Lewis S08e06

A characteristically humongous (8-CD) box set from the wonderful obsessive-compulsives at Bear Family, documenting the Killer's '60s tenure at Smash Records. Lewis made consistently good music during this period, but the combination of his personal scandals and the British Invasion made him a pariah to radio programmers until mid-decade, when he returned to his country roots. Highlights of the set include the entirety of a Texas live show, with Lewis and his crack band rendering various early rock standards at dangerously high (i.e., proto punk) speed, some excellent duets with his (then) wife Linda Gail, and gorgeous renditions of standards like Willie Nelson's "Funny How Time Slips Away" and Merle Haggard's "Lonesome Fugitive." Lewis fans with deep pockets should grab this one immediately…

Hot Dawgit - The Anthology: The Columbia Years is a luxurious set by the legendary Ramsey Lewis, spanning the award-winning musician, producer and composer's 17-year tenure with Columbia Records. Features 37 tracks including all of Ramsey's charted hits for the label, selected key singles and notable LP cuts drawn from among the eighteen albums he recorded for the label. The Chicago-born octogenarian began his journey as a recording artist at Chess Records in 1966, achieving chart success with his soulful covers of such tracks as 'The In Crowd', 'Wade In The Water' and 'Hang On Sloopy'. In 1972, Ramsey - initially with his famed trio (whose ranks had included a young Maurice White, founder of Earth, Wind & Fire as drummer) - began recording a series of critically-acclaimed albums for Columbia including Upendo Ni Pamoja, Funky Serenity and Solar Wind.

Jerry Lee Lewis - A Whole Lotta Jerry Lee Lewis (2012) {4CD Box Set Salvo Records SALVOBX410}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 1.91 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 699 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 62 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2012 Salvo Records | SALVOBX410
Rock & Roll / Rockabilly / Honky Tonk / Country

Four-disc monument to the Killer, containing no filler… What with one thing and another, it took the Grand Ole Opry a while to invite Jerry Lee Lewis to make his debut. Sixteen years, in fact, from his first hits (“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On”, “Great Balls Of Fire” ) to finally ushering the Killer onto the stage of Nashville’s Ryman auditorium in January 1973. The high temple of the country music establishment had their reasons for hesitating. Lewis was not known for family-friendly behaviour, unless one counts as such already having three families by this point – one, to the detriment of his box office, with a cousin he’d wed when she was thirteen. But he’d grown up, surely. He was pushing 40. He’d married for a fourth time, to someone old enough to vote. And he was reinventing himself as a proper country singer – he’d had hits with versions of Kris Kristofferson’s “Me & Bobby McGee”, Jimmie Rodgers’ “Waiting For A Train” and Ray Griff’s “Who’s Gonna Play This Old Piano?”. The Opry prepared to formally welcome the black sheep to the fold.