Various Artists - Guys of the Big "D" Jamboree (CD)

All Music Guide

The Guys of the Big "D" Jamboree is another praiseworthy installment in Dragon Street's reissue series centered around the Big "D" Jamboree, Dallas' equivalent of ~the Grand Ole Opry and Louisiana Hayride. The compilation presents 30 rare studio recordings, radio transcriptions, live recordings, and demos from roughly 20 acts, many of whom were regional performers and regulars on the Jamboree, including Riley Crabtree, Sid King, Gene O'Quin, and Orville Couch. As the title says, this package is devoted to male performers, since an earlier disc, The Gals of the Big "D" Jamboree, dealt with the ladies. One highlight is the inclusion of two rare early recordings by Lefty Frizzell, featuring songs that were allegedly co-written by Hank Williams. Most of the material is straight country, although a few tracks lean strongly toward rockabilly. The sound quality and presentation are excellent, and nearly all of the recordings are making their commercial debut. Collectors of '50s country music ...have become increasingly reliant upon European labels for reissues that focus on this period, so it's an uncommon event for an American label to release such a historical package. - Greg Adams, All Music Guide Read more Less