Marty Stuart Hillbilly Rock (180gram Vinyl)

I was aware of Marty Stuart from his single Arlene on Columbia Records, but my first encounter with him was new year's eve 1986 in Atlanta, Georgia when he shared a show with Steve Earle.

Tony Brown and I watched from the wings as Marty swaggered his way through the opening set. Tony, then vice-president of A&R at MCA Records in Nashville and on his way to becoming the top producer in town, whispered to me, I'm thinking of signing Marty, would you want to co-produce him with me?' Yes, of course I would. It's not that I was sold on what Marty was doing as much as how he was doing it. The guy had miles of charisma and presence like Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow, Lester Flatt, Porter Wagoner, Cash and so many others... all rolled up in one. Marty Stuart was a young, old pro.

As we began pre-production and choosing songs for that first album, I got to know Marty and learned of his coming up in the business playing with Lester Flatt and Johnny Cash. Marty knew everybody and we shared a serious love affair with country music, its history, tradition and artists from an earlier time. I very quickly came to have a deep regard and respect for Marty Stuart that continues to this day. As a musician, songwriter, historian, collector, photographer, author, television host and performer, Marty's a one-man army for the salvation of country music.

I'd moved to Nashville with an eye to making records exactly like Hillbilly Rock and Tempted. Looking back nearly 25 years later I'm still very proud of them. Both albums reflect that tradition and history of country music. With this Bear Family vinyl re-issue they've gained a history of their own.

Richard Bennett - Nashville, Tennessee - January 2014

AMERICANA CLASSICS - ONLY FROM BEAR FAMILY!
Americana classics from the '70s, '80s and '90s, now back - on LP!
Hailed as great records or CDs at the time, the albums in Bear Family's new series are now acknowledged as Americana classics. And they're back after long absences. Even better, they're back on LP - the medium for which most of them were intended. Better still, the pressing quality and re-mastering is limited-run twenty-first century quality, not to forget the superior quality gatefold sleeves.

• DMM Disc Cutting: H.-J. Maucksch at Pauler Acoustics, Northeim, Germany
• Pressed by Pallas, Diepholz, Germany
• Direct metal master cut - 180 gram virgin vinyl