Article successfully added.

Various - Country & Western Hit Parade 1956 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music

Listen to sample now:
 
0:00
0:00
$16.92 * $19.18 * (11.78% Saved)

* incl. VAT / plus shipping costsDepending on the country of delivery, the VAT at checkout may vary.

Ready to ship today,
delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

  • BCD16961
  • 0.2
  • Download
  • Download
1-CD-Album deluxe album with 72-page booklet, 30 tracks. Playing time: 78:14 minutes. It was... more

Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1956 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music

1-CD-Album deluxe album with 72-page booklet, 30 tracks. Playing time: 78:14 minutes.

It was the year that the floodgates opened. Inside and outside the music business, rock 'n' roll was on everyone's mind. The trade papers didn't know what to make of this "mongrel music," as they called it. The industry liked pigeonholes, and rock 'n' roll wasn't easily pigeonholed until it became its own pigeonhole. But sales were booming. Really, really booming. There were more million-sellers than ever before. In late 1955 and the early months of 1956 Capitol Records alone sold 5.75 million copies combined of Tennessee Ernie's Sixteen Tons, Dean Martin's countryish Memories Are Made Of This, and Les Baxter's Lisbon, Antigua. The labels decided that if everyone wanted their product, they should charge more for it. Singles went up from 89 cents to 98 cents, and 78s went up even more in an attempt to persuade consumers to buy 45s.

Rock 'n' roll had almost been invented on independent labels, and by early 1956, indies accounted for twenty-five percent of all pop singles sold. That never was (and never would be) the case in country music, although the pendulum swung slightly in 1956 when Sun, Starday, and a few other independents came to the fore.

Underscoring Nashville's position as the hub of the country music business, Charlie Lamb launched the first country music trade journal, 'Country Music Reporter,' from Nashville in September 1956. ABC-Paramount had only been in business a few months when it set up a country division in Nashville headed by Dub Albritten, who later managed Brenda Lee and Red Foley. In 1955, Chet Atkins became RCA's local representative, and began overseeing RCA's plans to become the first major label with its own custom built Nashville studio. Even so, the labels' country music divisions were still headquartered in New York and Los Angeles. Atkins' boss, Steve Sholes, operated out of New York. Columbia's Don Law and Decca's Paul Cohen still commuted between Nashville, New York, and regional centers. Capitol's Ken Nelson was HQ'd in Los Angeles. Sholes, as noted, had Atkins in Nashville, while Cohen had Owen Bradley as his local eyes and ears. Don Law had Troy Martin looking out for him in Nashville. As a matter of preference, Law would have recorded in Dallas at Jim Beck's studio, but Nashville's position was further enhanced when Beck died in 1956. So there was no question that country music and Nashville were becoming synonymous, but the industry was on the verge of profound change.

Because Elvis Presley had been signed by RCA's country division, the head offices of the other major labels (Decca, Columbia, and Capitol), brought pressure upon their country A&R men to find the 'next Elvis.' Hundreds of young hopefuls were sucked in and spat out of Nashville. A few, such as Buddy Holly, Johnny Burnette, and Conway Twitty, would resurface another place another time, but they... along with most of the others... were cut loose after one or two sessions in 1956. There's a cult for the rockabilly records made in Nashville circa 1956, but at the time they sold no better than attempts by older artists to cut rockabillly. The generational divide that saw the musical tastes of adults and teenagers diverge was felt as keenly in country music as in pop. RCA's Steve Sholes wrote, "Your older listeners who want old country music sounds are wonderful people. They're the backbone of this country, loyal radio listeners (when the kids aren't around), but they don't buy records. Not enough to keep us in business. Not enough to keep the old fashioned country artist in guitar strings. It's the kids who want and buy the newer sounds." Sholes had identified the problem and found the answer: Elvis Presley. Now the rest of the business had to play catch-up, and come to terms with the tumult that was Elvis '56.

Video von Various - Country & Western Hit Parade - 1956 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music

Article properties: Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1956 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music

Various - Country & Western Hit Parade - 1956 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music CD 1
01 Singing The Blues Robbins, Marty
02 You Don't Know Me Arnold , Eddy
03 Crazy Arms Price, Ray
04 Lonely Street Belew, Carl
05 Folsom Prison Blues Cash, Johnny û Tennessee Two
06 Sweet Dreams Young, Faron
07 Honky Tonk Man Horton, Johnny
08 Conscience I'm Guilty Snow, Hank
09 What Am I Worth Jones, George
10 A Poor Man's Riches Barnes, Benny
11 I Take The Chance Edward, Jim and Maxine Brown a
12 I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby Brothers, Louvin
13 Ruby, Are You Mad Osborne Brothers, The and Red
14 I Know You're Married Reno, Don & Red Smiley
15 Eat, Drink And Be Merry Wagoner, Porter
16 Yes I Know Why Pierce, Webb
17 I Walk The Line Cash, Johnny û Tennessee Two
18 I'm A One Woman Man Horton, Johnny
19 Silver Threads And Golden Needles Jackson , Wanda
20 The Blackboard Of My Heart Thompson, Hank
21 I've Got A New Heartache Price, Ray
22 Just One More Jones, George
23 Cash On The Barrelhead Brothers, Louvin
24 Waltz Of The Angels Stewart, Wynn
25 According To My Heart Reeves, Jim
26 Searching (For Someone Else) Wells, Kitty
27 I Can't Quit (I've Gone Too Far) Robbins, Marty
28 These Hands Snow, Hank
29 Who Will Buy The Wine Mize, Billy
30 Dixie Fried Perkins, Carl
Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Country & Western Hit Parade... more
"Various - Country & Western Hit Parade"

Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music

Country & Western Hit Parade

“Collecting an anarchic mix of sex and sentimentality, earnest paeans to family and fanciful tales of drinking and cheating, DIM LIGHTS… affords a fascinating glimpse into black-and-white ‘50s polemics… Established stars, inspired wannabes proffer an intoxicating brew of dancefloor honky tonk, hillbilly boogie, bluegrass, western swing, incipient rockabilly, goofball novelty, and sentimental country-pop.” (UNCUT magazine)

 

The reviews are in and everyone from Australia to Los Angeles to London is raving about Bear Family’s definitive year-by-year country series. Starting in 1945, DIM LIGHTS, THICK SMOKE, AND HILLBILLY MUSIC (COUNTRY & WESTERN HIT PARADE) tells the real story of country music record-by-record. The hits are here, but so are groundbreaking records that went nowhere at the time. This is the true and uncensored history of country music. Everything you need to hear, year-by-year. Stars like Hank Williams, Bob Wills, Eddy Arnold, Ray Price, and Hank Snow are here, but so are beerhall legends like Eddie Noack and Sonny Burns, and roots music mavens like Charlie Feathers and the Stanley Brothers, as well as overlooked giants like Carl Belew and Floyd Tillman. You’ll also hear the incredible original versions of songs like Duelin’ Banjos, Release Me, Lonely Street, and many more!  Every CD is full to the brim with great music, and they’re all individually packaged in hardcover 72-page books by Colin Escott that tell the story of every song as well as the broader music history of the time. Fabulous photos, original record labels, and period advertisements round out the packages.

Bear Family began its journey into year-by-year anthologies with its groundbreaking and award-winning BLOWIN’ THE FUSE/SWEET SOUL MUSIC series that tells the story of R&B from 1945-1970. Look for the series to continue into the Funk era. And look for a year-by-year Rock ‘n’ Roll anthology coming soon.

# After the volumes covering 1945-1955 were released, the word was out. This series is definitive, fabulously packaged, and faultlessly remastered! Everything you'd expect from Bear Family…and more!

# Jack Clement, who produced Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Waylon Jennings, Don Williams, and many others, said, "This is the best country series of all time. No doubt. No question." Robert Hilburn in the 'Los Angeles Times'said, "An invaluable album project…enables fans to step back in time and listen to the radio just like Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and Bob Dylan did."

# Now the story continues from 1956 until 1960. Every CD is generously full. Every booklet is extensive and chocked full of rare photos and illustrations, as well as complete stories behind the songs!

# In addition to the hits, the series contains rarities that went on to influence country music…and all music…in the years ahead, like Wanda Jackson's original version of Silver Threads And Golden Needles, Carl Belew's original Lonely Street, and Chet Atkins' influential Walk, Don't Run.

# This series is designed to introduce new listeners to the very best that country music has to offer… while keeping longtime fans entertained. Every volume is a fabulous time capsule.

 

Here's the story

For many years, we'd received requests to do a truly definitive country series, but it wasn't until the success of our year-by-year R&B/Soul series, 'Blowin' The Fuse' (now 'Sweet Soul Music' and soon to be continued into the Funk era) that we decided we needed to do something comparable for country music. The first volumes of 'Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music' took us from 1945-1955, and now the story continues into the era of the Nashville Sound.

The series has been compiled with today's fans in mind. Sure, the big hits are there, but so are the classic performances that weren't necessarily hits at the time, but became influential in the years ahead. Every volume has incredibly detailed behind-the-scenes stories, fabulously rare photos, and an ongoing history of country music set against the backdrop of the broader American music business. The booklets alone are 72 pages! Definitive? You bet!

Superlatives are often overused, but we feel that this series is part of our mission to bring this incredible music to new fans ... as well as entertaining older fans. We pick up the story in 1956....just as country music was coming to terms with the upset of rock 'n' roll!

And, keeping in the spirit of the releases, some of the artists' listings are as they originally appeared - like Jim Edward and Maxine Brown and Bonnie, Wayne Raney - Raney Family (Wayne, Wanda and Zyndall) and Marty Robbins with Ray Conniff -  while the cd in each set is stored in a reproduction of a 45 rpm record label bag appropriate to that year.

Country music author and historian Colin Escott is responsible for these remarkable releases, an obvious labour of love that has taken considerable research effort, offering a valuable insight into the development of country music over the years. Many of country music's foremost entertainers are included alongside others who may have only earned a place in the footnotes of country music history, but all present a variety of voices and differing musical styles that have virtually disappeared, over half a century later, in contemporary country music's conveyor belt output. The songs were also different back then: sometimes relating to current events, they also regularly centred upon themes like boozin', honky-tonking and slippin' around, now generally considered non-pc in these over sensitive times.

Country & Western Hitparade - CD-Album-Series by Bear Family

Read more at: https://www.bear-family.com/bear-family/country-series/country-und-western-hitparade/
Copyright © Bear Family Records

 

 

Review 0
Read, write and discuss reviews... more
Customer evaluation for "1956 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music"
Write an evaluation
Evaluations will be activated after verification.

The fields marked with * are required.

Weitere Artikel von Various - Country & Western Hit Parade
1966 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1966 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Art-Nr.: BCD17261

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$19.18 * $16.92 *
1968 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1968 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Art-Nr.: BCD17263

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$19.18 * $16.92 *
1969 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1969 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Art-Nr.: BCD17264

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$19.18 * $16.92 *
1965 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1965 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Art-Nr.: BCD16970

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$19.18 * $16.92 *
First Pressings - The History of Rhythm & Blues Vol.5: 1955
Galen Gart: First Pressings - The History of Rhythm & Blues... Art-Nr.: 0041063

the very last 2 available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$90.48
First Pressings - The History of Rhythm & Blues Vol.6: 1956
Galen Gart: First Pressings - The History of Rhythm & Blues... Art-Nr.: 0041064

the very last 1 available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$90.48
Always Home (50 Years Of Uso) - Always Home - 50 Years Of The USO
Frank Coffey: Always Home (50 Years Of Uso) - Always Home -... Art-Nr.: 0041144

the very last 1 available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$22.58 $33.89
First Pressings - The History of Rhythm & Blues Vol.9: 1959
Galen Gart: First Pressings - The History of Rhythm & Blues... Art-Nr.: 0041188

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$56.53
Goldmine's Price Guide To Collectable Record Albums 1949-1989 (PB, 2nd Edition)
Goldmine's Rock & Roll: Goldmine's Price Guide To Collectable Record... Art-Nr.: 0041199

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$33.89
1957 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1957 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Art-Nr.: BCD16962

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$16.92 $19.18
1958 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1958 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Art-Nr.: BCD16963

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$16.92 $19.18
1959 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1959 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Art-Nr.: BCD16964

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$16.92 $19.18
1954 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1954 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Art-Nr.: BCD16959

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$16.92 $19.18
1953 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1953 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Art-Nr.: BCD16958

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$16.92 $19.18
1959 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1959 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Art-Nr.: BCD16964

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$16.92 $19.18
1952 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1952 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Art-Nr.: BCD16957

This article is deleted and can no longer be ordered!

$16.92 $19.18
Bear Family Records Rocks Vol. 1 (CD)
Various: Bear Family Records Rocks Vol. 1 (CD) Art-Nr.: BCD17734

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$20.31 $22.58
Country Gold (3-CD Metalbox Edition)
Various: Country Gold (3-CD Metalbox Edition) Art-Nr.: CDMETRTN17

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$11.26 $20.31
1970 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade: 1970 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music Art-Nr.: BCD17265

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

$16.92 $19.18
Tracklist
Various - Country & Western Hit Parade - 1956 - Dim Lights, Thick Smoke And Hillbilly Music CD 1
01 Singing The Blues
02 You Don't Know Me
03 Crazy Arms
04 Lonely Street
05 Folsom Prison Blues
06 Sweet Dreams
07 Honky Tonk Man
08 Conscience I'm Guilty
09 What Am I Worth
10 A Poor Man's Riches
11 I Take The Chance
12 I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby
13 Ruby, Are You Mad
14 I Know You're Married
15 Eat, Drink And Be Merry
16 Yes I Know Why
17 I Walk The Line
18 I'm A One Woman Man
19 Silver Threads And Golden Needles
20 The Blackboard Of My Heart
21 I've Got A New Heartache
22 Just One More
23 Cash On The Barrelhead
24 Waltz Of The Angels
25 According To My Heart
26 Searching (For Someone Else)
27 I Can't Quit (I've Gone Too Far)
28 These Hands
29 Who Will Buy The Wine
30 Dixie Fried