“BEAR FAMILY’s comprehensive collections serve history well, enabling us to consider
all aspects of an artist’s work and not just items superficially cherry-picked for ‘Greatest Hits’ anthologies”
Bluegrass Music (September 2007) 

"Essentially, it’s music about poverty and warfare. It’s music about race problems. It’s music which is heavily pro-organized labour. It preserves and makes available this political music, which to a certain section of the American population, was very im- portant.” 
IUN Professor Ronald Cohen

“We live in a world where people shy away from doing things for the love of it because of per- sonal cost. BEAR FAMILY re- minds us that, love may be all we’ve got.” 
Pat Todd

"This is breathtaking stuff – here’s dignity in a cardboard box, integrity on a quartet of silver discs, and a musical experience that’ll never fade. Superb.”
Fred Dellar, New Musical Express (31 August 1991) 

"With all due respect to the labels that have helped to keep the recorded legacy of the original Carter Family in print during the CD era, this new release on Germany’s BEAR FAMILY label leaves them all in the dust.”
Nels Koch, No Depression (Nov-Dec 2000)

"Their legacy has so infused 20th-century American culture that almost every musician in America has felt their influence – even those who’ve never heard a single recording by this trio.” 
Randy Koch, Nashville Scene (November 23, 2000)

"A heartfelt and moving example of classic country harmony, this is a must for all those who love the close harmony of the Everlys, Louvins, Gram and Emmylou, George and Tammy... and so on and so on.”
Alan Cackett, Maverick (April 2004) 

"Mr. Weize’s perfectionism and his workaholic ways have forced American record labels to dredge up recordings and files for his collections they didn’t even know they had.”
Craig P. Havighurst, Wall Street Journal (September 1998)

"Richard’s releases are so superbly researched, so thorough and so painstakingly put together that they provide a truly comprehen- sive history of popular culture as it relates to music. I can name several students of mine who have been able to complete their Masters theses because of BEAR FAMILY.”
Rob Bowman, Professor of Popular Music at York University, Toronto Financial Post (July 8, 1995)

“BEAR FAMILY’s comprehensive collections serve history well, enabling us to consider all aspects of an artist’s work and not just items superficially cherry-picked for... read more »
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Bear Family - A record label

“BEAR FAMILY’s comprehensive collections serve history well, enabling us to consider
all aspects of an artist’s work and not just items superficially cherry-picked for ‘Greatest Hits’ anthologies”
Bluegrass Music (September 2007) 

"Essentially, it’s music about poverty and warfare. It’s music about race problems. It’s music which is heavily pro-organized labour. It preserves and makes available this political music, which to a certain section of the American population, was very im- portant.” 
IUN Professor Ronald Cohen

“We live in a world where people shy away from doing things for the love of it because of per- sonal cost. BEAR FAMILY re- minds us that, love may be all we’ve got.” 
Pat Todd

"This is breathtaking stuff – here’s dignity in a cardboard box, integrity on a quartet of silver discs, and a musical experience that’ll never fade. Superb.”
Fred Dellar, New Musical Express (31 August 1991) 

"With all due respect to the labels that have helped to keep the recorded legacy of the original Carter Family in print during the CD era, this new release on Germany’s BEAR FAMILY label leaves them all in the dust.”
Nels Koch, No Depression (Nov-Dec 2000)

"Their legacy has so infused 20th-century American culture that almost every musician in America has felt their influence – even those who’ve never heard a single recording by this trio.” 
Randy Koch, Nashville Scene (November 23, 2000)

"A heartfelt and moving example of classic country harmony, this is a must for all those who love the close harmony of the Everlys, Louvins, Gram and Emmylou, George and Tammy... and so on and so on.”
Alan Cackett, Maverick (April 2004) 

"Mr. Weize’s perfectionism and his workaholic ways have forced American record labels to dredge up recordings and files for his collections they didn’t even know they had.”
Craig P. Havighurst, Wall Street Journal (September 1998)

"Richard’s releases are so superbly researched, so thorough and so painstakingly put together that they provide a truly comprehen- sive history of popular culture as it relates to music. I can name several students of mine who have been able to complete their Masters theses because of BEAR FAMILY.”
Rob Bowman, Professor of Popular Music at York University, Toronto Financial Post (July 8, 1995)

ASSOCIATION FOR RECORDED SOUND COLLECTIONS (ASRC)


BEST HISTORICAL RESEARCH IN RECORDED COUNTRY OR ROOTS MUSIC
Scott B. Bomar, The Bakersfield Sound (Bear Family Records)
John Broven, South to Louisiana: The Music of the Cajun Bayous (Pelican Publishing)
Heath Carpenter, The Philosopher King: T Bone Burnett and the Ethic of a Southern Cultural Renaissance (University of Georgia Press)
Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns, Country Music: An Illustrated History (Knopf)


ARSC_awards_finalists_press_2020.pdf
Awards for Bear Family Records 1986 - 2019
Bear Familys enthusiasm and passion has been recognized both nationally and internationally with a variety of outstanding awards.
"A heartfelt and moving example of classic country harmony, this is a must for all those who love the close harmony of the Everlys, Louvins, Gram and Emmylou, George and Tammy... and so on and so on.” Alan Cackett, Maverick