I have the three Everly Brothers boxsets and the studio outtakes disc. That's all, so there probably my favourites!! Philip
Also mine was "Singing Ranger vol. 1" in late 1991! The first single cd was Don Gibson's "Legend in my time" always in 1991.
I have more than 180 Bear box-sets and thousands of their single cds and dvds... probably for me the favorite of all is Jim Reeves' 16 cds box-set (just because I am a great Reeves' fan)!
Opps! You're right. Case of thinking one thing and typing another! Different countries as well. Yikes!
The Hank Snow Thesauraus Transcriptions box set ... recorded at Hank's home studio, so rather more relaxed in feel than the rather than the formal studio recordings - and including several tracks he never recorded commercially ... nice mix of songs and instrumentals, with just the Rainbow Ranch Boys - no Nashville frills!
You're not gonna believe this, but I bought my Hank Snow also in late 1991 and my favorite of the Bear box sets is also Jim Reeves!! How cool is that?
Also: The Browns "The Three Bells" - sublime 'Feel good' country! Bill Clifton: Around The World To Poor County - superb bluegrass collection, easier-on-the-ear than most bluegrass. Rex Griffin -"The Last Letter" - some great guitar! Hank Snow - all four Singing Ranger box sets (although Thesaurus Transcriptions is my No. 1)
That's true. I think it took me about ten years to make up my mind, weigh pro and cons, etc, but in 2009 I finally bought the Billy Vaughn set. By now other labels have released that same DOT material in various configurations, but I think the BF 6-CD set was the first to put it out on CD. These sets are quite expensive for me, as I live in Brazil (import tax, shipping, etc), but I had to own this one.
Bear Family has taken notice of this thread and posted a link to it on their Facebook page, which in turn prompted quite a few additional comments there from other folks regarding their fave BF releases: https://www.facebook.com/BearFamilyRecords
I have all the box you mentioned but "Phoenix Panorama" and Chuck Berry. My top Five: Jim Reeves 16 cds set, Johnny Horton 9 cds set, Waylon vol 1 & 2, Don Gibson vol. 1, "Lili Marlene" (various artists).
Brenda Lee box with early Owen Bradley albums and fab hard bound book, also single disco comp by pop-disco singer Su Kramer with German version of a college fave rave, "You"ve Got the Power."
I don't have many Bear Family releases but like those I have so I'd say my favorites are: Bailey Brothers cds. Nellie Lutcher set. Ella Mae Morse set. Deutsches Jazz Festival set.
I wish more people had an opportunity to see the two huge books that came with the "Black Europe" mega-box. As great as any other Bear Family book, and multiply it by ten (not in size, but in both design and content that is absolutely unique in the world of publishing). Here's an idea: Though it would be expensive, I would like to see slip-cased collections of Bear Family books that are associated in some distinct way, with each of the books having a binding and spine in a similar design concept. Books that could go together within one slipcase might be those artists associated together within a time period or particular style (such as one slip case with all of the classic honky-tonk singers; one for vintage bluegrass; one for classic rockabilly/rock'n'roll; one for classic pop singers; etc.). Books that are currently paperback might be collected together, and redesigned within a new hardcover edition.
I've looked at the "Black Europe" release on BF's site. I would love to have a copy but it's out of my league price wise. It looks beautiful and the books look out of this world. I think I would enjoy the music and it would take years to dig through all of it. I'd even consider buying the books apart from the CD's because they seem to be overfilled with pictures and plenty of historical information. A big important set of music. It's the same with the 2 Paramount Records box sets. I'd love to own them and would listen to them but the expense is more than I can do. If that long lost, wealthy relative would just show up and I've been waiting for years.
The Paramount boxes made a terrible mistake, in my opinion, by putting the bulk of the music on a memory stick only (in mp3, I believe, not flac). They know their box is really for collectors, and that collectors want something that might be durable. At least put the data on properly manufactured data DVDs. Anyone can put stuff on a $10 flash drive that can disintegrate anytime. I hope (and expect) that Bear Family would never say: "Here is the music on a cheap flash drive, and while we are at it, we'll raise the price to $500".