Georgia

Bessie Jones, John Davis, and the Georgia Sea Island Singers gained wide renown during the 1960s and ‘70s for their powerful performances of traditional songs from the African American Gullah Geechee community on St. Simons Island, Georgia. Most in the group were born and raised on St. Simons, and could trace their ancestry to the enslaved West and Central Africans who worked on the island’s cotton plantations. Throughout the ‘60s, the Georgia Sea Island Singers were prominent voices in the civil rights movement, bringing hundreds of years of Black musical tradition to bear on a pivotal time in American history. This previously unheard recording captures their complete Friends of Old Time Music concert of April 1965, at which they were joined by legendary bluesman Mississippi Fred McDowell, cane fife player Ed Young, and folklorist Alan Lomax, who acted as emcee.

Whether it be on the banks of the Mississippi River or deep in the heart of the English countryside, rock 'n' roll lives, breathes, and burns on the outskirts. Hailing from Rome, GA, at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, The Georgia Thunderbolts rise up with a scorching signature style steeped in soulful southern swagger. On, Can We Get A Witness, their full-length debut for Mascot Records, the quintet—TJ Lyle [vocals, harp, piano], Riley Couzzourt [guitar], Logan Tolbert [guitar], Zach Everett [bass, keys], and Bristol Perry [drums]—conjure a tried-and-true spirit through a fresh fire.

Georgia Satellites hail from Atlanta, Georgia. In 1986 they signed to Elektra Records and set about recording their first album with Jeff Glixman. The band’s first single, ‘Keep Your Hands To Yourself’ stormed the US charts, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band recorded a total of three studio albums for Elektra before Dan Baird left to pursue a solo career. The band continued with numerous changes of personnel but their musical legacy lives on with live performances across the US. The band always enjoyed a reputation for being excellent live and Rick Richards still leads the current line-up of the band on the road. This 3 CD, 53 track ultimate collection focuses on the band’s output whilst signed to Elektra Records. Spanning the years 1986 to 1990, the band released three studio albums and various singles that feature on this collection plus the related bonus tracks taken from the band’s b-sides and 12” releases.