Doo Wop Rhino

The first two Rhino doo wop box sets were straightforward anthologies of the best music in the style, concentrating on big and small hits and the best overlooked rarities. The third installment is also a worthy chunk of the genre's better moments, yet it is definitely a notch or two below its predecessors. Part of the reason is that, as many doo wop records as there were, the lion's share of the great hits were already used up on the first two boxes.

Rhino's four-disc collection The Doo Wop Box may not contain every classic doo wop single ever recorded, but it comes damn close. Featuring 100 tracks, superb sound, and amazingly detailed liner notes, the set is one of the best various-artist box sets ever assembled; although these four discs will be all the doo wop some listeners will ever need, hopefully the set will make most listeners want to investigate the genre even further.

Rhino's first box set of doo wop classics was obviously successful enough to bring about a second, four-CD set. This time around, with all of the hits covered on the first box, the compilers have dug deep into the genre's history to put together a selection of some of the music's great sides, lesser-known hits, and rarities.

The title says it all! This is a CD of Christmas tunes sung by various doo wop artists. This CD was manufactured by Rhino and sold only at Target stores for Christmas 2007.

The Persuasions - Frankly A cappella: The Persuasions Sing Zappa (2000) {EarthBeat!-Rhino R279832} (Zappa-related)
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© 2000 EarthBeat! Records / Rhino Records | R279832
A cappella / Soul / Doo-Wop / R&B

Frank Zappa gave the vocal group the Persuasions their first chance by signing them to his record label, Straight, in 1969. In 2000, the six-piece a cappella formation recorded a heartfelt tribute to the composer by recording doo wop renditions of a cross section of his songs. Some choices were inevitable, like "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing," which the group had already performed on the project Zappa's Universe, and the already doo woppy "Any Way the Wind Blows" and "Love of My Life." But by adding obscure numbers like "Electric Aunt Jemima" and "Harder Than Your Husband," the Persuasions clearly intended to surprise the fans – and it works.

The "5" Royales - Monkey Hips & Rice (1994) {2CD Set Rhino R2 71546 rec 1952-1962}
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© 1952-62, 1994 King/Gusto Records / Rhino Records | R2 71546
Rhythm & Blues / Rock & Roll / Early R&B / Doo Wop / Jump Blues

The 5 Royales are legendary, primarily in the sense that their legend grew over the years, as the status of what they achieved began to be realized. Like many trailblazing groups, the 5 Royales made music that wasn't fully appreciated at the time and is pigeonholed into the influential but not heard category. This makes their list of accomplishments seem academic – they pushed through gospel and doo wop, incorporating jump and urban blues and, eventually, rock & roll, paving the way toward the soul of the '60s. Led by guitarist/songwriter Lowman Pauling, the group was remarkably versatile, stretching the accepted limits of what a vocal group could do, particularly because Pauling's guitar and earthy, soulful songwriting ignored boundaries and let the group follow suit.

Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention - Beat The Boots, Vol I (1991) {Rhino R2 70537~44 rec 1967-1982}
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© 1967-82, 1991 Rhino / FOO-EEE | R2 70537~44
Rock / Experimental Rock / Art Rock

Beat the Boots is a collection of bootleg recordings by Frank Zappa which were originally distributed illegally but were released officially by Rhino Entertainment in 1991. The recordings were available as individual CDs and as an LP or cassette box set. The eight discs span a fifteen-year period from September 30, 1967 ('Tis the Season to Be Jelly) to May 21, 1982 (two tracks on As an Am).

Five CD box set containing a quintet of original albums from this Blues/Rock/Pop outfit: "Live" Full House, Bloodshot, Ladies Invited, The J. Geils Band and The Morning After.

Little Willie John - Fever: The Best Of Little Willie John (1993) {Rhino R271511 rec 1955-1962}
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© 1955-62, 1993 King Records / Rhino Records | R2 71511
Early R'n'B / Doo-Wop / Roots / Gospel / Urban Blues

Little Willie John had a commanding delivery, remarkable projection and a charismatic sound that was both instantly recognizable and unforgettable. His magical singles are all contained on this superb 20-track anthology, arguably the best single-disc set of John material available. It includes his best-known song, "Fever" (Peggy Lee's cover version became a huge smash), plus such marvelous numbers such as "Home at Last," "Heartbreak (It's Hurtin' Me)" and "You Hurt Me." While John was a dynamic heartache wailer, he could also do excellent dance/novelty and double-entendre tunes such as "Let's Rock While the Rockin's Good" and "Leave My Kitten Alone." This anthology demonstrates why he's still held in such high regard throughout the world of R&B and soul.

In the late spring of 1972, after numerous invitations to reunite, the elusive Dion DiMucci finally agreed to perform – for the first time in 12 years – with the original members of the Belmonts in a one-off concert as part of a rock and roll revival show to be held at Madison Square Garden. The date was June 2, 1972. The arena was sold out and the atmosphere was electric. The legendary Bronx, New York-based vocal group had earned a reputation not only for topping the charts but for creating some of the most vital and exciting doo-wop music on the American scene. With songs such as “I Wonder Why,” "A Teenager In Love" and "Where or When," Dion and The Belmonts earned their place in the history books, while the group's pioneering role in the development of rock 'n' roll underscored their enduring accomplishments. For this magical night Billy Vera and his band would be the backing band. “It was like an earthquake. You could literally feel the stage shake.” - Billy Vera