"Barry Poss was to contemporary, roots-based music in the last quarter of the twentieth century what Ahmet Ertegun and the Chesses and Phillips were to pop music a quarter-century earlier—the founder of a quality music label, a label that consumers came to trust on its own merits. Most of his bicentennial competitors have fallen away, but Poss and Sugar Hill continue to thrive." --Jay Orr, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, from the box set liner notesFor 25 years and counting, Sugar Hill has maintained a tradition of integrity and quality as it explores new frontiers in music. Today, the eclectic Sugar Hill roster includes adventurous artists such as Nickel Creek, the Duhks, Sonny Landreth, Scott Miller and Sam Bush, as well as award-winning traditionalists like Dolly Parton and Tim O'Brien. Poss has handpicked tracks for SUGAR HILL RECORDS: A RETROSPECTIVE, a collection that illuminates 25-plus years of contributions to American roots music, and the evolution of the groundbreaking, Grammy-winning label.The massive SUGAR HILL RECORDS: A RETROSPECTIVE box set includes FOUR discs with 81 songs and a bonus DVD with exclusive artist interviews (TIM O'BRIEN, DOYLE LAWSON, JERRY DOUGLAS, and more), music videos, and archival photo gallery.The box set's 80-page booklet contains extensive liner notes by Poss including anecdotes and insights into the artists and times that shaped Sugar Hill’s legacy. Liners also include a historical perspective from Country Music Hall of Fame's Jay Orr, a well as artist reflections on the label and Poss.
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With four discs containing 81 musical selections and a bonus DVD of artist interviews, videos, and photos, one of Americana's leading indie labels celebrates its first 25 years. Actually, Sugar Hill passed the quarter-century mark in 2003, but such a handsomely packaged and lovingly annotated set arrives better late than never. Label founder Barry Poss made the selections and contributes anecdotes about each, with the sequencing following a chronological progression from 1978 to 2003. From its base in bluegrass, both traditional and progressive, the North Carolina label has subsequently branched into maverick Texas songwriters (Robert Earl Keen, Townes Van Zandt, Terry Allen, Guy Clark, James McMurtry) and bands as diverse as the Gourds, Bad Livers, and Donna the Buffalo. Though label stars such as Jerry Douglas, Nickel Creek (as a trio and in their solo efforts), and Dolly Parton are inevitably represented, the set also features the underexposed artistry of country singer John Starling and harmony trio Uncle Walt's Band. Though never signed to the label, Emmylou Harris provides harmonies all over the set, while Johnny Cash guests on two cuts. As Vince Gill notes in the accompanying booklet, "Whenever you bought music on Sugar Hill, even if it was by an artist you were unfamiliar with, you'd be pretty sure it was something pretty great." --Don McLeese
Title Tracks for Sugar Hill Records: A Retrospective
1. Could You Love Me One More Time - Ricky Scaggs
2. Mis'ry River - Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
3. Long Time Gone - John Starling
4. Moonshiner - Peter Rowan
5. Hey Porter - Marty Stuart
6. Little Rock Getaway - Mike Auldridge
7. One More Love Song - New Grass Revival
8. Church Street Blues - Tony Rice
9. One Way Track - Boone Creek
10. Why You Been Gone So Long - Chris Hillman
11. Keep Your Lamp Trimmed & Burning - Hot Rize
12. You Touched Me & Made Me Live Again - Jimmy Murphy
13. Come And Sit By The River - The Country Gentlemen
14. Ranger's Command - The Hillman
15. Greenville Trestle High - Doc Watson
16. More Pretty Girls Than One - Buck White
17. High On A Hilltop - The Osborne Brothers
18. Forked Deer - Berline-Crary-Hickman
19. Bury Me Beneath The Willow - Ricky Skaggs & Tony Rice
20. Don't This Road Look Rough & Rocky - Jonathan Edwards & The Seldom Scene
21. On The Sea Of Life - Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
22. Freeborn Man - The (Almost) Original New South
23. If You Ain't Lovin', You Ain't Livin' - Red Knuckles & The Trailblazers
24. Father I Stretch My Hand - The Nashville Bluegrass Band
25. High Hill - Uncle Walt's Band
26. The Bigger The Fool - Lonesome Standard Time
27. I'm Not Over You - Carl Jackson
28. Senor 4:01 - Tim O'Brien
29. Satan's Jeweled Crown - The Seldom Scene
30. Whiskey 'Fore Breakfast/Sailor's Bonnet - Mike Cross
31. Mariano - Robert Earl Keen
32. Rock Bottom Blues - The Nashville Bluegrass Band
33. At My Window - Townes Van Zandt
34. Nobody Knows But Me - Doc Watson
35. One Rose/Hot Buttered Rum - Red Clay Ramblers
36. Train Of Life 2:52 - Blue Rose
37. Mother I'm Lonely - Kukuruza
38. Unwed Fathers - Tim & Mollie O'Brien
39. Pig In A Pen - Old & In The Way
40. Trail Of Tears - Peter Rowan & The Nashville Bluegrass Band
41. Lord I've Been A Hard Working Pilgrim - Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
42. When You Go Walking - The Lonesome River Band
43. All Night Radio - Sam Bush
44. Can't You Hear Me Calling - Del McCoury
45. Rolling & Rambling (The Death Of Hank Williams) - Robin & Linda Williams
46. Dry Run Creek - The Seldom Scene
47. Shadow Ridge - Chris Thile
48. Let's Shake Loose - The Brother Boys
49. Way Long Timey Ago - The Red Clay Ramblers
50. For All I Know - James McMurtry
51. Tree King Creek - Psychograss
52. Out In The Parking Lot - Guy Clark
53. You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive - Darrell Scott
54. Gone To Texas - Terry Allen
55. Big Bug Shuffle - Edgar Meyer
56. The Hills That I Call Home 3:27 - Front Range
57. Sally Goodwin - Byron Berline
58. Bad Case Of The Blues - Laurel Canyon Ramblers
59. Dark End Of The Street - John Cowan
60. Let Me Be Your Friend - The Seldom Scene
61. Merry Christmas From The Family - Robert Earl Keen
62. I Walk The Line (Revisited) - Rodney Crowell
63. House Of Tom Bombadil - Nickel Creek
64. I Won't Be There - Don Rigsby
65. Dear Sarah - Scott Miller
66. Bound To Ride - Jim Mills
67. My Girlish Days - Mollie O'Brien
68. Man I'm Trying To Be - Ronnie Bowman
69. The Ant And The Ant - Sean Watkins
70. I've Got A Mule To Ride - Tara Nevins
71. Levee Town - Sonny Landreth
72. Bluegrass In The Backwoods - Aubrey Haynie
73. Club Manhattan - Jesse Winchester
74. Little Martha - Jerry Douglas
75. Yonder - Donna The Buffalo
76. Whisper In My Ear - The Gibson Brothers
77. Hallelujah Shine - The Gourds
78. Chickenshift - Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown
79. Lumpy Beanpole & Dirt - The Bad Livers
80. Decision At Gladys Fork - Bryan Sutton
81. I'm Gonna Sleep With One Eye Open - Dolly Parton
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(4 customer reviews)
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
A great boxed set, January 21, 2008
James W. Durney (Tampa Bay area) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sugar Hill Records: A Retrospective (Audio CD)
As the Nashville Sound developed, it ignored the market for traditional country music leading to the creation of Sugar Hill Records in 1978. This company was founded and continues to produce the best of traditional country music. They prefer to call their sound "roots-based contemporary music", which has merit. This is a combination of traditional sounds featuring old and new songs by some of our best artists. The four music CDs are outstanding and I've found it impossible to find a pick of the litter. The first CD covers 1978 to 1986, starting with a fine Ricky Skaggs song and includes Doc Watson, The Osborne Brothers and The Country Gentleman. The second CD covers from 1982 to 1996 with The Seldom Scene, another Doc Watson, Townes Van Zant and some classic tracks. CD number three contains Del McCoury, another Seldom Scene track coupled with some classic and cotemporary songs. The fourth CD, 1998 to 2003, starts strong with Rodney Crowell doing I Walk the Line (Revisited)...Read more
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
A Great Compilation, January 16, 2007
Bill (Colorado) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sugar Hill Records: A Retrospective (Audio CD)
This is a wonderful compilation of great songs from various Sugar Hill artists. They are all winners. It is a joy to listen to again and again. I strongly recommend it.
A brilliant album and a thorough, complete retrospective., April 16, 2011
Ericofcourse "Appalachian American" - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Sugar Hill Records: A Retrospective (Audio CD)
I waited on this for awhile since it isn't cheap, but man am i glad i finally got it! Full of gems from Sugar Hill's past. Really great selections and enough music to keep you busy for awhile! I haven't even touched the thick book or DVD that came with it (which i didn't expect) and the box is classy enough to display on your coffee table. Don't wait! If you are a fan of classic country, bluegrass, roots, etc., you'll find plenty that you like on these 4 discs!
(4 customer reviews) 
A great boxed set, January 21, 2008 
