The Vanguard Years [Box set]

Amazon.com
Traveling into the Carolina hills to record old-time banjoist Clarence Ashley, folklorist Ralph Rinzler happened across a young, guitar-playing neighbor named Arthel "Doc" Watson, and folk and bluegrass music were changed forever. This four-disc set shows Watson at the height of his powers, from his blazing 1964 original Vanguard album to nine numbers recorded live at the Newport Folk Festival. There's plenty of clean, lightning-quick flatpicking here, of course, but The Vanguard Years also showcases Watson's not inconsiderable skills on the five-string banjo and rack harmonica as well as his warm and personable voice. The revelatory side four contains 17 previously unreleased live recordings, including six duets with the great Merle Travis. This CD makes a perfect introduction to what are arguably the guitar player's finest recordings, with enough new tracks thrown in to please even the Watson cognoscenti. --Mary Park

The Vanguard Years,Doc Watson,Vanguard Records,Appalachian Folk,Bluegrass,Country,Old-Timey,Pop,Traditional Country,Traditional Folk

Average customer rating: Essential Great music but very poor packaging It Doesn't Get Any Better Love is Just a Four-Letter Word A well recommended CD

The First 10 Years Joan Baez Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Revival | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Singer Songwriters | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Joan Baez - Greatest Hits Very Early Joan Joan Baez Diamonds & Rust The Very Best of Judy Collins ASIN: B000000EF4 Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Ghetto
2. If I Were a Carpenter
3. Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word
4. There But For Fortune
5. John Riley
6. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
7. Mary Hamilton
8. Manha De Carnaval
9. If I Knew
10. With God on Our Side
11. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
12. Geordie
13. Te Ador
14. No Expectations
15. Sweet Sir Galahad
16. Turquoise
17. Farewell Angelina
18. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

Amazon.com essential recording

She had the public persona of a saint, and a face and voice that captured all the idealism, innocence, and optimism of the '60s folk revival. She wasn't the movement's greatest talent, but her work helped shape all women balladeers who followed. Baez's best youthful work is here, including a host of Dylan songs: "Don't Think Twice," "Gates of Eden," "Farewell Angelina," and "Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word," one of the best songs Dylan wrote but never recorded. Her version of Phil Ochs's "There but for Fortune" is her finest vocal interpretation, a political song that never ceases to move. --Roy Francis Kasten

Customer Reviews:

Essential.......2007-03-02

This item gets five stars... just as sure as spring follows winter. The task is to explain why. I have read and appreciated the other reviews (and learned a lot!) so I will try a less factual approach. If you are new to Joan Baez and/or want to know where to start, this CD is IT.

I had the vinyl version of this album a hundred years ago and somehow lost track of it as is the case with many by-gone valuables. So with vague fondness, I went looking for a CD containing a song called "Sweet Sir Gallahad" because I remembered how it captivated me.

I put the CD on... and it was as though I'd always had it, had never gone a week without listening and knowing every word. Have you gotten reacquainted with a dear friend and noticed the value of your friendship melts years and miles away in an instant? Have you ever met a new friend and known instinctively that person would always be a dear friend? Look forward to savoring this CD as one of those dear friends.

Maybe you've picked up that Joan Baez has a hauntingly beautiful voice. It's true. The POWER and PURITY with which she delivers the stories on this CD are deliciously intoxicating. She could be singing Mary had a little lamb and it would be wonderful, but Joan Baez does not sing anything but deeply moving ballads...They are "meaty:" they kind of stick with you. And they grow on you. And after a while you just know they aren't going away anytime soon... so they are yours.

This is the greatness of Joan Baez. You think that listening to this rich, beautiful voice - music on its own - is the gift... and when the CD is over, the next day comes and goes, you realize that not only is the song stuck in your head, but all the richness that Joan Baez put into the song is stuck there too. Most of these songs are timeless, as if they had written themselves... so many are stories collected from here and there and cherished because they have strong messages, passionate plots. Joan Baez found the stories that became her songs. She found them, she loved them, she sang them, she shared them, gave them to us - and now they are ours.

This could be the reason there are so many high ratings... One does't take lightly the value of pricelss gifts and we diehard fans think this CD qualifies.

Bottom Line: (knowing what I know) I would buy this CD if it cost twice as much and came in a paper bag... and now you know what I know... so go ahead and pay whatever it costs... and you may find it a bargain.

Great music but very poor packaging.......2007-02-20

I doubt if anyone is going to not buy this because of the packaging, but it's worth noting anyway. There are no liner notes whatsoever. Also, no recording dates. Very cheaply produced and not remastered, though the sound is good.

69 minutes

It Doesn't Get Any Better.......2006-08-24

Two of my favorite songs are on this CD, "There But For Fortune" and "With God on Our Side". The price of the CD is worth those songs alone as far as I'm concerned! Recommended!
Email Boland7214@aol.co

Love is Just a Four-Letter Word.......2006-04-09

I first got this CD from the library I had never heard Joan Baez before and I wanted to try her music out. I ended up liking the CD so much that I bought it. Joan Baez has a beautiful voice and although she does not write many of her own songs she does a great job of interpreting others.
Here are some of the highlights of the CD:
Love is Just a Four Letter Word: An excellent song which suprisingly Bob Dylan never recorded. Although the lyrics are not fully formed that type of poetry fits well with the song about the falseness of love.
There but for Fortune: Joan Baez really captures the melancholy mood of the song. She sings it with lots of passion.
John Riley: Joan Baez does a great job of interpreting English Ballads.
Don't think Twice It's Allright: Although I prefer Bob Dylan's version of the song Joan Baez sings the song plainly and honestly.
Sweet Sir Galahad: A sweet, pretty, yet sad song which shows that Joan Baez is a talented poet as well as singer.
With God on Our Side: This song is supposed to be the one that inspired Joan to become a protest singer. The lyrics are so powerful that Joan Baez's voice is not the main centerpiece.
Farewell Angelina: An amusing somewhat surreal waltz written by Dylan shortly before his rock period.

A well recommended CD.......2006-03-18

Joan Baez is one of the most accomplished interpretive folk singer from the 60's.
Still going strong after 35 years; her First ten years were definitely her best.
All the essential songs from Baez's early years are included in this album. It is an excellent overview of her best recordings and her best songs. For any casual fan (like me), this album would probably be all what you will ever need; however if you are a novice in Joan Baez's Music, This album would be your best choice and excellent introduction to her music and songs. Recommended.

Average customer rating: Simply incredible - the ultimate groove music ... revealing "essences" ... A Fantastic Original One of the Best of the Sixties Acoustic bliss

Re-Inventions: Best Of The Vanguard Years Sandy Bull Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: E Pluribus Unum Still Valentine's Day 1969: Live at the Matrix, San Francisco The Legend of Blind Joe Death Venus in Cancer The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death ASIN: B00000HF5R Release Date: 1999-01-26

Tracks:

1. Blend
2. Manha De Carnival
3. Carmina Burana Fantasy
4. Gospel Tune
5. Little Maggie
6. Memphis, Tennessee
7. Triple Ballade
8. Carnival Jump

Amazon.com

Sandy Bull's 1965 LP Inventions remains one of those legendary albums that almost no one has heard. Its impact, however, can be scene in the title of this new compilation spotlighting a great unsung hero of "psychedelic folk." "Blend," the 22-minute opus from 1963 that opens this disc, surely fits that designation, perfectly blending folk, jazz, and Indian influences into what Bull called "new guitar raga." An eclectic virtuoso who switched from acoustic guitar to banjo to Stratocaster to oud (mostly backed solely by jazz drummer/Ornette Coleman crony Billy Higgins), Bull was all over the musical map. Thus the beautiful, soothing bossa nova of "Manha de Carnival" gives way to German classical music, which is supplanted by a cover of Chuck Berry's "Memphis." The cream of Bull's first three albums can be found here. When those old records were in stores, it's a good bet Leo Kottke, Mark Knopfler, Richard Thompson, George Harrison, and Jerry Garcia were taking notes. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews:

Simply incredible - the ultimate groove music.......2006-07-20

In the early 80's I was a baker at a cafe in the San Juan Islands in Washington State. I was at work by 5 am to bake the croissants and this album was the early morning treat each day. The waitress had recorded this album on a cassette and we about wore the thing out. I had just started to play oldtime clawhammer banjo and was always attracted to the Indian Raga idiom...this album merged with rockabilly, classical, etc. thrown into the mix.

Sandy Bull is a master genre-twister, and a delight to behold! This album exemplifies the genesis of his astonishing musical journey and the absolute brilliance of both his and Vanguard's vision.

... revealing "essences" ..........2000-03-14

revealing essences of classic, soul chords and riffs of the 1960s post-Shankur, post-Beatles music

A Fantastic Original.......1999-10-16

My old college roomie in New Haven had this album in the mid-sixties, and Sandy was just about the most incredible guitarist we'd ever heard (and both of us played). If you've never heard or heard of this guy, you are in for a special ride. The fabulous, magical cut of "Memphis" -- quietly ethereal, sliding back and forth like Chuck Berry off in some cloud dream -- has haunted me for over 35 years, and it alone is worth ten times the price of this album.

One of the Best of the Sixties.......1999-10-01

This is one I would choose if I could only have ten albums on a deserted isle. Bull was a true master of his instrument. It enjoyed cult status when I was in college in upstate New York in the sixties. A must have.

Acoustic bliss.......1999-04-14

Every song on this CD is very diferent from the other but there is not a bad or boring one among them. There is something very unusual about the way Sandy Bull plays every instrument he picks up. I've never heard of this guy even though he's been around forever. Some of the recordings date back to the 60's but they don't sound dated at all. Re-Inventions would be right at the top of my list of desert island disks.

Average customer rating: Wonderful followup to the Delmark recordings GREAT COLLECTION Wells' Brings Passion to Standards and Originals Best cuts of the blues out there Best cuts of the blues out there

Best of the Vanguard Years Junior Wells Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Harmonica Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Similar Items: Hoodoo Man Blues Come on in This House Live at Theresa's 1975 Blues Hit Big Town His Best ASIN: B000005ZB0 Release Date: 1998-03-10

Tracks:

1. Help Me (A Tribute To Sonny Boy Williamson)
2. It Hurts Me Too (When Things Go Wrong)
3. Messin' With The Kid
4. Vietcong Blues
5. All Night Long
6. It's My Life, Baby
7. It's So Sad To Be Lonely
8. Country Girl
9. Stormy Monday Blues
10. Shake It Baby
11. Checking On My Baby
12. Early In The Morning
13. (I Got A) Stomach Ache
14. Look How Baby
15. I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man
16. Slow, Slow
17. Shotgun Blues
18. You Know That I Know

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful followup to the Delmark recordings.......2006-08-09

If you liked Hoodoo Man Blues or Southside Jam on Delmark, buy this CD. The two Delmark recordings are among the best blues ever recorded by anyone anytime. I understand that Junior moved to Vanguard immediately after the Delmark recordings. Buddy Guy came with him on most of the cuts and this is all great music.

GREAT COLLECTION .......2006-07-23

this guy is one of my favorite blues singers, maybe just a notch below Howlin' Wolf and Rice Miller. his voice is saturated with goosebump-raising otherworldly emotion, with a weeping/laughing sound constantly bobbing around in his throat. he is endlessly playful and unpredictable, with impeccable timing. a generation younger than the Chess giants, he has some R&B flavor in his singing--maybe a bridge between the 2 styles? I don't know if there was any influence between the two singers, but his voice has a raspy percussive snap similar to James Brown's style at times... great harp player too, although there's not a lot of it on this CD-- his solos are usually pretty short and simple, but with a wonderful juicy tone. anyway, great CD, plenty of stuff, git it!

Wells' Brings Passion to Standards and Originals.......2004-03-17

"Best of the Vanguard Years" by Junior Wells is filled with personal, political and romantic tunes. Essentially a sampler album, you are treated to the best of Wells. Every original song is now a standard, and every standard he plays became his.

Upbeat in many places, but firmly rooted in soul and classic blues, Wells steers the vocals and his harp firmly through Buddy Guy's guitar. Born Amos Blackmore, you'll see that Wells wrote most of the tracks, with Guy pitching in on "Slow, Slow" and "Shake It Baby."

His tribute to John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, considered the first great blues harmonica player, is four minutes of a passionate, prayer-like call to a lover while he honors his mentor.

Wells' rendition of Willie Dixon's "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man," could've been sung back in the 40s. He rips the lyrics so well that you forget Dixon isn't there. When George Thoroughgood sang "Bad to the Bone," I'm certain he used this as a template for both the riffs and words.

"(I Got A) Stomach Ache," is one of the standouts on the CD. Sung playfully, Wells has the vocal meter perfectly in line with Guy's picking.

"Rock Me Baby" will be familiar. BB King made his signature, but you can hear Wells' harp-intense original. BB does it well, but don't miss this one.

"Slow, Slow" is just that. He takes us down long, stretched notes, with a gentle drum providing the background. Turn it up to get the nuances, especially some of the guitar picked behind the song.

In his 1966 release "Vietcong Blues," Wells makes a statement against the way America was treating soldiers and their families in the early 60s.

"My landlady said you got a letter here
And I began to sing the blues
It was from my brother
Don't you know the boy's laying down in Vietnam
Lord they say, you don't have no reason to fight baby but
Lord knows you think you're right"

I fully recommend "Best of the Vanguard Years" Junior Wells.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

Best cuts of the blues out there.......1999-02-26

Junior Wells was one of the greatest harp players ever and is often underrated because he had some problems with alcohol and kind of lost it near the end of his life. However, this disc displays his distinctive harp work as well as emotional vocals complemented by Buddy Guy's guitar. There are two previously unreleased cuts which I think are the best cuts on the CD. Slow, Slow is also one of the greatest chromatic harmonica minor blues I've heard.

Best cuts of the blues out there.......1999-02-26

Junior Wells was one of the greatest harp players ever and is often underrated because he had some problems with alcohol and kind of lost it near the end of his life. However, this disc displays his distinctive harp work as well as emotional vocals complemented by Buddy Guy's guitar. There are two previously unreleased cuts which I think are the best cuts on the CD. Slow, Slow is also one of the greatest chromatic harmonica minor blues I've heard.

Average customer rating: Hear it ALL! Buy this with CH's "Folkway Years," and get the whole story A highly essential folk album..... D*** close to 5, but.... Great

Best of the Vanguard Years Cisco Houston Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: Cisco Houston: The Folkways Years, 1944-1961 Volumes 1 & 2 Cisco Houston Sings the Songs of Woody Guthrie The Ultimate Collection Dave Van Ronk: The Folkways Years, 1959-1961 ASIN: B00004Z3VD Release Date: 2000-10-31

Tracks:

1. This Train
2. Roll On Columbia
3. Colorado Trail
4. Dark As A Dungeon
5. Hard Traveling
6. Old Blue
7. Nine Hundred Miles
8. Badman Ballad
9. Diamond Joe
10. John Hardy
11. Big Rock Candy Mountain
12. So Long It's Been Good
13. Buffalo Skinners
14. Pastures Of Plenty
15. Grand Coulee Dam
16. Hard, Ain't It Hard
17. Pretty Boy Floyd
18. Do Re Mi
19. Deportees
20. Tramp On The Street
21. Talking Dust Bowl
22. This Land Is Your Land
23. Way Out There
24. Chilly Winds

Amazon.com

If the track listing for this compilation suggests that Cisco Houston was a one-man Woody Guthrie cover band, that's because, quite simply, he was. Houston met Guthrie in California in 1938, and the two former hoboes crossed paths time and time again, frequently recording and performing together, up until Guthrie's diagnosis with Huntington's Chorea. As an interpreter, Houston's pure and easy baritone sometimes lent affecting charm to Guthrie's songs (as on the playful version of "Hard Traveling"), sometimes an eerie solemnity (as on his operatic, Gene Autry-esque interpretation of "Nine Hundred Miles"). Still, there's no escaping that Houston's refined singing shared more with Broadway musicals than with the cowboys, drifters, and workers of which he sang. His gentile, noble approach hasn't aged well, even if his voice did much to popularize these folk songs in the '50s and '60s. His music, however, while only intermittently successful, remains indispensable to understanding the folk revival as a whole. --Roy Kasten

Customer Reviews:

Hear it ALL! Buy this with CH's "Folkway Years," and get the whole story.......2006-06-28

(Due to time constraints, this review is a mirror image of the one I did for Cisco Houston's "Best of the Vanguard Years." They are both great. Together they are stupendous.) I bought these 2 albums together a couple of months ago, and have been playing them constantly since then. Ranging from deep and serious, funny and ridiculous, to serene and haunting, the songs all reveal an incredibly modest soul. The baritone voice is a balsam for your battered psyche. With these two albums you not only get the best of CH, but also a "Best of the Folk Repertoire" from 1944 to 1963" excepting that of Bob Dylan and perhaps a few others. Aside from his haunting ballads, I especially love the kid's songs. Some of the best of the genre from that era. The albums complement each other perfectly, with no duplication.

A highly essential folk album............2002-05-22

I've been spending a lot of time listening to and reading about Cisco lately. I'm not sure where it started but I don't want to see this great American folk singer and folk hero forgotten. This along with the vastly different Folkways collection represent an excellent sampling of Cisco's solo recorded output (he recorded 100's of songs singing harmony for Woody Guthrie many of which have never been released). However, this collection is far from perfect. I still don't like the use of orchestral music and background singers on such songs as This Train which opens the album and Dark as a Dungeon (although it works and is necessary on Way Out There). And his version of Diamond Joe and Dark as a Dungeon on the Folkways collection are more stirring and far superior. Also it's incomprehensible that none of the 17 songs recorded on March 6, 1961, just weeks before his death, which appeared on his Vanguard "I Ain't Got No Home" lp are found here. True his voice wasn't nearly as strong at that point but it had a sweet, sad tone and his guitar playing was masterful. That album contained gems such as Trouble in Mind, Ramblin' Round, East Texas Red, Danville Girl, Tom Joad and Hobo Blues that I wish were included here. But there's plenty to like about this disc. His hilarious readings of Badman Ballad (which he wrote) and the bum's view of Big Rock Candy Mountain. A nice version of This Land; the previously unreleased So Long It's Been Good to Know You. And of course, his seminal versions of some of Woody Guthrie's best songs including Deportee, Buffalo Skinners, Hard Ain't It Hard, Grand Coulee Dam, Pretty Boy Floyd, Do Re Mi and his absolutely great reading of Pastures of Plenty with a young Eric Weissburg on banjo. Two more excellent previously unreleased songs are John Hardy and Tramp on the Street (which you'd swear was sung by a country gospel singer). Cisco had a great voice, a very good guitarist that was able to use the instrument to perfectly complement his vocals and was also extremely versatle. I agree with William Adams in his assessment that a true fan of this great music needs to hear both Woody's versions and Cisco's versions, usually very different but both great.

D*** close to 5, but...........2002-01-25

I love Cisco's voice above all other folksingers. He could carry a tune, at a time when the proper polical attitude or the proper color was more highly valued. His guitar playing was wonderful, a light and charming style that accompanied his wonderful voice. Then why not 5 stars? Well, the arrangements on some of these are awful. Why they used these lush strings, as if they were trying to copy Frank Sinatra and Nelson Riddle, is beyond me.

There is a great voice in here. There is great music in here. There is an awful lot to like. And yet I cringe on a few...

Buy it soon; I bet it won't stay in the catalog for long. I don't know why he isn't THE singer of the fifties and sixtes, but he's not. Died before he had a chance to impact the trendsetters I guess. But no one could sing as he did. And every good song is better than anyone else's.

Great.......2000-11-15

Cisco was one of the greatest folk singers ever and when most people were trying to be Elvis he stuck to folk which should have earned him some respect. Instead in many way he is the forgotten voice of american folk music. Buy this one now.

Average customer rating: John Herald One of the very best groups of the 60s folk revival Alligator men strike again Long Overdue Thank you, Vanguard, thank you thank you.

Best of Vanguard Years Greenbriar Boys Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Big Apple Bluegrass The Early Years (1958-1962) Close To Home: Old Time Music From Mike Seeger's Collection 1952-1967 Old Time Music Feed Your Babies Onions: Fat City Favorites ASIN: B00006EXM3 Release Date: 2002-08-13

Tracks:

1. Katy Clyne
2. I'm Coming Back But I Don't Know When
3. Stewball
4. Rawhide
5. Banks Of The Ohio
6. Pal Of Mine
7. We Shall Not Be Moved
8. We Need A Lot More Of Jesus
9. Girl On The Greenbriar Shore
10. Life Is Like A Mountain Railway
11. Down The Road
12. Rosie's Gone Again
13. Amelia Earhart's Last Flight
14. Other Side Of Jordan

Tracks:

1. Sleepy-Eyed John
2. Ragged But Right
3. McKinley
4. Levee Breaking Blues
5. A Minor Breakdown
6. Let Me Fall
7. The Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives Me
8. At The End Of A Long, Lonely Day
9. Yellin Holler
10. I Cried Again
11. The Train That I Ride
12. I Heard The Bluebirds Sing
13. Morning Train
14. Shackles And Chains
15. Chicken
16. Alligator Man
17. Russian Around
18. Up To My Neck In High Muddy Waters
19. Little Birdie
20. Prisoner's Song
21. Different Drum

Customer Reviews:

John Herald.......2005-08-02

Recently died. (...)

I love this cd set although I would love to have original lps (along with Dian and the Greenbriar Boys). His version of the Marty Robbins song "At the End of a Long Lonely Day" is just beautifully done, and in light of his recent death, a suicide, is really painful now.

This whole album is wonderful, especially those with Rinzler, who also died much too song. For an introduction to the Greenbriar Boys, this is way to go.

One of the very best groups of the 60s folk revival.......2005-05-13

My God, how I've missed my Greenbriar Boys recording and how happy I was when I saw they had FINALLY been reissued. They had a unique combination of musical expertise, respect for the music, a sense of humor, a haunting sound, and the ability to transform the songs so that rather than playing a slavish imitation of an old 78 recording, they created a sound that was respectful, exciting, and damned good music.

Alligator men strike again.......2004-01-29

Not all the best is issued here (you'll have to buy "Big Apple Bluegrass") but a fine collection nevertheless. It's amazing how these recordings stand the test of time. There's a huge esprit, unknown to a lot of modern albums...
Even if the lyrics sometimes make you go "uh", it's a brilliant buy. Honestly, I like the last record of the boys the best. The somehow "Nashville" tunes they did on "Better late than never" are truly brilliant. "Alligator man" blows me away.
I only hope the record with Di'an will be also re-released.
"Stewball" might be the best known, and really a brill tune, but there's so much more to discover....
Love it.

Long Overdue.......2003-12-15

Maynard Solomon, of all people, should turn his prodigious writing skills to the history of the Vanguard Recording Society during the years he and his brother (the late) Seymour owned and managed it (until the mid-1980's). Superb as Vanguard's classical recordings were, the real interest would be its recordings of the many talented artists then at the center of the US folk music storm of the mid-1960's: Joan Baez, the Weavers, Erik Darling, Ian and Sylvia, John Hammond, Sandy Bull, Buffy Ste. Marie, and the Greenbriar Boys, among others. Mr. Solomon could, if he chose to, provide fascinating insights on just how his recordings were so phenomenally consistent in their high artistic quality. Most of these artists eventually went on to other labels, but with what seemed to me like notably less satisfactory artistic results. And of course, the musical Zeitgeist was evolving and artistic livelihoods adjusting accordingly.

I continue to listen to those old Vanguard recordings from time to time, but, yes, perhaps with less and less frequency. Nonetheless, forty years on, it is unmistakably clear to me that the impact of the three full recordings by the Greenbriar Boys on the Vanguard label is a lasting one. The group, whether in its Ralph Rinzler or Frank Wakefield configuration, still awes with its musicianship, vocal delivery, and sheer verve.

The Greenbriar Boys were thought of as "Bluegrass" musicians; and it is true, they did play exceedingly well the music developed by Monroe, the Stanleys, Flatt and Scruggs, Reno and Smiley, et al. They won top prizes at hypercritical Union Grove Fiddlers Convention in North Carolina in the early 1960's as well as becoming the first non-Southern band to fire real interest in this music among young urban audiences residing outside the music's own heartland. However, what the Greenbriar Boys played and how they presented it very clearly reflected their great love and knowledge of the much broader spectrum of popular music of the South: music that predated Bluegrass or was evolving collaterally with it, as well as other more contemporary elements. As I recall the impact of a typical performance of the Greenbriar Boys (and I saw them in college, coffee house and the Newport Folk Festival settings), their own enthusiasm and sense of fun never failed to win over an audience -- attending a Greenbriar Boys' concert or performance was really, first and foremost, intensely fun. But, at the same time, you could sure tell how seriously they took the music, its roots, traditions, and idioms-- and how these might be used, moving forward. Listen particularly to the selections here from their final recording, "Better Late Than Never." For years I used to think it their "messiest" work. But now I see it as probably the best thing they ever did. With new members Frank Wakefield and Jimmy Buchanan, it just exploded with creativity and new directions, but -- Bob Yellin's stunning "Russian Around" notwithstanding (and be prepared for a truly amazing guitar break by John Herald here) -- never moving all that far from the country spirit.

The Greenbriar Boys were superb showmen and convincing musical advocates who, like the older musicians they so obviously venerated, brought their immense talents into the studio, and not the other way around. Even today, listening to any of their records, I think, "This is the way moms and pops everywhere must have listened 'back then,' as they gathered around nightly live radio presentations of The Grand Old Opry or WWVA Jamboree." I know that I still pore over every word and every note, just as I did forty years ago, to my continuing unalloyed delight.

See what you think.

Thank you, Vanguard, thank you thank you........2003-09-23

I had given up all hope that Vanguard would ever release this music on CD. Long ago I wore out my vinyls of everything these guys put out. This album combines most of what was on their 3 Vanguard albums, and the other new CD release--"Big Apple Bluegrass""--has nearly everything else, including "Roll On John" and Little Birdie," the 2 songs whose omission, with good reason, other reviewers lamented. This is great old time music, brilliantly selected, played and sung with spirit and intelligence. Now, if only Elektra would put out the wonderful album they did with Dian in the mid-60s...Then there was the solo album John Herald did.

Average customer rating: Phil Ochs, topical singer, poet, and genius phil at his confident best Pretty good compilation A poet who plays the guitar - Land of Power and Glory SUMS UP EARLY YEARS OF HIS MUSIC

The Early Years Phil Ochs Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: There But for Fortune There and Now: Live in Vancouver 20th Century Masters: Best Of Phil Ochs Tape From California Phil Ochs in Concert ASIN: B00004TFC7 Release Date: 2000-06-20

Tracks:

1. William Moore
2. What Are You Fighting For
3. There But For Fortune
4. Paul Crump
5. Talking Airplane Disaster
6. How Long
7. Davey Moore
8. Introduction - Peter Yarrow
9. Ballad Of Medgar Evers
10. Talking Birmingham Jam
11. Power & The Glory
12. Draft Dodger Rag
13. I Ain't Marching Anymore
14. Links On The Chain
15. Talking Vietnam Blues
16. Cross My Heart
17. Half A Century High
18. Is There Anybody Here
19. The Party
20. Pleasures Of the Harbor

Amazon.com

It was Phil Ochs's burden to have emerged just as Bob Dylan was hitting his stride. It seemed that Ochs was constantly playing catch-up, if not in his own mind, certainly in the consciousness of 1960s folk fans. Vanguard's 20-song Early Years collection offers seven tracks recorded in the early-60s for their Original New Folks anthology series while the remainder come from Newport Folk Festival performances from the mid-1960s. (Two previously unreleased tracks from the New Folks sessions, including "Davey Moore," surface here; interestingly enough, the ill-fated boxer chronicled in Ochs's song was also the subject of a Dylan tune.) Ochs, like Dylan, would become more introspective with the changing times, but this set captures the Texas-born firebrand at his most idealistic and topical, as he rails against war ("Draft Dodger Rag," "What Are You Fighting For") and oppression ("Ballad of Medgar Evers," "Talking Birmingham Jam"). The from-the-headlines tirades that dominate The Early Years may be dated, but Ochs sings them with such rousing conviction that a strange sense of immediacy seeps through. --Steven Stolder

Album Description

The earliest Vanguard recordings by this beloved Dylan contemporary plus live performances from the Newport Folk Festival and the unreleased tracks, 'Davey Moore' & 'How Long'. This CD release contains 21 tracks of Phil's early material.

Customer Reviews:

Phil Ochs, topical singer, poet, and genius.......2007-01-13

Amazing album. Phil Ochs is truly one of the most important musicians of all time- his talent for playing the guitar pailed in comparison to his talent for writing eloquent, meaningful, hard-hitting topical songs. Despite being effectively black-balled by the entertainment industry/socio-political powers that were, Ochs' songs, whether political, social, or personal, have deeply influenced all those who listen to his music and take his words to heart.

phil at his confident best.......2006-01-09

The non concert tracks sees Phil at his quietly persuasive in addressing the civil rights causes of the day, an early cut of 'There but for Fortune',Phil's equal exercise in universality to Dylan's 'Blowing in the wind' plus his totally hilarious standout studio cut 'Talking Airplane Disaster.'The 1963/1964 appearances at Newport show slightly different words to studio songs which flower in the rapturous applause building up by 'Links on the Chain.'With one exception, you see Phil in 1966 preview in acoustic form much more personal songs later cut in 'Pleasures from the Harbour'.They are valid alternatives in acoustic setting,and 'Cross my Heart' gains from this setting.

Pretty good compilation.......2001-09-29

This recording is a pretty good compilation of Phil Ochs'early recordings. Although I was disappointed at the short, live version of "I Ain't Marching Anymore" this is a CD worth having for anyone who wants a sample of his early works and doesn't want to pay for a multiple-CD set.

I'll admit that I only starting listening to Ochs after 1966 and was somewhat unfamiliar with his earlier works. This CD gave me an appreciation for the breadth of his songs. Of course, it was good nostalgia, too.

A poet who plays the guitar - Land of Power and Glory.......2001-09-07

Phil Ochs eventually committed suicide, but he left us behind some masterful works of social commentary. Track 11 of these "Early Years" - "Power and Glory" is my favorite:
----------------
Come on, and take a walk with me, through this green and growin' land
walk through the meadows and the mountains and the sand
walk through the valleys and the rivers and the plains
walk through the sun and walk through the rain [refrain]
--------
From Colorado, Kansas, and the Carolinas, too
Virginia and Alaska from the old and to the new
Texas and Ohio and the California shore
Tell me - who could ask for more? [refrain]
--------
Oh she's only as rich as the poorest of the poor
Only as free as a padlocked prison door
Only as strong as our love for this land
Only as tall as we stand. [refrain]
--------
{Repeat first verse]
--------
[Refrain]
Here is a land full of power and glory, beauty that words cannot recall
Oh her power shall rest on the strength of her freedom
Glory shall rest on us all - on us all.

SUMS UP EARLY YEARS OF HIS MUSIC.......2000-08-30

This album is awsome. I got it the first day it was out and i was thrilled. this will please any Ochs fan unless you already own live at newport(it has all those songs plus 2 unreleased songs plus 2 or 3 others you've probobly never heard of)Sorry if you got newport instead you got jacked. Buy this album NOW P.S.all Phil Ochs cds are 5 stars

Average customer rating: Roof Top Singers

Best of the Vanguard Years Rooftop Singers Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Revival | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Very Best of the Journeymen The Journeymen Golden Classics Michael, Row the Boat Ashore: The Best of the Highwaymen Definitive New Christy Minstrels ASIN: B00012FXPY Release Date: 2004-01-27

Tracks:

1. Walk Right In
2. Dip Your Fingers
3. You Don't Know
4. I'm Just Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail [#]
5. Shoes
6. Houston Special
7. Tom Cat
8. Cool Water
9. Hail John
10. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
11. Risselty, Rosselty [#]
12. Working on the Railroad
13. Somebody Came Home
14. Eighteen, Nineteen
15. Wild Mountain Thyme [#]
16. San Francisco Bay Blues
17. Hey Boys
18. Old Joe Clark
19. R. C. Frog
20. Swing Down, Chariot [#]
21. Those Brown Eyes [#]
22. Mama Don't Allow
23. I'm on My Way
24. Ha Ha Thisaway
25. Brandy Leave Me Alone
26. Twelve String
27. Good Time!

Customer Reviews:

Roof Top Singers.......2007-03-09

I was very pleased with the Roof Top Singers Vanguard package as I have been looking for years for the Tomcat song.I have found Vanguard records to have put out a Quality product.

Average customer rating: True Collection of "their Greatest Hits" Mitch and Mickey! (A Mighty Wind) If you have ears you need some Ian and Sylvia A great folk duo music built to last

Best of the Vanguard Years Ian & Sylvia Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Revival | Folk | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Ian & Sylvia - Greatest Hits Early Morning Rain Four Strong Winds Northern Journey Ian & Sylvia Play One More ASIN: B000009NLP Release Date: 1998-08-11

Tracks:

1. Early Morning Rain
2. The Circle Game
3. For Lovin' Me
4. You Were On My Mind
5. Four Strong Winds
6. Some Day Soon
7. Ninety Degrees By Ninety Degrees
8. The Mighty Quinn
9. Cutty Wren
10. Short Grass
11. Un Canadien Errant
12. When I Was A Cowboy
13. Changes
14. Gifts Are For Giving
15. Satisfied Mind
16. Keep On The Sunny Side
17. Play One More
18. Rocks And Gravel
19. Come In Stranger
20. Nancy Whiskey
21. This Wheel's On Fire
22. The Renegade
23. Mary Anne
24. Oh Katy Dear
25. The Greenwood Sidie (The Cruel Mother)

Amazon.com

Along with Gordon Lightfoot, the team of Ian Tyson and Sylvia Fricker represented the best that Canada had to offer during the folk boom of the early and mid- '60s. The duo's earthy voices and wraparound harmonies helped them become one of the most commercially successful '60s folk acts. And while they gained much attention for their interpretations of songs by the likes of Bob Dylan ("This Wheel's on Fire"), Joni Mitchell ("The Circle Game"), and the aforementioned Lightfoot ("Early Morning Rain"), it's their originals that remain evergreens 20-odd years after their mid-'70s split- up. To wit: Tyson's "Four Strong Winds" (covered memorably by Neil Young) and "Someday Soon" (a longtime staple of Judy Collins's repertoire), and Fricker's "You Were on My Mind" (a mid-'60s hit for the We Five). All of these, and plenty more, are found on this highly satisfying 25-song collection. --Billy Altman

Customer Reviews:

True Collection of "their Greatest Hits".......2007-05-12

This CD contains all the great sounds from Ian and Sylvia, from their earlier, acoustic work (my favorites) to later works with electrical guitars and orchestration. Ian ans Sylvia's perfectly matched harmonies, and their willingness to use songs from then "unknown" artists such as Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Leanord Cohen, Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs, just to mention a few, make Ian and Sylvia important leaders of the folk "revival" of the late 50's and early 60's. There is not a single "clunker" on this whole disk, and it is well worth the investment!

Mitch and Mickey! (A Mighty Wind).......2006-12-27

Not definative but pretty good throughout (except maybe the last few tracks). They were good until they tried to rock out. I'd grab a few other songs from their earlier works in place of anything they electrified. I prefer their original version of You Were on My Mind, the one hit for the We Five. I don't think Ian & Sylvia knew they had a hit on their hands. For you Mighty Wind Fans, this is Mitch and Mickey in a nutshell.

If you have ears you need some Ian and Sylvia.......2006-04-24

What distinguished Ian and Sylvia was a driving respect for music, and Ian strong roots in real Western music, and a musical integrity and ingenuity that surpassed that of most "folksingers" of their period. They never drifted off into the direction of smooth pop oriented singing. There might have been the usual attempt to take them in a "folk rock" direction in the last years they were together, something they did take seriously and made fun of from the stage of their performances in the late 1960s.

However, these recordings have a strength of their commiment to music that has the bite, the twang, the strength, and the snap of real folk music and of folk originated blues and country music. The standards of production particularly their work with the great guitarists Johnny Herald and Monte Dunn, not to mention Ian Tyson's own developing skill with the guitar, and the tastefulness of the ensembles has not been matched since in acoustic music.

Ian and Sylvia's music works now even when the pop folk sensibility that surrounded them has deservedly withered away. I spend a lot of time talking with, playing with, hanging out with people who treasure completely traditional folk music which is not at all what Ian and Sylvia ever pretended to play, although especially at the beginning it was one of their most important sources. I have found even three or four decades after the duo ended, that a tremendous respect and a lot of listening goes on to Ian and Sylvia which is not true for other folkies like Joan Baez or Bob Dylan.

Of course, Ian Tyson continued a great career of his own, longer and actually larger than what happened with Ian and Sylvia as a writer of songs rooted in his Canadian Western origins. The skills unveiled in songs like "You were on my mind" and "Four strong winds" have won Ian a bunch of Grammies and Junos (the Canadian equivalent). He is still out there performing, making great albums and being who he has always been, a straight shooter, a no bs artist.

Sometime in the 1980s, an urban legend appeared that is still strong that Sylvia Fricker had died, killed herself, or otherwise left this life. She is very much alive, still singing, and over the years has done great folk oriented shows for the CBC.

Oh, one thing I forgot.

Aside from all this analysis, Ian and Sylvia are just so darned good that anyone with ears desperately needs to have as much of their music as they can either afford or steal!

There is now a complete recordings set out on CD from Vanguard and if you can afford that, you might want to get it.

A great folk duo.......2001-12-31

I may be a minority of one but Ian and Sylvia are my favorite of the 60s folk groups. Sylvia has an earth-mother voice, Ian is a good picker and writes great songs, and they had a Canadian accent to their music which made them different from the legions of American groups. Cowboys are Ian's favorite subject and his "Four Strong Winds" is one of the greatest folk songs ever. It's about a drifter, and his girl, and goin' out to Alberta in the Fall. He also wrote the definitive rodeo song: "Some Day Soon." Judy Collins possibly did it better than Ian and Sylvia, but just barely.
One of the best songs is "The Renegade" by Ian, a defiant declaration by an American -- or rather Canadian -- Indian. Sylvia does a Dylan song, "This Wheel's on Fire," and makes it sound like a song that Dylan didn't write. "Nancy Whiskey" is a anti-drinking song, that made me want a drink. "Rocks and Gravel" is a bluesey, bass-heavy chain gang song. Ian and Sylvia's version of "Early Morning Rain" is one of the best. "Ninety Degrees by Ninety Degrees" is incomprehensible and un-folk, but the vocal harmonies are intriguing.
Ian bought a ranch in Alberta with the money he made from "Four Strong Winds." Just like in the song, Sylvia chose not to live out there where the "winds blow lonely" and there "ain't too much to do." That was the end of Ian and Sylvia. Life imitates art.

music built to last.......1999-01-09

Amazing how Ian and Sylvia's music, which some purists once foolishly dissed as too slick and commercial-sounding to pass the authenticity test, holds up more than three decades after the passing of the folk revival that brought them out of Canada and onto the international stage. Ian Tyson, once again a significant figure on the folk scene, is today the undisputed king of the new cowboy music. Probably he has fans who've never heard, or even heard of, the songs he and partner, subsequent wife, and finally ex-wife Sylvia Fricker Tyson recorded in the 1960s. This generally well-chosen set, taken from their classic Vanguard recordings, is a chance to hear the duo, depending on where you're coming from, for the first or yet one more time. There's a good mix of the couple's originals, including hits such as "You Were on My Mind," "Four Strong Winds," and "Some Day Soon," covers of Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Johnny Cash, Phil Ochs (whose "Changes" is a highlight here), and Bob Dylan, and traditional songs and ballads. Among these last are the gorgeous French-Canadian "Un Canadien Errant" and an affecting rendition of the Caribbean sailor's lament "Mary Ann," plus solid readings of Anglo-Celtic-American standards "Nancy Whiskey," "Katy Dear," and "The Greenwood Sidie." On the other hand, "Rocks and Gravel," from the African-American prison-song tradition, needs more vocal heft than the Tysons are able to bring to it. Among the newer material David Rea's pretentious "Ninety Degrees by Ninety Degrees" makes an unwelcome reappearance. Ian's "Play One More," surely his most uninspired composition (hobbled, moreover, with a clumsy arrangement), comes inexplicably out of moth balls, leaving the listener to wonder why a neglected masterpiece like "Four Rode by" was left hanging in the closet. On the other hand, another overlooked jewel, "The Renegade," among the finest of the many splendid songs Ian has composed, is here in all its tragic glory. All in all, with the exceptions noted, this is music built to last.

Average customer rating: Variable Hammond the epitome of a bluesman working his trade

Best of the Vanguard Years Jr. John Hammond Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: So Many Roads Got Love If You Want It Push Comes to Shove Wicked Grin John Hammond ASIN: B00004BYZK Release Date: 2000-02-22

Tracks:

1. 32-20 Blues
2. Statesborough Blues
3. Seventh Son
4. Drop Down Mama
5. Going Back To Florida
6. Ask Me Nice
7. Hellbound Blues
8. I'm Ready
9. I'm A Man
10. Keys To The Highway
11. No Money Down
12. I Live The Life I Love
13. Big Boss Man
14. So Many Roads, So Many Trains
15. Who Do You Love
16. I Want You To Love Me
17. You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover
18. O Yea!
19. Who's Been Talkin'
20. Pretty Thing
21. Last Night
22. I Wish You Would
23. Guitar King

Amazon.com

John Hammond's particular genius is simply this: he can take a classic blues tune and play it how it's meant to be played, whether it's Delta or Chicago, uptempo or slow. Best of the Vanguard Years provides an excellent introduction to Hammond's work, showcasing as it does much of what made him a national artist in the first place. His early work for Vanguard is some of his best, making this collection a near-perfect set of classic blues. A key moment for recognizing Hammond's talent for stylistic variety comes in the juxtaposition of tracks seven and eight, "Hellhound Blues" and "I'm Ready." Putting these Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters classics next to each other highlights the issue nicely: Hammond really is that good. He goes gut-deep on every track, too; this is probably one of the best takes of "Big Boss Man" on record, and his version of "I Want You to Love Me" is sexy enough to make your stereo sweat. Required listening all around. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

Variable Hammond.......2006-09-10

John Hammond Sr., the Columbia Records executive, gave his estranged 19-year-old son a test-pressing of the forthcoming Robert Johnson LP in 1961, and it was to have a marked influence on his life. Three years later he recorded his first album for Vanguard, featuring some Robert Johnson and other Mississippi blues numbers, as well as Lightnin' Hopkins' 'Going Back To Florida', included here. His second album the following year continued the solo trend, with more reworkings of songs by Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, and John Estes making up the content, as well as the more citified Chicago sound of Willie Mabon, all to be heard on the first four tracks of this CD.

As one of the few pioneering white bluesmen of the early 1960s, Hammond demonstrates a commendable command of the style, with his guitar work particularly impressive. The voice is a different matter - the liner-notes describe it as 'callow' - and when Hammond dropped his solo guitar role in favour of a bigger, electric band, the overall quality of his performances seems diminished. Listening again to these larger group sides, after many years, I'm struck by how similar Hammond's vocal phrasing was to that of Mick Jagger's. But perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised; The Stones were a major success at the time, and a role-model for many white boys on how to sing and play the blues. Whatever, it's probably no coincidence that Hammond chose to be backed by Bill Wyman's bass on a 1967 album for Atlantic.

Of particular interest is the inclusion here of six tracks from Hammond's 'So Many Roads' LP, cut in 1965 with a group comprising Robbie Robertson, guitar, Garth Hudson, organ, Levon Helm, drums, Charlie Musselwhite, harmonica, and Michael Bloomfield, piano. The first three musicians had been members of Ronnie Hawkins' backing group, The Hawks, responsible for laying down, in 1963, some memorable tracks, including a definitive version of Bo Diddley's 'Who Do You Love'. This track is tackled here by Hammond and the boys, but the comparison is odious. In fact, there's really no comparison at all, although it's always good to hear Robertson's guitar wailing out. Another visitor to the studio during that particular session was Bob Dylan. Although he didn't contribute, he was evidently sufficiently impressed by the ex-Hawks to begin performing with them later that year, renaming them The Band.

The final two tracks represent a return to solo work by Hammond, from a 1976 album, and find him in a more mature and acceptable form, with 'Guitar King' especially pleasing. A couple of previously unreleased tracks are also included, one of them, 'Hellhound Blues', being a fine cover of the Robert Johnson classic. So, a varied compilation of Hammond's output, with more enjoyment to be obtained from his solo work.

the epitome of a bluesman working his trade.......2005-12-24

Brilliant! There is so much acoustic blues here, one hardly knows where it starts or ends. This is Hammond as only Hammond can be. Soulfully done blues you can ease thru a rainy day with. I highy suggest this album to any Hammond fans or to any blues fans. What are you waiting for?

Average customer rating: Traditional Bluegrass at its Best

The Early Years Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Band Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Traditional | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Hand-Picked: 25 Years Of Bluegrass On Rounder Records Appalachian Stomp: Bluegrass Classics Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza ASIN: B000007RYZ Release Date: 1998-07-14

Tracks:

1. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
2. Footprints In The Snow
3. Sweetheart, You Done Me Wrong
4. Blue Grass Stomp (Instr.)
5. Toy Heart
6. Blue Grass Special (Instr.)
7. Kentucky Waltz
8. Rocky Road Blues
9. Travelin' This Lonesome Road
10. When You Are Lonely
11. Wicked Path Of Sin
12. Blue Grass Breakdown (Instr.)
13. Little Community Church
14. Blue Yodel #4

Amazon.com

These are the songs that introduced bluegrass music to the world. The 14-song collection spans the band's first three incarnations, and thus, is useful as a tool to measure Monroe's incredible progress between 1945 and 1949 (although the songs are not sequenced chronologically). Four cuts come from 1945, with Tex Willis (guitar), "Stringbean" Akeman (banjo), and Sally Ann Forrester (accordion!) joining Monroe's hot mandolin and Chubby Wise's lonesome fiddle. "Kentucky Waltz" stands out from this session. The eight recordings from 1946 and 1947 introduce Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs to the fray and find the Boys in peak form---for this band or any other band. "Blue Moon of Kentucky," "Toy Heart," the gospel "Wicked Path of Sin," Jimmie Rodgers's "Blue Yodel #4," and the instrumental "Blue Grass Breakdown" are definitive statements of the genre. The final two tracks feature Mac Wiseman on guitar and on one lead vocal. A worthy single-disc alternative to Columbia's concurrent two-CD package. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Traditional Bluegrass at its Best.......2000-08-15

For the fans of good traditional bluegrass, this is a must. Mac Wiseman is featured on many cuts as well as "stringbean" and many others. The mid to late forties were a time of true development of Bill's style of playing, with bold solos and powerful fill-ins and chopping rhythms. This CD is like a "greatests hits" collection of the 2 CD set "The Essential Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys 1945-1949". A must have!!!

Music Album:

1. The Way Back to Texas
2. Top Tunes Karaoke CDG Fun Pack TTFP-7&8 v2; Faith Hill & Tim McGraw, Shania Twain and Alan Jackson [Karaoke]
3. Touchstones
4. Try And Try Again [Import] [Live]
5. Vicki Vann
6. Vintage Banjo
7. When the Sun Goes Down
8. World Famous Dobro
9. You're Where I Belong [CD-single] [Import]
10. 13

Music Album