Rockabilly Summer

Featuring a host of fan favourites this compilation presents the best of Columbia rockabilly over 40 legendary tracks. Featured artists: Carl Perkins, Jimmy Murphy, Lefty Frizzell, Ronnie Self, The Maddox Brothers, Sid King & The Five Strings, Marty Robbins, Ersel Hickey, Johnny Horton, Bobby Lord, Freddie Hart, Eddie Zack, Jaycee Hill, Billy Brown, Cliff Johnson and many more.

Although traveling on holiday is currently falling into the distance and while we are preparing to spend the summer holidays at home, the daydreams of summer and sun, of distant countries, of flourishing nature and bathing lakes, of beaches and the sea remain. A good support for these dreams is this extraordinary compilation. Specific songs on the subject from the years 1946 to 1964, rocking the jukebox in the dairy bar and of course monumentally singing about summer love. It is the perfect soundtrack for your barbecue in the back garden!

The CD’s contain rehearsal highlights from one of the most memorable periods in Elvis’ career - his captivating performances at The International Hotel Las Vegas in the summer of 1970. These truly historical recordings, remastered and restored capture the raw and early development of songs that were performed weeks later in Las Vegas. The accompanying 40-page booklet includes rare photographs taken at some of these rehearsal sessions.

THE BRITISH INVASION: The British Invasion was the signalling event of a gigantic social change that progressed through the decade, a decade in which each year seemed to contain ten years' worth of changes. it was an effect of historical and technological changes outside the purview of a CD review. It may be seen partially as a sub-generation of youth wanting something new of their own rather than inheriting their older sibling's teen scene. In the U.S. some feel the assassination of J.F.K. is often seen as a catalyst. Though Beatlemania was an international phenomenon, it can't be completely discounted as a factor. When it happened it was sudden and it almost totally obliterated the previous pop scene. The few who survived (Gene Pitney, Lesley Gore, Jan & Dean, Beach Boys, Four Seasons, Elvis) mostly had a final big hit or two in '64 then remained in a diminished way never having a Top 10 hit again. Only the Beach Boys and Four Seasons got through relatively unscathed. Another part of the big change in 1964 was the rise of Motown which obliterated most older R&B acts as much as the British Invasion did pop, a fact that is often ignored.

A great listening pleasure is guaranteed, whereby very rare titles alternate with nos-talgic summer hits. Really real summer hits are Eddie Cochran with 'Summertime Blues' and Jerry Keller with 'Here Comes Summer'. And then there's Brian Hyland, with two bombs: 'Summer Job' and of course the obligatory 'Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polkadot Bikini'. Also for collectors there is a lot to see! Rare titles from the Bikinis and the Kittens, Doo-Wop songs from the Pearls, Chimes and Diamonds, Beach rarities from Dave York and Gene Gray and of course the title song 'Banana Split' from the McGuire Sisters!

Stray Cats were formed by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer, upright bass player Lee Rocker and drummer Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, NY, in 1979. The trio shared a love for rockabilly music and after banging around New York and Philadelphia for a few months, in the summer of 1980, they were persuaded by a mutual friend to hop on a plane to London where a rockabilly revival movement was just beginning to emerge. This anthology comprises some of the band's most popular songs, including 'Rock This Town', 'Stray Cat Strut', '(She's) Sexy + 17', and many more.

Every era has it's heroes and every scene has it's legends. The 80"s had the Stray Cats and today they are the indisputable icons of neo-rockabilly. When the US trio stormed the top of the charts in their adopted country of England, punk still reigned supreme in the United Kingdom. But Brian Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom and Lee Rocker brought that certain something that the mo-hawked men also had: a feeling for danger and rebellion. Impressive footage of this time includes two performances in Germany: one in 1981 in Cologne and one in 1983 at the Loreley. These are genuine recordings that make the trio's sound still accessible today. Both concerts are released here for the first time in the best possible quality and with a superb sound on DVD and CD.

At first glance, the uninitiated might think they're looking at a young duo from the 50's or 60's. The retro cover of the debut recording from Johnny & Jaalene does give a clue, but you have to listen first. The throwback sounds of old-school blues, R&B, rockabilly and pop are marked by a string of covers that are second nature to 19-year-old Johnny Ramos and his 16-year-old partner Jaalene De Leon.

This CD album covers the entire thematic spectrum on the subject of 'summer'! Special songs of the '50s and early '60s, which deal with bathing and beach, sunburn, ice cream and barbecue and, of course, love on warm summer nights. A little bit of Italy must not be missing. Summer time is party time. That was our focus when compiling this CD. Whether the party takes place at the pool, on the beach, in your own garden or at the lake. An exuberant summer party in the warmth of the sun or on a warm summer night is now musically supported. Music for dancing and dreaming and simply for having a good time. Cool music for the hot season!