Definitely one of my favorites also. Sometimes I get so hung up on the search for the next set I'm going to buy, I forget about how much I actually have and how much I enjoy these sets. They fit into several different categories. The first is the sets I have like all of the Hank Snow sets, Lefty, Ernest Tubb, Faron Young (due to it being out of sequence), Marty Robbins (due to it being a hodge podge of recordings and not complete recordings) and others that kind of bog down in spots due to spotty material. These are the sets that I pick and choose songs to listen to. Awesome sets though. One set I have so much trouble listening to is the Ray Price set. When I first bought it, I noticed on songs like "Under Your Spell Again," the background vocalists weren't there like in the versions I remember. I have kind of put this set on the back burner for a while. Plus I kind of burned myself out on Ray Price years ago, but I will definitely get back in the groove for it one day. Then when I get to sets like Johnnie and Jack, I can listen to it from start to finish and follow along in the book, which to me, is the best book in a Bear Family Set. Johnnie has comments and stories for 99% of the songs. Other sets that I can listen to start to finish are Floyd Tillman, Merle Travis, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Stonewall Jackson. It took me a while, but all 3 of the Buck Owens sets are like this also for me, even with the Buckaroo Lp's thrown in the mix. I had the George Hamilton IV set since like 1996, and just a few years ago, I finally got into it. The book itself was worth the price alone.
I never knew much about George Hamilton IV, he only had a couple of hits down here. One day scrounging through a second hand shop, I picked up a pretty used US copy of 'Canadian Pacific'. Somebody loved this thing, as it looked pretty well used, split spine and all. I gave it a spin, and it played great! and boy was I delighted with the album. Must be those great deep groove records. The album has since had a lot more miles on it, and I still think it's a top record. Haven't spun it in a while, but I remember the album having little or no filler tracks.
The truth is, as big a star as Tennessee Ernie Ford was, he’s a bit neglected these days. I’d love to see a AAA vinyl reissue program,
They'll get my BF Louisiana Hayride box and my Mosaic Ellington sets when they pry them from my cold, dead fingers.
You Americans are lucky I live in Australia, I just might turn up on your doorstep for your Bear Family collections in incognito:
This is very true based on what I have heard through my contacts. I know when Real Gone Music was trying to get clearance for the two Fred Waring Christmas titles a couple of years ago, Universal Music told them they did not have enough personal to handle the requests for copyright clearances. RGM eventually secured copyright for the twofer Christmas CD, but it took a couple of years of effort. I got involved with RGM's stellar CD twofer of John Klein's A Christmas Sound Spectacular this year, which is coming out on November 2, as I have mentioned previously on this great thread. I wrote the liner notes for this iconic Living Stereo album release on CD. It took us two years and a lot of effort and Sony Music was not in a cooperative mood this year, which is rare for them according to everyone's previous experience with them. I believe that @Mychael is right on the money about what is going on here with the big labels. It is not just about greed, but manpower and the changing marketplace.
If you showed up at my house in that costume, I would let you stay for awhile as you enjoy my Bear Family collection (almost every box). I cannot guarantee that the State Environmental Police will not come to take you away.
You know how tempting that is to get away from work, find this particular costume, travel abroad for 20 something hours and turn up in this crazy outfit?......
One of my favorite songs went, "Ah, to be up and leavin' this town Headin' down the open road"...................
Wow, does this box set really come with all his original album sleeves in mini replica versions? I had no idea as I assumed that would not be the case.
Apart from 20 discs and a 264-page hardcover book the set also includes miniature paper sleeves of seven legendary Lefty albums. Type On A Sunday
In addition to other activities that bears are much better known for pursuing in the woods, they are really fond of relaxing with the Duke.
