Starday COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Issued by Starday in 1961, this 2 LP, 36 track collection provides a fantastic representation of the "golden years" of minor label country music. When this LP came out, Starday was Nashville's biggest independent label, and was concentrating on issuing music that was being neglected by the majors, namely, traditional country, western swing, bluegrass, etc. "The Country Music Hall Of Fame" typifies many of the qualities that make old Starday LPs special with great music, cover art, and of course, notes by label boss Don Pierce as follows:


This is an historical and unprecedented collection of Country Music Americana.

The year 1961 saw the creation of a Country Music Hall of Fame by the Country Music Association, which is an organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of American country music. In addition, by Act of Congress, the 1st week in November Of 1961 was proclaimed National Country Music Week.

During National Country Music Week, there is held in Nashville, Tennessee, a Country Music Festival which celebrates the anniversary of the World Famous Grand Ole Opry, which has been broadcast from Radio WSM in Nashville for 23 consecutive years. At the Festival are gathered hundreds of country music disc jockies and their wives who make the journey to Nashville each year for the Festival, as well as countless artists, song writers, and other people who are active in country music.

Starday felt that it was appropriate to commemorate National Country Music Week, the Country Music Festival, and the newly formed Country Music Hall of Fame by issuing this outstanding and precedent setting album. Contractual limitations normally make an album of this kind impossible to produce. However, with the cooperation of several other record manufacturers, Starday was able to assemble this imposing array of country music hit recordings.

The artists, the songs, and in many cases the songwriters, are so famous and well-known that it would serve no useful purpose for us to attempt to describe the contents of this album. The list of contents, plus of course, the music in the grooves, will carry the message very eloquently, we are sure.

To qualify for this album, Starday used only original vault masters. Either the artist, the song, or the songwriter has achieved true and lasting stature in the country music field.

Country music fans and collectors will treasure this album and they will be interested to know that the picture on the cover is a night photo of the Capitol of the State of Tennessee which is located in Nashville, the home of the Grand Ole Opry.

We think this picture is truly symbolic because of the ever popular country music instruments shown, plus the night lights on the Capitol of Nashville, which seem to reflect the wonderful image of all that is good about our beloved country music. The picture seems to stress that altho some of the biggest stars have passed on to another world, their songs and recordings will live on in the hearts of the people.

This album gives expression to joys, hopes, fears and troubles, of the people as expressed in song by perhaps the greatest assemblage of country music artists ever combined in one album. It is the sincere hope of Starday Records, a label dedicated exclusively to country and gospel music, that this package will constitute a milestone in the history of American country music and will bring enjoyment to country music enthusiasts throughout the world.

Country musically,

DON PIERCE, President
STARDAY RECORDS


Pierce makes mention of the "cooperation of several other record manufacturers" which would appear to be King, 4 Star, and Mercury. Although first issued in 1961, this is clearly a later "Stereo" pressing and while many of the tracks are really mono, there are some rare Stereo mixes of Starday Studios material.

Tracks:

1. Cowboy Copas-Hillbilly Heaven *
2. The Delmore Brothers-Blues Stay Away From Me
3. Lew Childre-Southern Hospitality
4. Webb Pierce-New Panhandle Rag
5. The Willis Brothers-Blood On The Saddle
6. Benny Martin-You Are The One *
7. Rose Maddox-Philadelphia Lawyer
8. Roy Drusky-Mumbling To Myself
9. Justin Tubb-One For You - One For Me *
10. Lonzo & Oscar-Country Music Time
11. T. Texas Tyler-Remember Me
12. James O'Gwynn-Muleskinner Blues
13. Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs-My Cabin In Caroline
14. Cowboy Copas-New Filipino Baby *
15. Johnny Bond-High Noon
16. The Shelton Brothers-Johnson's Old Grey Mule
17. Moon Mullican-Ragged But Right *
18. Buddy Starcher-The Original Wildwood Flower
19. Frankie Miller-Blackland Farmer
20. Red Sovine-Little Rosa *
21. Bill Clifton-Little White Washed Chimney
22. Buck Owens-Down On The Corner Of Love
23. The Sunshine Boys-Goodnight Irene; Beautiful Brown Eyes *
24. Grandpa Jones-Mountain Dew
25. Moon Mullican-Wabash Cannonball *
26. Ferlin Husky-Crying Heart Blues
27. Carl Story-Family Reunion
28. Hank Locklin-Let Me Be The One
29. The Rainbow Ranch Boys-Orange Blossom Fiddle
30. The Stanley Brothers-Little Maggie
31. Wayne Raney-Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me
32. The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers-Lonesome Pine
33. George Jones-Seasons Of My Heart
34. Harry Choates-The Original Jole Blon
35. Leon Payne-Two By Four (Impersonation of Red Foley and Kitty Wells)
36. Archie Campbell-Sergeant York *

* Starday Studios track in true stereo mix.

Includes jacket and label scans.

*download here*