VA - American Music - The Hightone Records Story [2006] (4 X CD's)

HIGHTONE RECORDS

VA - American Music - The Hightone Records Story [2006] (4 X CD's)

Hightone has been a force in roots music since '83, and this set celebrates their already-impressive legacy with 79 tracks.  With few exceptions, these are tough times for artists who perform American roots music. It was much the same in the early '80s, when the feisty, Oakland-based Hightone Records coalesced around pals Bruce Bromberg and Larry Sloven. Under their stewardship, Hightone championed blues, country, and folk musicians and singer-songwriters and aided in the birth of the Americana movement--which in turn yielded a radio format and magazines like No Depression. These 79 songs on four CDs and a DVD of music videos are a compendium of Hightone's accomplishments and, in many cases, the footprints of creative giants within those genres. Each disc is defined by style. The blues roster includes Robert Cray's breakthrough hit "Smokin' Gun," which helped launch the genre's '80s revival, as well as performances by Delta heroes Pinetop Perkins and Johnny Shines, Chicago legend Otis Rush, and such potent contemporary players as Kim Wilson, Joe Louis Walker, and R.L. Burnside. The country CD also gets high marks, with underground giants Gary Stewart, Buddy Miller, Big Sandy, and Dale Watson kicking up dust. With Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Tom Russell, Dave Alvin, Chris Smither, and Dylan influence Ramblin' Jack Elliott paired with Tom Waits on the folk/singer-songwriter disc, it also offers plenty of good listening. Hightone's rock history comes up short overall, with fairly pedantic playing and writing from most of its signings. The strongest exceptions are Joe Ely, the Blasters, and former Blasters songwriter-guitarist Alvin, who was Hightone's most diverse and wide-ranging talent before leaving recently for Yep Roc. The disc of videos is a blast. They're either live affairs by the likes of Alvin and Stewart or low-budget studio shoots from the days when the medium was innocent. There's also a lavish, colorful 123-page book featuring a well-written history of the label, a foreword by Alvin, and a story for every song in this often-delightful set. (Amazon)

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Pt.1      Pt.2 

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Track lists

CD1

  01. Phone Booth -- Robert Cray Band
  02. Stoned, Cold, & Blue -- Frankie Lee
  03. Tore Up -- Otis Rush
  04. Smoking Gun -- Robert Cray
  05. 747 -- Joe Louis Walker
  06. Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark -- Phillip Walker
  07. I Want To (Do Everything For You) -- King Cotton And The Swamp Coolers
  08. I'll Get To Heaven On My Own -- Joe Louis Walker
  09. Moaning And Groaning -- Johnny Shines
  10. They Call Me Sundown -- Lonesome Sundown
  11. Sugar Bee -- Chris Gaffney
  12. The Devil's Livin' There -- James Armstrong
  13. Going Down South -- R.L. Burnside
  14. It's A Minor Thing -- Redd Volkaert
  15. Fast Food Slow Death -- Clarence Brewer
  16. Eyesight To The Blind -- Kim Wilson
  17. Miss Ida B. -- Pinetop Perkins
  18. How Could You Do It -- Henry Gray
  19. September 11th Blues -- Louisiana Red

CD2

  01. American Music -- The Blasters
  02. Lord Of The Highway -- Joe Ely
  03. Flattop Joint -- Sonny Burgess with Dave Alvin
  04. Blue Collar Blues -- Billy Lee Riley
  05. Lickin' Stick -- The Loved Ones
  06. California Sun -- Dick Dale
  07. Sparkling City -- Ted Roddy
  08. I Ain't Lyin' -- The Skeletons
  09. Lonely Guy -- Big Sandy
  10. Telewacker -- Redd Volkaert
  11. Bullet From A Gun -- Teddy Morgan & The Pistolas
  12. Open The Door To Your Heart -- Little Willie G
  13. The Honky Tonk Wine -- Carl Sonny Leyland
  14. Saturday Jump -- Kim Lenz
  15. Hot Rodder's Lament -- Deke Dickerson
  16. Rockabilly Funeral -- The TwangBangers feat. Bill Kirchen
  17. Fourth Of July -- Dave Alvin
  18. Hollywood Bed -- The Blasters
  19. Little Bitty Kiss -- Buddy Miller
  20. Jug Hustler Blues -- Seth Kauffman
  21. Eve Of Destruction -- PF Sloan w/ Frank Black and Buddy Miller

CD3

  01. Let's Start A Rumor Today -- Bobby Durham
  02. Rainin' Rainin' Rainin' -- Gary Stewart
  03. Goodbye Lonesome, Hello Baby Doll -- Lonesome Strangers
  04. The Garage Sale -- Buddy Miller
  05. Stay Out Of My Arms -- Heather Myles
  06. Room 309 -- Reverend Billy C. Wirtz
  07. Honky Tonk Queen -- Big Sandy & his Fly-Rite Boys
  08. Ramblin' Fever -- Billy Joe Shaver
  09. I'm Pretending -- Buddy Miller
  10. Corpus Christi Bay -- Johnny Rodriguez
  11. Wine Don't Lie -- Dale Watson
  12. The Greatest Story Ever Told -- Big Sandy & his Fly-Rite Boys
  13. Comin' On Thru -- Johnny Dilks & His Vistacion Valley Boys
  14. Little Ole You -- The Hollisters
  15. Sting In This Ole Bee -- Hank Thompson
  16. Here I Am In Dallas -- Dallas Wayne
  17. Truck Drivin' Man -- The TwangBangers
  18. It Stops With Me -- The Hot Club Of Cowtown
  19. Dark End Of The Hallway -- Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
  20. Walk Away If You Want To -- The Domino Kings
  21. Birth Of The Blues -- Whit Smith's Hot Jazz Caravan

CD4

  01. My Baby Thinks She's French -- Joe Ely
  02. Rainin' Rainin' Rainin -- Gary Stewart
  03. Just Can't Cry No More -- Lonesome Strangers
  04. Why Did She Stay With Him -- Dave Alvin
  05. Blue Highway -- Rosie Flores
  06. King Of California -- Dave Alvin
  07. Rum And Rodeo -- Heather Myles
  08. South Of Round Rock, Texas -- Dale Watson
  09. My Sinful Days Are Over -- Big Sandy & his Fly-Rite Boys
  10. The Rose Of The San Joaquin -- Tom Russell
  11. You Can't Wrap Your Arms Around A Memory -- Marty Brown
  12. You Can Say That Again -- Johnny Rodriguez
  13. Lovin' The Bottle -- Heather Myles
  14. An Empty Glass -- Gary Stewart
  15. Honky Tonk Moon -- Rosie Flores
  16. Barn Burning -- Dave Alvin
  17. En La Central De Colima -- Los Reales Del Rancho
  18. Tonight We Ride -- Tom Russell

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