Randy Haspel was a 16-year-old kid whose band the Radiants played dances and frat parties in Memphis, TN when one day, a fan at a show offered to introduce the band to his father. The fan was Knox Phillips, and his father, Sam Phillips, happened to run Sun Records, the legendary independent label that gave the world Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and many other trailblazing acts. Randy & the Radiants recorded for Sun during the label's waning days in the mid-'60s, with Sam Phillips producing most of their sessions, and Memphis Beat, which collects two dozen of the band's Sun sides, documents a curious time and place where the influences of the British Invasion and the garage rock explosion were being felt at the house that rockabilly built…

For years, Roy Wood's post-Move/ELO catalog has been cluttered with budget-line compilations. The same tracks have been recycled over countless discs, usually distinguished by terrible fidelity and haphazard sequencing. Repertoire remedied the situation in 1999 by releasing two comprehensive compilations - one focusing on Wood's solo recordings (Exotic Mixture: Best of Singles A's & B's), the other on Wizzard's singles (Singles A's & B's). This was a welcome development, since both were good-sounding, intelligently assembled compilations, yet it wasn't an entirely ideal situation, as most fans - whether they're fanatics or curious listeners - would like to have one, tight collection of highlights from Wood's and Wizzard's singles and early-'70s albums…

With Bo Diddley's various hits and anthology packages all out of print and the multi-disc deluxe box set out of pocketbook reach for most casual consumers, MCA finally comes up with a 20-track compilation that hits the bull's-eye and makes this rock pioneer's best and most influential work available to everyone. The song list reads like a primer for '60s British R&B and '90s blues bands: "Bo Diddley," "I'm a Man," "Diddley Daddy," "Pretty Thing," "Before You Accuse Me," "Hey! Bo Diddley," "Who Do You Love," "Mona," and "Roadrunner" are the tracks that made the legend and put his sound on the map worldwide. The transfers used on this set are exemplary, the majority of them utilizing masters that have a few extra seconds (or more) appended to the fades, which will cause even hardliners to hear these old standards with fresh ears; especially revelatory are the "long versions" of "I Can Tell" and "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover."

Recorded in 1974, this album almost never saw the light of day. Fortunately, the master tapes were found and the album was released posthumously. Professor Longhair was a giant in the New Orleans music community, but had not recorded in over ten years when he was convinced to start playing again. From the opening riffs, one can understand the stature of Professor Longhair as a great pianist - he demonstrates that he is equally at home playing rhumba boogie, blues songs, and calypso. He plays New Orleans standards (many penned by himself), but what makes this recording a classic is the chance to hear him play with guitarist Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. The interplay of these music veterans is mesmerizing…

This 24-track set covers Carr's R&B tunes, with many unissued but fine selections such as "If These Walls Could Speak," "Finders Keepers," and "Weather Man" finally getting out of the vault. The CD also includes her trademark upbeat, sassy songs, "Jump Jack Jump," "Boppity Bop (Boogity Boop)," "Ding Dong Daddy," and "Nursery Rhyme Rock." Thematic variety wasn't her label's strong suit when it came to material, and they might have done better with more numbers like "Please Mr. Jailer" and "It's Raining Outside," and a few less boogies and jump pieces.

This is the definitive reissue of the first two albums from the rock act that ruled the Pacific Northwest in the early 60s. 2003 compilation includes the albums, "At the Castle" & "The Wailers & Co", along with six bonus tracks from rare singles, most of which have not previously been on CD.

Del Shannon's second and third albums appear (after a fashion) together on this BGO reissue. Actually, what BGO has re-created is the song lineup of the U.K. version of the Little Town Flirt album, which is a plus, as it contains several songs - including "Runaway" - that were repeated from earlier releases on the U.S. version. In either configuration, Little Town Flirt was one of the better rock & roll LPs of its period and holds up well. Shannon and his producers probably thought they were playing it safe by loading the record up with a fair number of covers, including "Dream Baby" and "Runaround Sue"; they never dreamt that one of his other covers from early 1963, of the Beatles' "From Me to You," would have put him for a moment on the cutting edge of music in England (where the record wasn't issued until later) as well as in front of the leading edge by almost a year in America…

Bruce Channel's "Hey Baby" - a classic one-shot, number-one hit from1962 - is one of the many records proving that, during a period inwhich rock has sometimes been characterized as near death, the form was continuing to evolve in unexpected and delightful ways. An irresistible mid-tempo shuffle from the first few bars of homespun harmonica (played by Delbert McClinton ), it was a seemingly effortless blend of rock, blues, country, and Cajun beats, featuring Channel's lazy, drawling vocals and an instantly catchy tune. It was perhaps too much of a natural; Channel could never recapture the organic spontaneity of the track, failing to re-enter the Top 40 despite many attempts…

Dr. John's Gumbo bridged the gap between post-hippie rock and early rock & roll, blues, and R&B, offering a selection of classic New Orleans R&B, including "Tipitina" and "Junko Partner," updated with a gritty, funky beat. There aren't as many psychedelic flourishes as there were on his first two albums, but the ones that are present enhance his sweeping vision of American roots music. And that sly fusion of styles makes Dr. John's Gumbo one of Dr. John's finest albums.

The Nashville Teens were a truly kick-ass rock & roll band from London. Their main claim to fame was providing the kamikaze backup behind Jerry Lee Lewis on his Live at the Star Club LP and recording the massive hit "Tobacco Road." This disc reissues that entire 1964 album and adds another 14 bonus tracks to it, getting us all the way to 1971 in the group's recorded output. Hot versions Of "Mona," "I Like It Like That," "La Bamba," and "Too Much" are the album's high points, and while the later tracks are a nice touch, they don't quite measure to the group's halcyon days.

Elvis: The New Recordings' CD is unlike any other CD available! It consists of 26 new overdubs (2015) of some of Mr. Presley's best tracks - both well known and obscure. These songs now sound amazingly fresh, beautiful and vibrant - like Elvis just recorded them today! Hear lush strings, flute, jazzy sax and clarinet, (steel, electric, acoustic) guitars, new percussion, etc. Produced by Larry Jordan (who has done overdubs on stars ranging from Patsy Cline to Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney and Jim Reeves - the latter of whom had a #1 this past summer in Europe from one of Jordan's overdubs) - the new Elvis offering features stunning sound quality and top musicianship.

Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Johnny Cash, Chris Montez, Roy Orbison, The Platters, The Clovers and many others.

Covering a lot of 60s material, this CD set overlooks the most often used hits of 1960-62 in favor of the latter part of the decade. Quality of sources is excellent and the mix of songs is superb! Each disc could have had more songs included, but the quality compensates for the lack of quantity. A large number of great album tracks along with a decent number of hit singles and a wonderful listening experience in the order they have been assembled.

What we have here is an excellent compilation of 90 tracks from the first years of Elvis’s success. The majority of the hits are on the first two discs, with the third being, in the main, a collection of his finest religious recordings from the period. All the early hits are here; “Heartbreak Hotel”, “All Shook Up”, Jailhouse Rock”, “Love Me, Tender”, “Hound Dog”, “Are You Lonesome Tonight” and many more. Some of his best early performances, such as “That’s All Right” and “Mystery Train” are also included, as are some of the film songs, such as “GI Blues”, “Wooden Heart”, “Loving You” and many others.