Dim Lights, Thick Smoke & Hillbilly Music: Country & Western Hit Parade 1963

Product Review

After the volumes covering 1945-1960 were released, the word was out. This series is definitive, fabulously packaged, and faultlessly remastered! In short, everything you'd expect from Bear Family...and more! Jack Clement, who produced Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Waylon Jennings, Don Williams, Charley Pride, and many others, said, 'This is the best country series of all time. No doubt. No question.' Robert Hilburn in the 'Los Angeles Times' said, 'An invaluable album project...enables fans to step back in time and listen to the radio just like Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and Bob Dylan did.' Producer Allen Reynolds (Garth Brooks, Emmylou Harris, and many others) stopped Bear Family's Richard Weize at the Country Music Hall of Fame to congratulate him on the series.

Now the story continues from 1961 until 1965. Every CD is generously full. Every booklet is extensive and chocked full of rare photos and illustrations, as well as complete stories behind the songs! In addition to the hits, the series contains rarities that went on to influence country music...and all music...in the years ahead. This series is designed to introduce new listeners to the very best that country music has to offer...while keeping longtime fans entertained. Every volume is a fabulous time capsule. This is the music that influenced the White Stripes, Gillian Welch, Gram Parsons, Nick Cave, and many, many others. This is the music that gave birth to California country rock. This is the music that influenced the Beatles and many other seminal bands. In other words, this is the true and uncensored history of country music. Everything you need to hear, year-by-year, as it happened!

Picking up the story in 1961 and continuing until 1965, this new batch includes original versions of classic hits and also includes neglected classics and shoulda been hits like Claude Gray's I'll Just Have A Cup Of Coffee (covered by Bob Marley in 1962!), Wynn Stewart's Big Big Love (now a TV commercial song), Anita Carter's original version of Ring Of Fire, the original Australian version of I've Been Everywhere, Loretta Lynn's Success (covered by Sinead O'Connor), Billy Walker's original version of Funny (How Time Slips Away), Ray Price's classic full-length version of Willie Nelson's Nite Life, Billy Grammer's original version of Detroit City (titled I Wanna Go Home), Johnny Cash's controversial native American song Ballad Of Ira Hayes plus Peter LaFarge's original version.

There's even more! Incredibly detailed 72-page books go with every CD featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes stories, rare photos, record label shots, and complete discographical information.

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