The first-ever release of some incredible funky folk tunes from vocalist Susan Christie – originally recorded as demos in the years before her work at Columbia Records, and arguably even better than those classic singles! Backings here are by John Hill, who inflects Susan's folksy style with a heavier undercurrent – one that's subtly funky at the best moments, and which also pushes fuller strings and more baroque instrumentation into the mix – all in a way that almost sounds like David Axlerod might, had he started making folk records! Titles include the amazing 9 minute "Yesterday, Where's My Mind" – a funky mini-suite that's worth the price of the record alone – plus "Paint A Lady", "Rainy Day", "Ghost Riders In The Sky", "Echo In Your Mind", "When Love Comes", and "For The Love Of A Soldier". LP, Vinyl record album

John Fahey rewrites the sound of America – here in a wonderful set that stands as one of the real highlights from his Takoma Records years! Tracks are a mix of public domain material from America's past, mixed with plenty of Fahey originals – and all material receives both fantastic Fahey arrangements and performance – with a sublime tone that's filled with color, life, and lots of dark little corners as well. Echoes of older string and blues modes come into the mix – but with a very contemporary, modernist expression – as John reworks an older version of American to balance a country forever changed by the 60s. Titles include "The Voice Of The Turtle", "Knoxville Blues", and "Mark 1:15". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary Charlie Feathers is best known as one of the rawest rockers on the Memphis scene of the 50s – but during the decade, he cut some of his best work for King Records in Cincinnati – a label who captured the dynamic energy of Charlie with the same skill they brought to their R&B work at the time! These sides are completely smoking – arguably some of the best recordings that Feathers cut during this initial burst of activity – work that we'd stand side by side next to some of the best that Sun Records has to offer – and by that, we'd even include some of the famous giants on that label! Both Charlie's guitar work and vocals are wonderfully distinct – and titles include "When You Decide", "Too Much Alike", "One Hand Loose", "Bottle To The Baby", "Everybody's Loving My Baby", "Can't Hardly Stand It", "Nobody's Woman", and "When You Come Around". (Rock, Folk/Country) CD

A really special album in the career of the great Merle Haggard – a moment when he really started looking back to give credit to those who inspired him – and when he was also really able to express himself in a longer format too! Part of the credit might go to Capitol Records, who trusted Merle so much they not only let him record a concept album, but a 2LP set as well – plenty of space for Haggard to deliver some great spoken passages about the great Jimmie Rodgers, his life, and music – then move into some of Jimmie's classics, but updated nicely with a vibe that's very much Merle's own! Given the way that Hag was stretching out his vocal skills tremendously at the end of the 60s, there's a sense of inflection that's perfect for the bluesy currents of the songs – on titles that include "Blue Yodel No 4", "Waitin For A Train", "Mother The Queen Of My Heart", "My Old Pal", "No Hard Times", "Travelin Blues", "Down The Old Road To Home", "Jimmie's Texas Blues", "Train Whistle Blues", and "Mule Skinner Blues" – plus the classic train song "Hobo Bill's Last Ride". CD

Pure greatness! This set compiles all of the early work of the one and only Hag, from his early days at the indie Tally Records, through his first several years at Capitol. Pretty much everything Hag recorded up to and including Mama Tried – and not a stinker in the bunch! Includes all of the early album tracks plus singles and alternate versions, including "I Threw Away The Rose", The Bottle Let Me Down", "Mama Tried", "I'm A Lonesome Fugitive", "Green Green Grass Of Home", his absolutely perfect version of "Folsom Prison Blues" – all of the greats! Also included in the fantastic package is a huge book full of info about Hag's, let's just say, interesting personal life, recording details, tons of photos – flawless! CD

Southern hillbilly soul from Fern Jones – a minister, church singer and songwriter with a real feel for the secular shake of 50s Sun Records, honky tonk, and shout blues – a pure evangelical with a worldly groove! Fern worked the gospel circuit of tent and church shows for many, many years – but only recorded two albums, this one for Dot/Paramount. Fern sings in the torch country style of Patsy Cline, often with spare rockabilly-styled guitar and drums backbeat. This album is probably most noteworthy for the classic song "I Was There When It Happened" – co-written by Fern Jones and made famous by Johnny Cash. It's especially legendary because it was the only gospel number Sam Phillips allowed Cash to include on his first LP. But Fern's album is more than worthy of a late discovery – she's a true pioneer, fearlessly blending the Lord's work with the Devil's music – at a time when such poles were anathema for most artists, fans, and record labels alike! Original album tracks include "You Ain't Got Nuthin'", "I Do Believe", "Be Thankful You're You", "I Ain't Got Time", "Let Tomorrow Be" – plus the bonus tracks "When I Meet You", "By And By", "I Don't Care What The World May Do" and "This World Is Not My Home". CD

If you've only heard George Jones in later years, when he was the king of the heartbreaking ballad, you'll find plenty here to discover – as his early recordings for Starday Records are something else entirely – and almost have George hitting a rockabilly mode at times! This set's got some of Jones' best early singles for the Texas label, plus some overlooked gems – wrapped together to offer a wonderfully vibrant picture of a superstar in the making – already a singer with a voice that few folks could match, equally well-suited to catchy upbeat numbers and some of the more heartfelt tracks that offset things nicely. Titles include "Accidentally On Purpose", "Tall Tall Trees", "No Money In This Deal", "Too Much Water", "If I Don't Love You", "Why Baby Why", "Eskimo Pie", "How Come It", "Accidentally On Purpose", "Hold Everything", "Maybe Little Baby", "Rock It", "Mexican Boogie", "Gonna Come Get You", "Taggin Along", "That's The Way I Feel", and "You Gotta Be My Baby". CD

A really fantastic album from Leo Kottke – the kind of 70s material that really set him apart from the rest, and which really gave him a special place away from the acoustic underground of the time! Kottke started out with a album on Takoma Records that was every bit as great a guitar classic as his famous labelmates like John Fahey and Robbie Basho – but by the time of this mid 70s live date, he'd evolved to a level where his guitar playing was even more incredible than before, but also matched with slight vocalizations, and a sense of wit that always helped avoid any too-posturing modes that might have got in his way. At some level, it's almost as if Leo were developing this personality in which the rest of himself was a way of distracting from the genius of the work of his fingers on the guitar – while he was quietly using that instrument to knock you over the head with all these unusual tunings and phrasings. Titles include "June Bug", "Standing In My Shoes", "Hear The Wind Howl", "Eggtooth", and "The Fisherman". (Rock, Folk/Country) CD

Stringbean may look a bit silly on the cover, but he's a dead serious banjo player – one of the greats of his generation, and an artist who's sometimes overlooked on his instrument, because of a penchant for humor in his live performances! And although some of the songs here have a bit of wit at the start, once things get going, Stringbean's in that great mix of old time styles that the Starday Records label was hitting hard in the 60s – one of the few strong outlets for more country-flavored work on banjo, at a time when so many of the folk revival kids wanted things steered a bit more their way! Needless to say, you probably never would have caught Stringbean headlining a club in the Village – but that difference is what makes a record like this so great to discover – as you'll hear on titles that include "Birdie", "Don't Bob Your Hair Girls", "Herdin Cattle", "Keep My Skillet Good & Greasy", "Give Me Back My Five Dollars", and "Wake Up Little Betty". CD

Volumes 1-3 in Tompkins Square's masterful compilations of both rare vintage and the deepest modern acoustic guitar folk experimental instrumentals – in a single package that's a perfect intro to the series if you're like us and late to get in on it! The material is in the Takoma Records realm of adventurous, genre melding (or skirting) greatness – stunning stuff that blends older recordings by masters both iconic and obscure, newer recordings by pivotal figures, and modern work by younger artists that are just as awe inspiring, and the mix of old and new is seamless! Volume 1 includes "Imaginational Anthem" by Max Ochs, "Bouba's Bounce" by Brad Barr, "White Mule III" by Jack Rose, "Untitled" by Sandy Bull, "O Holy Night" by John Fahey and more. Volume 2 includes "River Of Heaven By James Blackshaw, "Future Shot At Life" by Peter Lang, "Leaving The Apple" by Michael Chapman and more. Volume 3 includes "Zocalo" by Richard Crandell, "Sleep Architecture" by Greg Davis, "Goblins" by George Stavis, "Texarkana 1971" by Shawn David McMillen and much more. CD