When rockabilly hit the charts in 1956 in the shape of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Gene Vincent, the music industry jumped on the bandwagon. And for the handful of hits in the genre, there were thousands of sides cut that didn't make it. For the rockabilly fan of today it's a matter of, thank Goodness! There is so much of it out there to listen to. Two kinds of record companies rushed into record as many hillbilly singers and bands with a penchant for the boogie beat as they could. The independents, like Starday, King and Savoy, tried their hand, while a thousand smaller labels joined the fray and the majors leaped in, although sometimes half-heartedly. The little labels usually recorded primitive rockabilly out of necessity, and consequently usually cut what are now considered classics in the style. At the same time some of the majors did the right thing, almost by chance, and took their signings to Nashville to get the high-gloss treatment from local session-men like Grady Martin, Hank Garland and Buddy Harmon et al., who appear all over this great new collection of Columbia rockabilly. They produced clean and controlled rock'n'roll, but with a great feel with fiery solos.
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