Lots of pop vocalists have tackled the vaunted SONGS Lennon-McCartney songbook, but this 1964 release from the late, great Keely Smith was the first album by an artist of her ilk devoted to the lads from Liverpool. And perhaps the best one, too…with sparkling arrangements by Ernie Freeman and Benny Carter, and production from Keely’s soon-to-be husband Jimmy Bowen, the record alternately seduces and swings, and Keely’s voice—with its bluesy phrasing and lilt patented on The Strip—is the perfect instrument to interpret these Fab tunes.
GREATEST EVER! is Union Square Music’s select, best-selling label, utilising the very best repertoire from key major labels, Greatest Ever’s 3CD box sets are some of the strongest multi-artist compilations on the market, with the greatest ever songs.
On May 12, 1960, Elvis Presley made his first TV appearance after his two-year U.S. Army stint concluded. For a princely sum of $125,000, Presley returned to the limelight via Frank Sinatra’s TV variety show. While Sinatra was at the peak of his career during this time, his TV program was widely regarded as a mediocrity unworthy of his talents. Nonetheless, Sinatra hosted Presley’s return to the entertainment industry in what could charitably be described as one of the most fucked up shows in the history of television.
I don't mean to take anything away from Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee, but I don't think I ever recorded anybody who was better as a singer, writer or player than Charlie Rich.– Sam Phillips, Sun Records