VA - Across the Tracks, Nashville R&B and Rock 'n' Roll [1996] + Across the Tracks, Vol. 2, More Nashville R&B & Doo Wop [1997]

NASHVILLE ROCK

VA - Across the Tracks, Nashville R&B and Rock 'n' Roll [1996] + Across the Tracks, Vol. 2, More Nashville R&B & Doo Wop [1997]

Across the Tracks, Vol. 1 Nashville is now firmly cemented in the collective consciousness as a country capital. But in the '50s and '60s, it did harbor a reasonably active R&B/blues/soul scene. Of the Nashville-based R&B labels, Excello had the highest profile; this compilation gathers 28 late '50s and early '60s tracks from several smaller local competitors (the Champion, Cherokee, Kit, Calvert, Poncello, Spar, and Valdot labels). Few of the performers are even known on a cult level; Gene Allison (who had a hit with "You Can Make It If You Try," not included here) is about the only one with even modest name recognition value. It's decent but generic early R&B, a bit of gospel, pure soul, or out-and-out Little Richard-like rock'n'roll thrown in, recommended only if early R&B/soul if your main bag. Which isn't to say it's mediocre; there is not, however, a clearly identifiable Nashville R&B sound, as there is for, say, Memphis. The highlights are the most soul-oriented outings from the early '60s (by Lucille & the Strangers, Herbert Hunter, Leevert Allison, and Roscoe Shelton), if only because the tunes are more sophisticated and the production a bit more ambitious. (AMG review by Richie Unterberger) 

Across the Tracks, Vol. 2 Like volume one of the series, this documents the nearly forgotten Nashville R&B scene of the 1950s and 1960s, on 30 obscurities issued on small local labels. It's similar in content to its predecessor: smoky, often raw sides, sometimes sparsely (even crudely) produced, the approaches varying from bluesy stuff and raunchy rock to doo wop and '60s soul. There's even a 1959 gospel side by the Fairfield Four, who wouldn't reach the peak of their fame until almost four decades later. It's like an encyclopedia of black popular music styles from the time, the caveat being that while they're representative examples, they're not outstanding. The standouts are the most modern-sounding cuts at the end: Earl Gaines and Lucille Johns' duet on "You Are My Sunshine," and the uptown soul of Gene Allison's "Stay a Little Longer," and the previously unissued, Stax-like "It's Almost Sundown" by Roscoe Shelton. Allison's version of "You Can Make It If You Try" (covered by the Rolling Stones) on this disc, by the way, is not the original, but a 1968 remake. (AMG review by Richie Unterberger)

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Track lists

Vol. 1

01 Little Ike - She Can Rock 1:53

02 Larry Birdsong - Every Night In The Week 2:35

03 Little Shy Guy Douglas - Let's Rock And Roll 2:57

04 Earl Gaines - Now Do You Hear 2:10

05 Gene Allison - I Understand 2:19

06 Larry Birdsong - Somebody, Somewhere 2:36

07 Fairfield Four - Let Your Will Be Done 2:14

08 Jimmy Beck And His Orchestra - Pipe Dreams 2:20

09 Gene Allison - Now That We're Together 1:58

10 Christine Kittrell - I'm Just What You're Looking For 2:20

11 Larry Birdsong - Young And Fancy Free 2:19

12 Clenest Gant - Jump-Jump-Hi Ho 2:20

13 Larry Birdsong - Do You Love Me 2:19

14 Gene Allison - You Gonna Be Sorry 2:35

15 Gaines,Earl - Best Of Luck Baby 2:27

16 Larry Birdsong - Since You Left Me Behind 1:57

17 Rudy Green - Oh Baby 2:13

18 Chellows - I Want To Be A Part Of You 2:14

19 Lucille And The Strangers - For You My Love 2:38

20 Lucille And The Strangers - I Know Johnny Loves Me 2:40

21 Jimmy Tig And The Rounders - Small Town Girl 2:49

22 Chuck Harrod And The Anteaters - They Wanna Fight 2:36

23 Johnny Keaton - Twistin' Usa 2:26

24 Ted Jarrett - Let's Twist (Slow And Easy) 2:07

25 Herbert Hunter - Doctor Feelgood 2:12

26 Leevert Allison - I'm Going Home 2:43

27 Roscoe Shelton - Yesterday's Mistake 2:17

28 Consolers - Thank God Things Are As Well As They Are (Alternative Take) 3:06

Vol. 2

01 Larry Birdsong - Three Times Seven 3:06

02 Larry Birdsong - Live The Life I Sing About 2:57

03 Kinglets - Six Days A Week (And Sundays Too) 3:02

04 Kinglets - You Gotta Go 2:51

05 Charles Walker &The Daffodils - No Fool No More 2:14

06 Charles Walker &The Daffodils - Slave To Love 2:25

07 Gene Allison - If Things Don't Change 2:27

08 Earl Gaines - Sittin' Here Drinkin' 3:02

09 Jimmy Beck & His Orchestra - Blue Night 2:10

10 Murfreesboro - Real Good Man 2:34

11 Murfreesboro - Oh My Love 2:16

12 Larry Birdsong - Scooter Poofin' 2:13

13 Fairfield Four - Lord You Know 2:19

14 Christine Kittrell - I Thank Him 2:25

15 Clips - Kiss Away 2:42

16 Clips - Let Me Get Close To You Baby 2:49

17 Larry Birdsong - You're My Baby 2:27

18 Earl Gaines - Love You So 2:10

19 Don Q & Clenest Cant - Hallelujah 2:37

20 Cliff Butler - Rent's Too High 3:13

21 Ted Jarrett - Love Me A Long Long Time 2:21

22 Little Shy Guy - My Little Baby 2:00

23 Chuck Harrod & The Anteaters - Crawdad Hole 1:44

24 Joyce Paul - Goofin' Off 2:30

25 Earl Gaines - Let Me Down Easy 2:26

26 Arthur K Adams - The Same Thing 3:03

27 Earl Gaines - You Are My Sunshine 2:43

28 Gene Allison - Stay A Little Longer 2:20

29 Roscoe Shelton - It's Almost Sundown 3:12

30 Gene Allison - You Can Make It If You Try/Have Faith 3:42

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