Cite magazine |last= Albert |first= George |date=June 10, 1972 |title=Country Singles Reviews: ''Picks of the Week'' |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1972/Cash-Box-1972-06-03-OCR-Page-0035.pdf#search=%22ed%20ames%22 |magazine=[[Cash Box|Cashbox]] |page=35 |access-date=May 12, 2026 |via=worldradiohistory.com}}</ref> The single itself failed to reach the charts.<ref name="Pop Songs" />
== Critical reception == {{Music ratings | rev1 = [[AllMusic]] | rev1Score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="AllMusicReview">{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Greg |title=Ed Ames - Remembers Jim Reeves - Reviews and information |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ed-ames-remembers-jim-reeves-mw0001294246#review |access-date=May 12, 2026 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> | rev2 = [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']] | rev2Score = ''Positive'' (Special Merit Pick)<ref name="Billboard Review" /> }} The album was given a positive review from ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' magazine following its original release. Putting the album in its "Special Merit" section, the publication stated that "Ed Ames lends his own special style feeling to the classics of the indispensable Reeves." They called it a "strong package", noting that "'He'll Have to Go,' 'Is It Really Over?' 'Anna Marie' and 'Welcome to My World' are all well done." They also characterized "[[The Blizzard (song)|The Blizzard]]" as a beautiful cut.<ref name="Billboard Review">{{cite magazine |title=Album Reviews: SPECIAL MERIT PICKS; Pop |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=June 3, 1972 |page=61 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1972/1972-06-03-Billboard-Page-0051.pdf#search=%22ed%20ames%20jim%20reeves%22 |access-date=May 12, 2026}}</ref>
The retrospective review by Greg Adams on [[AllMusic]] described the album as a "thoroughly respected" tribute, with him saying "[[Joe Reisman]] wisely approached the album from a country-pop rather than [[easy listening]] direction." He stated that "The subdued pedal steel and sparse accompaniment prevent the end product from seeming schmaltzy or corny, both of which are ever-present dangers when non-country artists cut country records." Adams concluded that "The slightly modernized reading of 'Distant Drums' and Ames' weary recitation on 'The Blizzard' are two highlights."<ref name="AllMusicReview" /> {{Clear}}
==Track listing== {{track listing | headline = Side one | title1 = [[He'll Have to Go]] | writer1 = {{hlist|[[Joe Allison|Allison]]|A. Allison}} | length1 = 2:38 | title2 = [[Adios Amigo (song)|Adios Amigo]] | writer2 = {{hlist|Livingston|Freed}} | length2 = 3:09 | title3 = [[Four Walls (Jim Reeves song)|Four Walls]] | writer3 = {{hlist|[[Marvin Moore|Moore]]|Campbell}} | length3 = 3:35 | title4 = [[Is It Really Over?]] | writer4 = [[Jim Reeves|Reeves]] | length4 = 2:15 | title5 = [[The Blizzard (song)|The Blizzard]] | writer5 = [[Harlan Howard|Howard]] | length5 = 3:48 }}
{{track listing | headline = Side two | title1 = Home | writer1 = Miller | length1 = 2:14 | title2 = [[Distant Drums (song)|Distant Drums]] | writer2 = [[Cindy Walker|Walker]] | length2 = 3:15 | title3 = [[Welcome to My World (Jim Reeves song)|Welcome to My World]] | writer3 = {{hlist||Winkler|Hathcock}} | length3 = 2:31 | title4 = [[Anna Marie (song)|Anna Marie]] | writer4 = [[Cindy Walker|Walker]] | length4 = 3:04 | title5 = [[Blue Side of Lonesome (song)|Blue Side of Lonesome]] | writer5 = [[Leon Payne|Payne]] | length5 = 2:57 }}
==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- !scope="col"| Region !scope="col"| Date !scope="col"| Format !scope="col"| Label !scope="col"| Ref. |- ! scope="row" | North America | May 1972 | LP Stereo | [[RCA Victor Records]] | <ref name="Liner Notes"/> |- ! scope="row" | Worldwide | Circa 2020 | {{hlist|Music download|streaming}} | [[Sony Music Entertainment]] | <ref name="Apple"/> |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Ed Ames}}
[[Category:1972 albums]] [[Category:1970s tribute albums]] [[Category:Ed Ames albums]] [[Category:RCA Victor albums]] [[Category:Jim Reeves tribute albums]]