is Ought

Starkly printed in black and white with washed-out, grainy photographs, this is one heavy slab of blues by a player who is not as well-known as he should be. Guitarist Jimmy Rogers was usually overshadowed by the leaders he worked for, Muddy Waters particularly. He was also sometimes confused with the hillbilly singer Jimmie Rodgers, and although they might have sounded good together, they don't have anything in common. This reissue collection grabs 14 tracks done at various times in the mostly early '50s which involve practically a who's who of performers associated with the most intense and driving Chicago blues. This includes the aforementioned Waters, leaving behind his role as leader for a few numbers to add some stinging guitar parts. There is also a pair of harmonica players, each of whom could melt vinyl siding with their playing. These are the Walters, big and little, as in Big Walter Horton and Little Walter. Pianist Otis Spann, bassist Willie Dixon, and drummer Fred Belew are also on hand, meaning the rhythm section action is first class.

Released in 1995 by The Right Stuff, Hi Times - The Hi Records R&B Years is a comprehensive 3-CD retrospective celebrating the rich history and signature sound of Memphis powerhouse label Hi Records. Architected by producer and bandleader Willie Mitchell, the label crafted some of the most iconic Southern soul, R&B, and funk recordings of the 1960s and 1970s. Spanning 68 track-restored selections, the anthology charts the label's evolution from its early instrumental roots with Bill Black's Combo and Willie Mitchell to its golden age headlined by soul titan Al Green. Featuring career-defining classics from Ann Peebles, Syl Johnson, Otis Clay, and O.V. Wright alongside tight house band grooves from Hi Rhythm, this box set serves as an essential historical document of Memphis soul history.

Released in 1998 by the acclaimed reissue label Bear Family Records, Nashville Was The Roughest… is an exhaustive 8-CD boxed set collecting Willie Nelson’s complete studio and live recordings for Monument and RCA Records between 1964 and 1972. Spanning 219 tracks, this monumental retrospective chronicles Nelson's pivotal transition from a sought-after Nashville songwriter to a pioneering Outlaw Country icon. Featuring timeless classics like "Hello Walls," "Night Life," "Funny How Time Slips Away," and "Crazy Arms," alongside rare session outtakes, unreleased stereo mixes, concepts like Yesterday's Wine, and a complete 1966 Panther Hall live set, this collection stands as the definitive document of Willie's formative Nashville era.

Released in 2009 by Big3, Totally Essential Rockabilly is a comprehensive 3-CD compilation containing 60 iconic tracks from the genre's golden era. Featuring raw, high-energy recordings from Sun Records, Decca, RCA, and Columbia, this set gathers pivotal tracks by pioneers including Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Burnette, Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent, and Jerry Lee Lewis, alongside fan-favorite classic rockabilly cuts.