Pivotal singles from the amazing Wanda Jackson – one of the greatest female rock and country voices from the 50s onward – who mixes a cutesy coo and a feral growl for a sound that was pretty much unprecedented at the time! The material bridges proto rock and country music in a way that confused the heck outta radio programmers and the label's hope to break her into superstardom back in the day – and Wanda had a voice that could've (and should've) made her a star on par with the Sun Studios boys club. She's tough and tender at the same time – and Capitol producer Ken Nelson is near the top of his game here, too. This really is the best of her Capitol singles – 29 in all – including "I Gotta Know", "Fujiyama Mama", "Honey Bop", "Did You Miss Me?", "Right Or Wrong", "Sinful Heart", "In The Middle Of A Heartbreak", "Mean Mean Man', "Sympathy", You Bug Me Bad", "Silver Threads And Golden Needles", "Rock Your Baby", "(Every Time They Play) Our Song", "Little Charm Bracelet", "No Wedding Bells For Joe", "Honey Bop" and more. CD

Music from John Snipes, Dink Roberts, Joe Thompson & Odell Thompson, Etta Baker & Cora Philips, John Jackson, Homer Walker, Irvin Cook & Leonard Bowles, 'Big Sweet' Lewis Hairston, John Tyree, Rufus Kasey and more. CD

A fabulous look at a new wave of music that hit the American scene at the end of the 60s – sophisticated songs with a deep sense of narrative that went way beyond the usual – first sprung by the world of country music, but with an influence that went on to touch all other styles too! This set goes right to the core – and brings together cuts from the hippest songwriters of the period, delivered in versions that may well be the best to ever make it on records – including a few tunes that will really come as a surprise if you think you know the artists from their hits! As you'd guess from the title, the world here is very similar to that in "Ode To Billie Joe" – a world that's also given great illumination by the detailed notes within. Titles include "Endless Miles Of Highway" by Jerry Reed, "If Only She Had Stayed" by Chris Gantry, "July 12, 1939" by Charlie Rich, "What Am I Doing In LA" by Nat Stuckey, "The House Song" by Lee Hazlewood, "Mr Jackson's Got Nothing To Do" by John Hartford, "Widow Wimberley" by Tony Joe White, "Mr Walker It's All Over" by Billie Jo Spears, "Drivin Nails In The Walls" by Waylon Jennings, "Four Shades Of Love" by Henson Cargill, "The Back Side Of Dallas" by Jeanne C Riley, "Way Before The Time Of Towns" by Hoyt Axton, "Down From Dover" by Dolly Parton, "Fabulous Body & Smile" by Sir Robert Charles Griggs, and "Why Can't I Come Home" by Ed Bruce. LP, Vinyl record album

A huge tribute to the long legend of country music on Capitol Records – with an especially strong focus on Bakersfield work! The set features 60 tracks in all – with work from Johnny Gimble, Merle Haggard, Louvin Brothers, Skeets McDonald, Tommy Collins, Jimmie Davis, Leon Payne, Tex Williams, Hank Thompson, Faron Young, Wanda Jackson, Joe Maphis, Dick Curless, Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant, Ferlin Husky, and others – but oddly no Buck Owens! LP, Vinyl record album

A heavy dose of rare TV performances – pulled from a Cali program that focused strongly on hillbilly sounds of the 50s, but also took time to feature some up-and-coming rockabilly acts too! The quality's about what you'd expect from 1950s TV, but the performances are great – and there's not much footage out there from some of these giant acts at the time! The DVD features 42 performances in all – great work from The Collins Kids, who were on the show all the time – plus more from Skeets McDonald, Jim Reeves, Merle Travis, Joe Maphis, Wanda Jackson, Johnny Bond, Mac Wiseman, Tex Carman, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Patsy Cline, and others! (DVDs & Videos, Folk/Country) DVD

One of the greatest live albums ever, and probably THE best album Johnny Cash ever recorded, properly reissued with the original sequence restored and uncensored! In 1969 Cash had more angst than you could shake a stick at – he just kicked drugs, and he hadn't had a big hit in years, so his respectful and thoughtful empathy for the audience of inmates not only cemented his persona as the real deal, but carries an air of dizzying emotion throughout the set. Appropriately filled with his darkest tunes, Folsom is one of the few cases in which a live recording of a hitmakers catalog is stronger and more vital than the studio versions. Includes "Folsom Prison Blues", "Dark As A Dungeon", "Cocaine Blues", "25 Minutes To Go", "Orange Blossom Special", "The Long Black Veil", "Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog", "Joe Bean", plus "Jackson" and "Give My Love To Rose" featuring June Carter. 2 previously unissued songs – "Joe Bean" and "The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer". CD

Music from Jackson County Barn Owls, Floyd County Ramblers, Nelstone's Hawaiians, Dave & Howard, Riverside Ramblers, Louisiana Rounders, Joe Werner And The Ramblers, Joe's Acadians, The Renfro Valley Boys with Karl & Harty, Lonnie Glosson, and more. CD

A stunning, funny, and truly great collection of ultra-rare female tracks from the mid 50s – lots of honky tonk and rockabilly stompers – cut for labels like Fraternity, King, Sandy, and even Sun Records, all pulled together in one wonderfully-themed collection! You'll probably never see this primordial, sludgy early rock and underground country next to those great early Wanda Jackson albums in the bins – but these tracks are all cut from the same cloth, and emote the same pith and vinegar, if not the same innate ability to let loose with sheer early rock power! Great stuff – dug from even deeper reservoirs than the Nuggets compilers dare to look – and the set list will show you that there's plenty to discover in the early years of female rock and roll. Tracks include "Skull & Crossbones", "Killer" and "Tiger" by Sparkle Moore, "Everlasting Love" by Barbara Pittman, "Ten Cats Down" by the Miller Sisters, "Dirty Dishes" by Jeani Mack, "I'm Leaving" by Linda Brannon, "Wille Joe" by the Mystery Trio, "Sugar Baby" by Helen Bozeman, "Three Young Chicks" by the Star Sisters. (Rock, Folk/Country) CD

Includes performances by Bill Monroe & The Blue Grass Boys, Jim & Jesse & The Virginia Boys, James Monroe & The Midnight Ramblers, Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys, Lester Flatt & The Nashville Grass, Carl Jackson, Gordon Terry, Howdy Forrester, Tex Logan, Buck Ryan, Curly Ray Cline, Lonnie Pierce, Joe Meadows, Clarence "Tater" Tate, Kenny Baker, Paul Warren, Randall Collins, and Jim Brock. LP, Vinyl record album

A fabulous look at a new wave of music that hit the American scene at the end of the 60s – sophisticated songs with a deep sense of narrative that went way beyond the usual – first sprung by the world of country music, but with an influence that went on to touch all other styles too! This set goes right to the core – and brings together cuts from the hippest songwriters of the period, delivered in versions that may well be the best to ever make it on records – including a few tunes that will really come as a surprise if you think you know the artists from their hits! As you'd guess from the title, the world here is very similar to that in "Ode To Billie Joe" – a world that's also given great illumination by the detailed notes within. Titles include "Endless Miles Of Highway" by Jerry Reed, "If Only She Had Stayed" by Chris Gantry, "July 12, 1939" by Charlie Rich, "What Am I Doing In LA" by Nat Stuckey, "The House Song" by Lee Hazlewood, "Mr Jackson's Got Nothing To Do" by John Hartford, "Widow Wimberley" by Tony Joe White, "Mr Walker It's All Over" by Billie Jo Spears, "Drivin Nails In The Walls" by Waylon Jennings, "Four Shades Of Love" by Henson Cargill, "The Back Side Of Dallas" by Jeanne C Riley, "Way Before The Time Of Towns" by Hoyt Axton, "Down From Dover" by Dolly Parton, "Fabulous Body & Smile" by Sir Robert Charles Griggs, and "Why Can't I Come Home" by Ed Bruce. CD