The Grand Ole Opry wanted nothing to do with rock 'n' roll. The Louisiana Hayride did-and so did the Big D Jamboree in Dallas, which began as a champion of Texas country music but which fully embraced the exciting sound of rock 'n' roll, giving exposure to many rising stars as well as singers who've long since been forgotten. Broadcast nationally on CBS radio, these performances were captured with state-of-the-art recording equipment; you can just breathe in the atmosphere, and the performances are exhilaratingly alive. A 168-page hardcover book paints a thorough and vivid portrait of the times, the artists and the songs; the 8 CDs contain nearly 300 tracks, most live from the show, plus bonus studio recordings. All right, let's get to it: "So Doggone Lonesome," "I Walk the Line," "Get Rhythm" Johnny Cash; "Slippin' and Slidin'," "Blue Suede Shoes," "I Got a Woman," "That's All Right Mama" Carl Perkins; "Bluejean Bop," "Dance to the Bop," "Lotta Lovin'" Gene Vincent; "No Wedding Bells for Joe" Wanda Jackson; "Why Did You Cry" Ronnie Dawson; "Tragic Romance" Cowboy Copas; "A Good Woman's Love," "You Can't Never Tell" Hank Locklin; "Mr. Whiz" Jerry Reed; "What About Tomorrow" Charline Arthur; "Black Jack David," "Hound Dog" Warren Smith; "One by One," "Teddy Bear" Leon Payne; "Announcement" Tennessee Ernie Ford; "Crazy Arms" Mitchell Torok; "The Record" Orville Couch; "For Rent" Sonny James; "Singing the Blues" Billy Edwards; "They," "Wee Bitty Baby" Helen Hall; "Your Eyes" Billy Jack Hale and more. The dawn of rock 'n' roll as you've never heard it before, live from Texas 1950-58! Bear Family.
