VA - Rockin' Memphis (2011)

During the 1950s Memphis was named the USA's cleanest and safest city and the diversified population had reached nearly 400,000. This 4CD compilation looks at the music recorded in Memphis and its environs by native Memphians and shows the stupendous effect the sounds had on the world of popular music. Music had always abounded in Memphis but there were no recording facilities there, an omission that one Sam Phillips was about to rectify, he opened the Memphis Recording Service at 706 Union Avenue on the 2nd of January 1950. He proceeded to record anything that moved including weddings, funerals and artists for WREC radio. He soon went on to record artists for record labels such as Gilt Edge and 4 Star and it didn't take more than a few months for him to record the likes of B.B. King, a young Ike Turner with Jackie Brenston, and madcap Rufus Thomas. Come 1952 Sam started his own record label, Sun, and the rest as they say is history.

Track List:

Disc: 1
1 Lost John Hunter-Cool Down Mama
2 Joe Hill Louis-Boogie In The Park
3 B.B. King-B.B. Boogie
4 Jackie Brenston-Rocket 88
5 B.B. King-She's Dynamite
6 Lou Sargent-Ridin' The Boogie
7 Jackie Brenston-Juiced
8 Jackie Brenston-My Real Gone Rocket
9 Billy Love-Drop Top
10 Rosco Gordon- Booted (Chess version)
11 Howlin' Wolf-Howlin Wolf Boogie
12 Joe Louis Hill-When I'm Gone (She Treats Me Mean And Evil)
13 Rufus Thomas-Decorate The Counter
14 Willie Nix-Bakershop Boogie
15 Walter "Tang" Smith-Hi-Tone Mama
16 Johnny Ace-Follow The Rule
17 Earl Forest & Beale Street Runners-Rock The Bottle
18 Earl Forest & Beale Street Runners-Pretty Bessie
19 Rufus Thomas- Bear Cat
20 Little Junior's Blue Fames-Feelin' Good
21 Rufus Thomas- Tiger Man (King Of The Jungle)
22 Little Milton-Beggin' My Baby
23 Little Junior's Blue Flames-Love My Baby
24 Little Junior's Blue Flames-Mystery Train
25 Johnny Ace with Johnny Board & His Orch-Burley Cutie
26 Little Milton-If You Love Me Baby
27 Billy "The Kid" Emerson-Move Baby Move
28 Billy "The Kid" Emerson-Red Hot
29 Rosco Gordon-Do The Chicken (Dance With You)

Disc: 2
1 Slim Rhodes-Skunk Hollow Boogie
2 Slim Rhodes-Ozark Boogie
3 Freddie Burns-Two Piano Boogie
4 Freddie Burns-I'm Just A Pore Unlucky Dog
5 Slim Rhodes-Hot Foot Rag
6 Slim Rhodes-Memphis Bounce
7 Harmonica Frank-Step It Up And Go
8 Earl Peterson-Boogie Blues
9 Doug Poindexter & Starlite Ramblers-Now She Cares No More For Me
10 Malcolm Yelvington & Star Rhythm Boys-Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee
11 Malcolm Yelvington & Star Rhythm Boys-Just Rollin' Along
12 Charlie Feathers-Defrost Your Heart
13 Lloyd McCullough-Oh Darling
14 Jimmie Martin Combo-Rock The Bop
15 Jimmie Martin Combo-Red Bobby Sox
16 Slim Rhodes-Bad Girl
17 Johnny Cash & Tennessee Two-Get Rhythm
18 Jerry Lee Lewis-Crazy Arms
19 Lloyd McCullough-Until I Love Again
20 Miller Sisters-Finders Keepers
21 Billie High & The Four Recorders-Wondering If You Still Care
22 Warren Smith-Black Jack David
23 Carvis Turney-Honky Tonk Ways
24 Mack Self-Everyday
25 Eddie Collins-Can't Face Life Alone
26 Eddie Collins-Patience Baby
27 Warren Smith-So Long I'm Gone
28 Mack Self-Easy To Love
29 Dorsey Burnette-Let's Fall In Love
30 Len Griffin & His Boys-Spanish Rock-A-Rolla

Disc: 3
1 Johnny Burnette Trio-Rockabilly Boogie
2 Hank Swatley-Oakie Boogie
3 Johnny Burnette Trio-You're Undecided
4 Johnny Burnette Trio-Train Kept A Rollin'
5 Carl Perkins-Dixie Fried
6 Jack Earls & The Jimbos-Slow Down
7 Ray Harris-Where'd You Stay Last Night
8 Ramon Maupin-Love Gone
9 Ramon Maupin-No Chance
10 Eddie Bond & The Stompers-I've Got A Woman
11 Eddie Bond & The Stompers-Flip Flop Mama
12 Junior Thompson-Raw Deal
13 Charlie Feathers With Jody & Jerry-Get With It
14 Jerry Lee Lewis-End Of The Road
15 Elvis Presley-Mystery Train
16 Slim Rhodes-Gonna Romp And Stomp Tonight
17 Miller Sisters-Ten Cats Down
18 Warren Smith-Ubangi Stomp
19 Carl Perkins-Honey Don't
20 Billy Riley & The Little Green Men-Rock With Me Baby
21 Sonny Burgess-Red Headed Woman
22 Barbara Pittman-I Need A Man
23 Roy Orbison-Go Go Go
24 Eddie Bond & The Stompers-Baby Baby Baby (What Am I Gonna Do)
25 Mason Dixon-Don't Worry 'Bout Nothin'
26 Lendon Smith & The Jesters-Woman
27 Brad Suggs-Charcoal Suit
28 Wayne McGinnis with The Swing Teens-Lonesome Rhythm Blues
29 Johnny Cash-I Walk The Line

Disc: 4
1 Cliff Gleaves-Love Is My Business
2 Hoyt Johnson & Four Recorders-Eenie Meenie Minie Mo
3 Ray Scott & The Four Recorders-Boppin' Wigwam Willie
4 Jimmy Haggett with The Daydreamers-Gonna Shut You Off Baby
5 Barney Burcham with The Moon Beams-I Fell
6 Hayden Thompson-Love My Baby
7 Billy Riley & His Little Green Men-Flyin' Saucers Rock'n'Roll
8 Wade & Dick - The College Boys-Bop Bop Baby
9 Allen Page-Honeysuckle
10 Lloyd McCullough-'Cause I Love You
11 Curley Griffin-Got Rockin' On My Mind
12 Lee Carzle with Bobby Mizzel & Le-Bow's-I'm Asking But I'm Not Getting
13 Tommy Blake-Flat Foot Sam
14 Dorsey Burnette-The Devil's Queen
15 Velvetones with Memphis Rhythm Boys-Real Gone Baby
16 Lloyd McCullough-Gonna Love My Baby
17 Hayden Thompson-One Broken Heart
18 Johnny Tate-Bop With Me Baby
19 Dick Penner-Cindy Lou
20 Billy Riley & The Little Green Men-Red Hot
21 Edwin Bruce-Rock Boppin' Baby
22 Warren Smith-Got Love If You Want It
23 Steve Carl & Jags-Curfew
24 Johnny Burnette Trio-Eager Beaver Baby
25 Johnny Burnette Rio-Blues Stay Away From Me
26 Carl Mann & The Kool Kats-Gonna Rock'n'Roll Tonight
27 Kennie Parchman-Treat Me Right
28 Carl Mcvoy-Tootsie
29 Dickey Lee & The Collegiates-Good Lovin'
30 Dickey Lee & The Collegiates-Stay True Baby