Johnny

It's a statement of Johnny Cash's longevity that the eight albums collected here – each one a concept collection devoted to American historical themes – were considered worthy and viable commercial releases back when, and that most were very successful. This four-CD set assembles Ride This Train, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Bitter Tears, Ballads of the True West, Mean as Hell! (Johnny Cash Sings Ballads from the True West), America: A 200 Year Salute in Story and Song, From Sea to Shining Sea, and The Rambler, all in one place. They fit together as a body of work, and he put a lot of heart into all of these songs individually…

Assembling a comprehensive multi-disc Johnny Cash collection is a difficult task for a variety of reasons, not the least of it being the sheer number of records Cash put out in the '60s and '70s. Counting duets, he had over 130 charting singles, which is far too much for the average box set, plus those singles don't necessarily tell the full story of Cash the recording artist, since he was a prolific album artist, as well. Then, there's the sheer variety of what he recorded – rockabilly, folk tunes, tales of gunslingers and Indians, scores of novelty numbers, gospel, Americana kitsch, train songs, pop, and straight-ahead country, he tried it all, giving it all his own unique stamp, distinguished by his booming voice and the distinctive two-step muted rhythm picked out by his guitarist, Luther Perkins.

SoulMusic Records is very proud to present “Stir It Up – The Anthology, 1965-1979” a musically scintillating 2-CD set by soul/pop and reggae icon, Johnny Nash. Covering close to fifteen years of recordings, this first-of-its-kind collection includes all of Johnny’s US and UK Epic singles, prime album cuts, recordings from the mid-to-late ‘60s and several tracks from two albums (1977’s “(What A Wonderful World” and 1979’s “Let’s Go Dancing”) which have never been reissued on CD.

The defining saxophonist of his generation, Johnny Hodges rose to prominence during the big-band era with what Duke Ellington described as 'a tone so beautiful it sometimes bought tears to the eyes'. Perhaps an understated member of Ellington's big band initially, Hodges' deft tone and seductive style soon affirmed him as one of The Duke's most valuable soloists and a vital player in his orchestra. A subdued yet commanding presence in the big band format, Hodges' assured mastery of the alto-sax and his subtle nuance has left him regarded as one of the very best musicians to have worked alongside Ellington. Hodges' career-defining moment came in 1928 when he joined Duke Ellington's orchestra, and from 1937 he led his own studio group drawn from members of the group, with whom he released tracks co-written with Ellington, including 'Jeep's Blues', 'Hodge Podge' and 'Confab With Rab', each composed to complement Hodges' own seductive style of play.

Johnny Henry Smith II, born June 25th 1922, became one of America's most revered cool jazz guitarist. This 4CD set features eight of Johnny Smith's most potent, dynamic and rewarding albums on which he served as band-leader, recorded for the Roost label between 1955 and 1960. Containing all of this most underrated Jazz master's finest compositions and performances, the collection will work equally well for those new to Smith's music and those who merely require a delightful reminder of his most extraordinary work and most unusual talent.