Wayne Walker will forever be known as a highly-successful songwriter in the country and pop fields during the 1950s and 1960s. Since his death in the late 1970s, however, he became something of a rockabilly hero in Europe with such obscure recordings as “All I Can Do Is Cry”, “Love Me”, “Bo-Bo Ska Diddle Daddle”, “You’ve Got Me” and “Little Ole You” which have kept the dance floors of the many rock ‘n’ roll clubs filled. Strangely, those thirty-odd years that have since elapsed have never seen a complete Wayne Walker reissue…until now! This is Wayne Walker – The singer and his songs
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Hank Thompson’s key to success lies in his songwriting and his band's consistent sound. Thompson's songs often cast an unflinching eye on the drinking and carousing honky-tonk lifestyle, as exemplified by his signature song "The Wild Side of Life" as well as "Honky-Tonk Girl" and "Six-Pack to Go." From the late 1940s through the 1970s he was consistently in the country charts, landing nearly fifty songs in the Top-10 or Top-20. With record sales well over 60 million internationally, Hank Thompson's career has impacted on seven decades (from the '40's into the 21st century) of recorded music history. Hank Thompson died Nov. 6, 2007, following a battle with lung cancer. This double CD set features a fine selection of tracks from the 40’s and 50’s, including some OPS (Office Of Price Stabilzation) radio transcriptions plus a radio show from 2001 in which the King of Western Swing tells the story of his life; the beginnings, his influences and roots, his mates and colleagues...
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Laura B and the Moonlighters are an exciting seven-piece rockin' and honkin' rhythm and blues combo in the upbeat style of Ruth Brown, Big Maybelle and Lavern Baker. Lady Laura and the guys guarantee a big beat sound and performance to match many of the great R'n'B artistes of the fifties.
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Once again in the great tradition of the european doowop vocal groups, it's from Spain this time that we get the lastest offering from the fantastic Velvet Candles. From great self penned numbers and covers of fairly obscure songs and even some traditional vocal group material sung in their native language, the guys and one girl serve up a great album that all doowop and Rock and Roll fan, whether you like the white or black sounds, will love. There is something for everybody in this superb set with is bound to become a classic in its own right.
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BRIOLES' music is mainly based on 50's R&R but they've added more elements that -right from the start- have conformed their unique and recognizable sound. They've usually been described as psychobilly or neorockabilly -labels they don't dislike but don't define them accurately.
Love, Rhythm & Hate is a masterpiece; the best work of the band so far, pure BRIOLES sound!!
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De luxe package; gatefold 10” viny album featuring 3 songs not on the CD version plus the CD version in slipcover!!!
BRIOLES' music is mainly based on 50's R&R but they've added more elements that -right from the start- have conformed their unique and recognizable sound. They've usually been described as psychobilly or neorockabilly -labels they don't dislike but don't define them accurately.
Love, Rhythm & Hate is a masterpiece; the best work of the band so far, pure BRIOLES sound!!
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While it is not often documented, it stands to reason that of all the many black artists who were influenced by country music radio in their childhood, a percentage would grow into maturity with a real feeling for hillbilly music and incorporate the style it into their own musical heritage, just as the white rockabillies introduced an urban blues element into their country music.
This album has been compiled to showcase this inverted spin on the conception of rockabilly - got them Hill Billy Blues?
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Deluxe package! 12” double vinyl album in fold out sleeve + CD version in sleepcover
While it is not often documented, it stands to reason that of all the many black artists who were influenced by country music radio in their childhood, a percentage would grow into maturity with a real feeling for hillbilly music and incorporate the style it into their own musical heritage, just as the white rockabillies introduced an urban blues element into their country music.
This album has been compiled to showcase this inverted spin on the conception of rockabilly - got them Hill Billy Blues?
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In March 2009, The Aces signed with El Toro Records. Hailing from California (USA), their debut album “ No One Rides For Free ” is a collection of 10 original songs which fans of the band call punk trance blues or pounding riffs and a distorted wall of sound topped by wailing harp. The bands goal was to capture that raw primitive sound which is present at their live shows. The record was recorded live in the studio with no overdubs utilizing old fender tweed tube amps pushed to the brink of exploding captured with 1940's and 1950's microphones. The Aces sound will charge you!
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Sunday morning. After a few hours of sleep they made thier way to Circo Perrotti Studios in Gijon to blast out these 9 songs. These guys got right down to work- real pros with thousands of gigs under their belts. They hauled in their own gear, got settled down in the studio and started busting each others balls like they were teenagers, as they hammered out songs they hadn´t even played live before. When it was time to break and treat them to a nice Asturian lunch, they asked me if I could set them up with some Diet Cokes and Snickers bars, because they didn´t want to stop playing! When they did stop, it was back to the hotel in Oviedo for 5 hours sleep and 4 connecting flights to Arkansas the next morning....
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Beginning his promising rise to national fame in the late 1930s as a rival to that other trumpet-playing, gravel-voiced entertainer, Louis Armstrong, Hot Lips Page changed tack, jumping with both feet in the direction of the burgeoning R&B sound in the mid 1940s. It was a move that was sure to offend all the serious jazz music fans, but it would endear him to all the low-brow jump-blues lovers - both then and now! This CD celebrates those R&B years of the man who could have been King…
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Lucky Marcell holds all the cards! One of the best singers at the moment, with pure 50`s style and raw energy that will blow your mind no matter if it`s a wild rocker or a slow pace.
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Following on from our well-received Texas Rockabilly compilation “Real Cool Cats” (ETCD 1010) in 2006, El Toro Records now brings you another volume of Lone Star Bop. This time spotlighting the obscure Texas-born or raised recording artists that were elevated to star status in the 1970s when their all-but-forgotten careers were revived by a tiny, home-based, Californian record company run by a rock'n'roll-crazy Italian called Rockin' Ronny Weiser.
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Back in '53 when Charline Arthur sang ‘I Heard About You', she could never have imagined that some half a century later, and halfway around the world, a feisty young Italian singer, Sabrina, aka. Rockin' Bonnie, would be singing the same words and echoing the same sassy energy...! This, her debut album. has all the ingredients to make one strong cocktail of musical styles.
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Due to popular demand, following the release of our debut release; “Rockin' With The R&B” a few years ago. El Toro Records now presents a second helping of jumping R&B from the late 1940's and early 1950's, all of which exhort the listener to “Rock! Rock! Rock!” or, in a few instances, to “Roll Roll! Roll!” long before the official birth of Rock and Roll in 1954. ..
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Welcome to the third volume in El Toro's new series of Collector's Choice compilations, making available rarely heard and seldom reissued tracks from the 45 and 78 shelves of 1950s record collectors. Dave Penny's first set in the series features Hillbilly Bop and the more rural sounds from the Rockabilly spectrum.
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Welcome to volume four in El Toro's new series of Collector's Choice compilations, making available rarely heard and seldom reissued tracks from the 45 and 78 shelves of 1950s record collectors. Dave Penny's second set for these series cherry-picks the Rock 'N' Roll style in its many guises - from major labels to tiny indies..
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This disc tries to reunite these artists who in the first years of Rock And Roll created new songs and covers recreating the rhythm coming from the north helping to spread it across the country through various record labels like RCA Victor, Columbia, VIK, Musart, Peerless, etc...
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This rockin' compilation of 27 original US recordings from the '40s and '50s is a vibrant example of Dutch DJ AT's repertoire - and great for parties.
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On Jerome's new album, Introducing, he delivers an impressive assortment of rockabilly, blues, straight-out rock and Americana backed up not only by rhythm section aces Deon Buck on bass and Coen Moleschot on drums but also by top class artists like Gene Taylor on keyboards and Big Pete on harp to name just a couple.
Opening track “Hot Rod Party” is already a dance floor filler around the planet!!
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Listening to our friends, The Vibrants rendition of our "King Of The Surf" make us proud that this fine group of talented young men has done such a great job capturing the spirit of Surf. THE TRASHMEN
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Listening to our friends, The Vibrants rendition of our "King Of The Surf" make us proud that this fine group of talented young men has done such a great job capturing the spirit of Surf. THE TRASHMEN
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At last! The vinyl edition of this great Hillbilly Swing album!! Packaged in a deluxe foldout sleeve with one of the nicest designs ever on El Toro catalogue! Features 17 tracks, 6 more than the CD version!!!
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It's here! It's here! 3 years after the first album from these Croatians, El Toro Records exclusives', they are they are back with a masterpiece of XXI century Rockabilly and they're gonna knock your socks off with the rockin' sound, and tear your shoes laces with the stompin' beat!! Don't you dare to miss the unique opportunity to hear one of the best Rockabilly hepcats from the shores of the Adriatic!!!! Ladies, save your tears in a glass for that special somenone in your heart. After you get throught this brand new album, everyone's bound to SCREAM for more!!
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Super DeLuxe package!! Includes 10” vinyl album in gatefold cover featuring 10 tracks plus the CD version in slipcover featuring 16 tracks!!!
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THE COMPLETE 50'S RECORDINGS
An undisputed king of rockabilly music, Charlie Feathers started out at the legendary Sun studio in 1954 writing songs for Elvis Presley before launching his own faultless recording career on Sun, Meteor, King and other labels. Feathers' reputation as the unreconstructed hero of rockabilly was set by the European revival of the 1970s, since when he has been lifted to the status of "God" by the patronage of such high-profile fans as The Cramps, Bob Dylan, The Fall and Quentin Tarantino. This double CD set finally gathers together all the prime 1950s recordings of the man, including all his known demos, alternative takes and even the tracks which feature Charlie as a session musician on guitar and spoons!
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BUDDY HOLLY & THE CRICKETS, RITCHIE VALENS AND THE BIG BOPPER
Special issue commemorating the 50th anniversary of “The Day The Music Died”
It was late January, 1959, when the tragic Winter Dance Party began; a gruelling twenty-four day tour of the mid-west by a rock 'n' roll revue which included Buddy Holly and his group, J P "Big Bopper" Richardson and Ritchie Valens. Poorly funded and inefficiently organized, the tour began a disaster and steadily got worse, with a motley successionof clapped-out coaches being the only transportation provided to the artists by the booking agency. Eleven days into the tour and facing another tortuous 400 mile road trip to the next venue on a freezing bus, Holly decided to charter a plane after their unscheduled appearance at ClearLake, Iowa. He and the two other headliners took off for Fargo, NorthDakota, in the teeth of a blizzard during the early hours of 3rd February1959... it was a date that would come to be known as one of the darkest in the whole history of rock 'n' roll...
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THE COMPLETE 50'S RECORDINGS
Like several other notable teenage musical prodigies from the deep south of mid 20th century America, Sun Records was the making of Jerry Lee Lewis. Although he arguably enjoyed greater success as a Country star in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Jerry Lee's Sun recordings from the 1950s are what made him one of the undisputed kings of Rock 'n' Roll; and that extraordinary first year from late 1956 to late 1957, more than any other, won him the crown. This selection of hits, misses and sessions as anonymous hired-hand - topped-off with the inclusion of all four of his pre-Sun demo recordings - are among the first swaggering steps in a cocksure career...
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Rare gems of 40's and 50's Hillbilly Boogie and Rockabilly. Welcome to the first of El Toro's releases in our new Collectors Choice series, where we will be making available a large collection of rare 1950s recorded material, many of which are only to be found on scarce 45's, 78's and acetates. 8 page booklet with interesting notes and rare pictures. Label shots from each one of the releases featured.
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Rare gems of 40's and 50's Hillbilly Boogie and Rockabilly. Welcome to volume two of El Toro's Collectors Choice series, where we once again make available more exciting and obscure sounds of 1950s Rockabilly and Hillbilly Bop for the discerning listener. 12 page booklet with interesting notes and rare pictures. Label shots from each one of the releases featured.
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CD format; 4 brand new studio tracks from the sensational Arsen Roulette with a raw guitar that sounds as if telegraph wires were strung on it, self-penned tunes and urgent vocals.
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33 rpm 7” vinyl format; 4 brand new studio tracks from the sensational Arsen Roulette with a raw guitar that sounds as if telegraph wires were strung on it, self-penned tunes and urgent vocals. Pressed in shinny red vinyl limited to 500 copies.
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Double female vocals singing a mix of rockabilly, rock n roll, & jump blues all mixed together like a martini.
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Following the great popularity of the new dance other Latin rhythms such as the Cha Cha Cha or Merengue also became popular. Suddenly everything that had a Latin sound was hip and cool; a few Spanish words (Hey Señorita!) and the sound of maracas, bongos or castanets were often used as condiments by the R&B scene cooks. It's often said by band members that their main reason for singing was not to be famous but to attract girls... so man... to attract girls you have to sing well, look sharp, and be on the latest craze... and by the mid 50's it was the Mambo!!
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This package contains the last word on Luman's formative years; the early demos with Mac Curtis' band, the first recordings with James Burton and the Shadows, the consummate Imperial label masters and those tracks recorded for Carnival Rock, all accompanied by a DVD of the legendary rock 'n' roll film itself, featuring The Platters, The Blockbusters and David Houston, in addition to the one and only Bob Luman.
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This release explores those forgotten classics that Syd Nathan begrudgingly released on his main King label between 1953 and 1955. The 29 track set is completed by the inclusion of the best of his early sessions for Imperial including rock 'n' roll club classic Saturday Night and the unique interpretation of the double-sided Buddy Knox/Jimmy Bowen hit from 1956. Shake 'Em Up, Baby!
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I'm not really sure how the waves are off the coast of Spain, but with bands like the Longboards laying down blazing instrumental surf rock, at least we know the tunes are in good hands there. Recalling the Endless Summer days of big boards and fast cars, the Longboards rip it out in style on vintage pieces to match their retro cool vintage sounds full of reverb, wild guitar work and solid rhythms. Wickedly high-octane riffs, dynamic bass lines and cymbal crazy action on the kit mark the Longboards sets. They channel the big wave sounds of the King of the Surf Guitar himself, the one and only Dick Dale Ryan Osterbeck - Santa Cruz Reviews.
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This is the band's first album in nine years and features nine originals and seven excellent covers from rare gems of Hony Tonk and Rockabilly.
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Here, in glorious old vinyl, are those vital sounds - the complete 1950s recordings of Pat Cupp, singles, alternative takes and demo recordings; including perennial boppin' club classics and rockabilly dancefloor fillers such as "That Girl Of Mine", "Do Me No Wrong", "I Guess It's Meant That Way" and, of course, the phenomenal "Long Gone Daddy". Get ready to /rock away your misery and roll away your blues/ with that /long gone daddy/...Pat Cupp.
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Here, then, are those vital sounds - the complete 1950s recordings of Pat Cupp, singles, alternative takes and demo recordings; including perennial boppin' club classics and rockabilly dancefloor fillers such as "That Girl Of Mine", "Do Me No Wrong", "I Guess It's Meant That Way" and, of course, the phenomenal "Long Gone Daddy". Get ready to /rock away your misery and roll away your blues/ with that /long gone daddy/...Pat Cupp.
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This Broken Crown delves deeply into country music of the late 1950s to the late 1960s, with an thirteen tracks combining into an irresistible blend of mostly original high-steppers, barstool tear-stirrers, and classic Texas two-steppers. Caroline Casey's music and lyrics embody the careworn, steel-spined resignation of Loretta Lynn or the Devil Take Me attitude of early Johnny Paycheck or Don Gibson.
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At last and by popular demand Bullseye releases on glorius vinyl the new Nu Niles album produced by Mike Mariconda with two extra tracks not on the CD version and in limited eddition. Everything packed up in a deluxe desing by Marcel Botempi on a supersexi gatefold sleeve. You can't miss this one!!
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7" 45 rpm transparent vinyl - limited edditon to 500.
Two new songs never before released.
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The Cruisers are the greatest new sensation of latino roots Rock and Roll since Los Lobos and with their long-awaited CD out now on El Toro, the Moonlight Cruisers are sure to be playing new places and making new fans muy pronto!
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With this their second CD , Mr. Whiz keep exploring their unique brand of a style that this spanish trio have proudly named hillbilly swing. This term --already used in the late 1940s by western swing bandleader Curley Williams-- refers in this case to a one-of-a-kind blend of rockabilly, hillbilly, and western swing that has become Mr. Whiz's trademark. Their music is a perfect mixture of their varied influences -- the rockabilly side of Carl Perkins, the honky tonk style of Hank Williams, the colourful western swing of Bob Wills, the finger-pickin' of Merle Travis, and even the nonchalant, jazzy swing of Fats Waller are but a few examples.
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A bit of country croonin', a touch of blue ballads with righteous rockabilly have been combined to create a marvellous set of songs. Just three pieces are able to make up this band of terrific players.
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This "Introduction" to the 'Aces sums up the bands desire to recreate the music they love, but in their own way. There are no pigeonholes – its neither Western Swing, Hillbilly or Rockabilly, Honky Tonk. It's all and a bit more. You can dance to it, weep to it, smile to it and drink to it and hopefully, you'll love it!!
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El Toro Records brings you for the first time on CD the complete Bobby Darin's early recordings for Decca Records from 1956 plus nine of his first tracks for Atco Records from 1957 including unreleased outtakes.
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The Hometown Gambler's first CD "Takin' Car Of Business on El Toro records (2005) is one of the label's best sellers ever but the CD still dind't show the band's explosive and own blend of country music, western swing, rhythm and blues, jazz, rock'n roll and rockabilly that the band delivers on stage. The litle combo (electric guitar, rhythm guitar, harmonica and stand up bass) has continued developing their roots style to get that great vintage sound which is now their trade mark!! This new CD has all the flavour of the early days of the transition from traditional country to the new sound of Rock'n'Roll and Rockabilly, some times with a touch of blues and others with high dose of Honky Tonk. Dipsomania, with 15 original songs is a master piece, no doubt!!!
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It was during on of his European tours that Mitch Woods stoped by Barcelona city to team up with Spanish Jump Blues aces The Lazy Jumpers and record the 12 tracks of Jukebox Drive for El Toro Records. Mitch Woods and The Lazy Jumpers sound on this new album as the jumpin' n' jivin', shoutin' n' honkin', pumpin' n' poundin' bands of the late 40' s and early 50' s; Louis Jordan, Wynonie Harris, Joe and Jimmy Liggins, Amos Milburn, Roy Milton... Adding a healthy dose of New Orleans rhythm and blues, piledrivin' piano, and some of his own contemporary playful lyrics.
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Dance! Dance! Dance! Dj At (NL) style of playing is firmly rooted in the musical styles from the early 30's till the early 60's. Being an original of the Rockabilly scene and a vivid dancer himself, he knows exactly what it takes to get a crowd on the dance floor and more importantly, to keep them there all night long. Whether it's Rockabilly, Rock and Roll, Rhythm & Blues, Hillbilly Boogie or (Western) Swing that you need, he'll find his way. During the last couple of years At has received invitations to come spin the wax at various Rockabilly and Swing festivals around the globe. Now, with this compilation, you can have him at your home too!
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1957: The breakthrough year. After having served his apprenticeship on local West Texas radio in the early 1950s, Buddy Holly spent a year as a solo artist with the unsympathetic Nashville arm of mighty US Decca in 1956 (see El Toro ETCD 1012) which not only proved disastrous commercially, but also denied him the artistic freedom which he desired in order to carve his own niche in popular music. Having learned a valuable lesson in Owen Bradley's clock-watched studio, in early 1957 Buddy Holly formed his own group, The Crickets, and began utilising the well-equipped recording facility belonging to Norman Petty in Clovis, to produce finished masters for the Brunswick and Coral labels, which would include influential rock 'n' roll classics such as "That'll Be The Day", "Peggy Sue", "Not Fade Away", "Oh Boy!" and "Maybe Baby" - all of which can be found on this entertaining and important compilation.
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Combining originals with covers, Cari Lee and her band have created a seamlessly rhythmic album that moves effortlessly between eras, past and present. The result is a torrid convergence of musical pleasure that thrills and captivates listeners. Scorched generates pure, unadulterated audio arousal. HOT RHTHM & BLUES!!!
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This new El Toro set explores the birth of rockabilly from the distaff point of view during the first few years following the cataclysm, from established country stars and veteran performers such as Rose Maddox and Jean Chapel to regional heroines like Abbie Neal and The Collins Kids, and from Rockabilly Queens like Wanda, Janis and Brenda to obscure delights such as Dottie Jones and Betty Barnes. Welcome To The Club!
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A Top 10 R&B chart act in December 1955 with their Leiber & Stoller produced "Smokey Joe's Café", the history of The Robins vocal group goes back a decade before that from their origins in Johnny Otis' revue in the late 1940s, with whom they scored big R&B hits with "If It's So Baby" (#10) and "Double Crossing Blues" (#1). This new El Toro compilation catches up with the group in 1953 after escaping from the Otis band and signing with RCA Victor, recording several sessions with budding producers, Leiber and Stoller, who took them to their new Spark label where they cut "Smokey Joe's Cafe". Featuring a talented, all-star line-up including Bobby Nunn and Carl Gardner whom Leiber and Stoller would use as the nucleus of their next supergroup, The Coasters, this compilation is a near perfect blend of smoky ballads and torrid jump tunes.
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