Ok, let's get back on track and focus on getting these box sets released soon. I need some new music...
That's always been my main issue. The artwork really lets this great box set series down. Waylon's albums mostly featured aesthetically beautiful artwork. I know, I know, it's all about the music... But...still...
I have always thought that the graphics (books included) of nearly all Bear Family products were excellent. Bear Family is one of the only companies to get book layout right, with photos well presented and text that is actually readable
I agree as for the hardcover books themselves. It's the front cover of the Waylon Jennings box sets as well as the CDs that I don't care for. That said, I do think that Bear Family has improved in this regard with the Buck Owens box sets, etc.
Kitty Wells deserves more attention on this thread and certainly deserves at least a second boxset from Bear Family. After all, she was the "Queen of Country Music" and certainly the greatest woman singer of the honky tonk era. Her stage name was obviously an adopted name, as she was born Ellen Muriel Deason. The wikipedia page on her mentions that she took her name from an old song called "My Sweet Kitty Wells". I just came across a book in my collection, published in 1928 by WLS (the radio station out of Nashville) titled "My Favorite Mountain Ballads and Old Time Songs". It includes the song, "My Sweet Kitty Wells". It is the song of a slave (or ex-slave) whose love, Kitty Wells, had died before the day they were to be married. This little book is probably where Kitty and her husband found the name that she made famous.
Someone should start a collector's label called "Bare Family" to create sets that complete some of the unfinished work of Bear Family. You won't get the fine books or access to masters, but at least you can enjoy the rare music that has rarely if ever been reissued. I won't post the trademark emblem for Bare Family, as the post might be censored.
I'd love that! My initial reaction though, is a lot of that post 74, has been released on CD, including his MCA recordings. My second reaction, well so had a lot of the 'Bare/Silverstein' material that Bear have just done. So why not? Throw in all of the RCA albums, including the one's they put up this year that were 'streaming/download only'. The amazing 'Waylon Live' 2CD collection of material. The MCA/Epic albums. Then the other oddities... Ol' Waylon sings Ol' Hank, the great return to RCA album, Waymore's Blues pt2, Right For The Time & Closing In On The Fire, Never Say Die, which are all out of print. You have the 'Go Down Rockin' album, both versions. A few live releases, like through 'Cracker Barrel' and Shooter's BCM label.... There would also be enough material to compile a 'duets' collection. And that's only the released stuff...... What other treasures are hiding in the vaults? Yeah, bring it on, Waylon part 3.
I wish there were boxes with similar regional concepts, but rather dedicated to vintage country and honky tonk rather than rockabilly. To quote Chuck Berry: Too much monkey business and not enough mournful wailing with fiddle and steel.
On each of the four (so far) BE!-Sharp boxes there are plenty of wailing steel, fiddle and plaintive yodeling. The compilers seem to have a soft spot for one-off country/gospel toetappers on mom'n'pop labels (catalog numbers are always "101" or "501"). On the Alabama set there's (among others) two gospel singles from Jimmy Murphy (who had a connection to Carl Story) on Loyal Records with titles like »Half A Loaf Of Bread«, »Little David Play On Your Harp« and »Holy Ghost Millionaire«. Murphy later joined his fathers bricklayer business.
Just ordered these 2: The Florida Box for $134.99 Florida Box, The (CD) The Michigan Box for $164.99 Michigan Box, The (CD) Could not find The Texas Box anywhere for a decent price.
I think Tribute was more referring to slow country weepers than upbeat country boppers. Trouble is there's less of a collector's market for it. Songs that sound like "There Stands the Glass" don't regularly trade hands for three-figure sums. Would those Jimmy Murphy tracks be the same versions released on the REM or Ark labels? This Ace CD has those songs, but not listed as Loyal releases. Southern Roots
There has not been as much market for vintage country in the styles of such artists as Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, Jimmie Rodgers or the Carter Family since 1956. But that did not stop Bear Family in its first 30 years or more from being the definitive label for such music. I have the first three regional boxsets. My view is that they are predominantly rockabilly/R'n'R, with some R&B and just a little vintage country. In many cases, when a country artist is included, the recording tends to reflect that artist trying to reach a R'n'R audience. There was such a wealth of vintage country style records made by small regional labels, and it continued in the years after Hank Williams death, and even after 1956, though diminished. Though I tend to prefer artist-based boxsets, most of these performers did not have large discographies. These types of compilation boxsets, whether based on geographic region or some other concept, of vintage country would be very welcome from Bear Family. Richard Weize has often been quoted that he did not create Bear Family Records to maximize profits.
Fair enough -- Truth be told, I was thinking more about Be! Sharp than Bear Family, as they don't often focus on straight country. Perhaps BF hasn't often taken that approach because of licensing headaches for all those tiny labels. I'd be really interested to see collections of vintage country music from regions not generally known for it, like the Pacific Northwest or New England.
Holy moley, you aren't kidding! I just checked the usual sources and was shocked to see the asking prices out there. Wonder if it's actually OOP or just awaiting an eventual repress. I picked up a copy about three years ago and at that time it could still be had for prices similar to what you paid for the others.
BE Records don't do reprints. What's gone is gone. Some of their Jazz projects like the FMP vinyl boxes (sometimes including 140-page books) sold out on pre-orders. Being hardcore collectors they apparently really don't do this "to maximize profits".
It's quite 'something'. The artwork can be redeemed offensive, granted, but, I see the humor in it all.... It's not for everybody. I wouldn't bring it out and show the kids.... The tracks on the collection are a treasure trove of odd Rockabilly one off recordings, or rare tracks. Lot's of 'innuendo' lyrics, it's a work of art as a collection. The album covers even give a little detail if it is known of the artist/label, when it was released.... Crazy collection to say the least! I bought it upon release, I had a few extra bucks at the time.... Glad I did now.
I have the CD box and I agree that it's a treasure trove of rare rockabilly. The mastering is top notch as well. I'm not offended by the artwork but I can see why others might be. Probably cost them a ton of sales.
