The First Rock And Roll Record - various artists

 

This three disc compilation aims to trace the history of rock and roll through its origins, influences, music styles and artists. Spanning four decades from the 1920's to the 1950's (and even one track from 1916!), these recordings cover several genres from the early blues and country, to swing, big band, rhythm and blues, western swing, jump blues and to what eventually became known as "rock and roll".

Whilst not definitive or comprehensive (or totally accurate in terms of some "original" versions), it does give an insight into the evolvement and the terminology of what has become one of the most popular forms of music in history. A treat for both the purists and the casual listener.

(disc one)

Unknown Artist– The Camp Meeting Jubilee

Trixie Smith– My Man Rocks Me

Jim Jackson – Kansas City Blues

Charley Patton– Going To Move To Alabama

Hank Williams– Move It On Over

Tampa Red– It's Tight Like That

Clarence "Pinetop" Smith– Pinetops's Boogie Woogie

Jimmy Blythe– Jimmy Blues

Blind Roosevelt Graves– Crazy About My Baby

Washboard Rhythm Kings– Tiger Rag

Boswell Sisters*– Rock And Roll

Benny Goodman, Helen Ward– Get Rhythm In Your Feet

Harlem Hamfats*– Oh Red!

Mississippi Jook Band– Skippy Whippy

Robert Johnson– Cross Road Blues

Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa– Sing! Sing! Sing! (With A Swing)

Ella Fitzgerald– Rock It For Me

Sister Rosetta Tharpe– Rock Me

Bob Wills– Ida Red

Big Joe Turner– Roll 'Em Pete

Buddy Jones – Rockin' Rollin' Mama

John Lee Williamson– New Early In The Morning

Will Bradley– Down The Road A Piece

The Andrews Sisters– Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Virginia O'Brien– Lullaby (Rock A Bye Baby)

(disc two)

Lionel Hampton And His Orchestra– Flying Home

Illinois Jacquet– Blues, Pt. 2

T-Bone Walker– Mean Old World

Judy Garland– The Joint Is Really Jumpin' Down At Carnegie Hall

Gertrude Niesen– Rockin' The Town

Nat King Cole– Straighten Up And Fly Right

Sister Rosetta Tharpe– Strange Things Happening Every Day

Helen Humes– Be Baba Leba

Joe Liggins– Honeydripper

Arthur Smith – Guitar Boogie

Mose Allison– That's All Right (Mama)

Shirley And Lee– Let The Good Times Roll

Ella Mae Morse, Freddie Slack– House Of Blue Lights

The Delmore Brothers– Hillbilly Boogie

Pee Wee King– Ten Gallon Boogie (Original)

Wynonie Harris– Good Rocking Tonight

Wild Bill Moore*– We're Gonna Rock, We're Gonna Roll

Muddy Waters– I Can't Be Satisfied

Amos Milburn– Chicken Shack Boogie

Bill Haley– Rovin' Eyes

The Orioles– Its Too Soon To Know

Stick McGhee– Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee

Erline Harris– Rock And Roll Blues

Jimmy Preston– Rock The Joint

Louis Jordan And His Tympany Five– Saturday Night Fish Fry

Fats Domino– The Fat Man

Goree Carter– Rock A While

(disc three)

Hardrock Gunter– Gonna Dance All Night

Arkie Shibley And His Mountain Dew Boys– Hot Rod Race

The Dominoes– 60 Minute Man

Les Paul & Mary Ford– How High The Moon

Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats– Rocket '88

Charlie Gracie– Boogie Woogie Blues

Big Mama Thornton– Hound Dog

Charlie Gracie– Rockin' An' Rollin

Lloyd Price– Lawdy Miss Clawdy

The Dominoes– Have Mercy Baby

The Clovers– One Mint Julep

The Crows– Gee

Bill Haley And His Comets– Crazy Man, Crazy

Ray Charles– Mess Around

Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters– Money Honey

The Johnny Burnette Trio– Honey Hush

Big Joe Turner– Shake, Rattle And Roll

The Chords– Sh-Boom

Sunny Dae And The Knights*– Rock Around The Clock

Ray Charles– I've Got A Woman

Hank Ballard & The Midnighters– Work With Me, Annie

The Robins– Riot In Cell Block Number Nine

LaVern Baker– Tweedle Dee

Buddy Holly– Bo Diddley

Chuck Berry– Maybellene

Little Richard– Tutti Frutti

Carl Perkins– Blue Suede Shoes

Elvis Presley– That's Alright Mama

Bill Haley And His Comets– Rock Around The Clock

Elvis Presley– Heartbreak Hotel

The First Rock And Roll Record

The Country Roots of Rock and Roll...50 track collection of country, western swing, hillbilly and bluegrass

50 track compilation tracing the early country roots of rock and roll with music by many of the classic artists of country, western swing, hillbilly and bluegrass. 

1.1 Johnny Bond & His Red River Valley Boys– Mean Mama Boogie 2:50

1.2 Tex Williams– Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! That Cigarette 2:50

1.3 Merle Travis– So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed (That's My Gal) 2:51

1.4 Al Dexter– Saturday Night Boogie 2:35

1.5 Leon McAuliffe– Steel Guitar Rag 2:34

1.6 Hank Penny– Steel Guitar Stomp 2:46

1.7 Hank Snow– The Golden Rocket 2:40

1.8 Tennessee Ernie Ford– Shotgun Boogie 2:34

1.9 Spade Cooley– Oklahoma Stomp 2:40

1.10 Zeb Turner– Travellin' Boogie 2:35

1.11 Maddox Brothers and Rose– Water Baby Boogie 2:02

1.12 Hank Williams– I Saw The Light 2:08

1.13 Milo Twins– Baby Buggie Boogie 2:08

1.14 Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys– Blue Moon Of Kentucky 2:58

1.15 Arthur Smith – Guitar Boogie 3:15

1.16 Milton Brown And His Brownies– Easy Ridin' Papa 2:36

1.17 Merle Travis– Merle's Boogie Woogie 2:58

1.18 Hank Penny– Bloodshot Eyes 2:32

1.19 Tennessee Ernie Ford– Blackberry Boogie 2:27

1.20 Maddox Brothers and Rose– Mean & Wicked Boogie 2:32

1.21 Spade Cooley– The Rhumba Boogie (with female vocal) 2:08

1.22 Hank Snow– I'm Movin' On 2:47

1.23 Hank Williams– Move It On Over 2:38

1.24 The Sons Of The Pioneers– Cigarettes, Whiskey & Wild Women 2:46

1.25 Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys– Orange Blossom Special 2:28

2.1 Bob Dunn's Vagabonds– Stompin' At The Honky Tonk 2:36

2.2 Ernest Tubb– Walkin' The Floor Over You 2:30

2.3 Red Foley– Night Train To Memphis 2:48

2.4 Jimmie Revard & His Oklahoma Playboys– Oh Swing It 2:37

2.5 Bill Haley– Rovin' Eyes 2:07

2.6 Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys– New San Antonio Rose 2:31

2.7 Tennessee Ernie Ford– Smokey Mountain Boogie 2:38

2.8 Bill Boyd And His Cowboy Ramblers– New Spanish Two-Step 2:41

2.9 The Delmore Brothers– Pan American Boogie 2:49

2.10 Jack Guthrie– Okie Boogie 2:21

2.11 Jimmie Rodgers– Looking For A New Mama 3:27

2.12 Roy Acuff– Wreck On The Highway 2:38

2.13 Maddox Brothers and Rose– Milk Cow Blues 3:00

2.14 Red Foley– Tennessee Border 2:35

2.15 Jack Guthrie– I Told You Once 2:31

2.16 Bill Haley– Yodel Your Blues Away 2:44

2.17 Jimmie Revard & His Oklahoma Playboys– Ride 'Em Cowboy 2:56

2.18 Gene O'Quinn*– Texas Boogie 2:17

2.19 Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys– Cotton Eyed Joe 2:36

2.20 Jimmie Rodgers– In The Jailhouse Now 3:18

2.21 Floyd Tillman– Slippin' Around 2:11

2.22 Kitty Wells– I'm Paying For That Back Street Affair 2:31

2.23 Hank Thompson– The Wild Side Of Life 2:38

2.24 Arthur Gunter– Honky Tonk Blues (as Arthur "Hardrock" Gunter) 2:45

2.25 Hank Williams– Honky Tonkin' 2:45

Country Roots 1 

Country Roots 2 

Stratosphere Boogie: The Flaming Guitars of Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant

Pedal steel-er West and guitarist Bryant were the most in-demand session musicians of the 50's. On their own, though, is when they really let loose; and this 16-track collection culling the best of their Capitol instrumentals contains country, jazz, bluegrass and space-age effects that musicians are still scratching their heads over 40 years later! 

These 16 sides were selected from the more than 50 that guitarist Bryant and pedal steel player West cut in Los Angeles between 1951 and 1956, when they were also most in demand as country--and occasionally pop--session men. Forty years later, these are still considered the hottest, most fully realized, most musical instrumentals in the history of country. West's slashing, muscular steel lines send out sparks, while Bryant's bop-influenced, breakneck guitar cuts clean as a scalpel. Using the guitar-steel pairings of Western swing as a jumping-off point, these guys created a jazzy body of work that many guitarists are still trying to decipher.

stratosphere boogie

1. Stratosphere Boogie

  2. Blue Bonnet Rag

  3. Cotton Pickin'

  4. Old Joe Clark

  5. Sleepwalker's Lullaby

  6. Arkansas Traveler

  7. The Night Rider

  8. Low Man On A Totem Pole

  9. Speedin' West

  10. Comin' On

  11. Bryant's Bounce

  12. Midnight Ramble

  13. Pickin' Peppers

  14. Shuffleboard Rag

  15. Bustin' Thru

  16. Flippin' The Lid

                                              

Bill Haley...From Western Swing To Rock..Essential Collection

There is no denying Bill Haley's influence on popular music and, in particular, Rock and Roll. Whilst he is best known for "Rock Around the Clock", his beginnings were in Country and Western Swing, and his progression to his more famous rock and roll tracks made him a legend. This collection brings together tracks from his earlier days with The Four Aces and The Saddlemen and onto the classic Comets recordings and even offshoots from The Comets, The Jodimars and The Jaguars. 

With over 100 tracks, this compilation will have you swinging, rocking, rolling, jiving and everything else in between.

Rocket 88

Rock the Joint

Rock Around the Clock

Don't Knock the Rock

This 7 minute YouTube clip is from a 1954 short film entitled "Roundup of Rhythm" and shows the Comets live performing "Crazy, Man, Crazy", "Straightjacket" and "Shake, Rattle and Roll".

                                       

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