This entry in Bear Family's single-disc label retrospectives delving into various companies' rockabilly treasures lands this times at the doorstep of Imperial Records, which also houses the few stray masters that showed up on the United Artists and Liberty labels back in the 1950s. The lineup is as top drawer as you could ask for;
Bob Luman with a young
James Burton on lead guitar ("Red Hot," "All Night Long"),
Weldon Rogers ("So Long, Good Luck and Goodbye"), Billy Eldridge ("Let's Go Baby"), Dennis Herrold ("Hip Hip Baby" and the mind-destroying "Make With the Lovin'"), the Burnette Brothers with
Joe Maphis on lead guitar ("Warm Love"),
the Strikes ("If You Can't Rock Me," "Rockin'," "Baby I'm Sorry," "I Don't Want to Cry Over You"), Sammy Gowans ("Rockin' By Myself") and the hillbilly boogie of Lew Williams and
Bill Mack make for some of the best titles the music has to offer. After you assemble a nice collection of essential Sun, Elvis and
Johnny Burnette sides, this should be your very next stop. ~ Cub Koda