 | Hank Williams - 40 Greatest Hits by Hank Williams
Buy new: $23.98 / Used from: $12.99 Hank was, of course, brilliant. You are likely to be already familiar with at least half these 40 songs - via cover versions, if not the originals.
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 | Cup of Loneliness: The Classic Mercury Years by George Jones
Buy used from: $16.09 This is a fine collection of George's Mercury recordings, covering the fifties and very early sixties.
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 | The Wandering Boy (1951-1958) by Webb Pierce
Webb is largely forgotten these days. Cover versions of his songs are few and far between, so perhaps his songs have not stood the test of time. I still enjoy his music.
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 | Look What Thoughts Will Do by Lefty Frizzell
Buy new: $15.93 / Used from: $11.22 Lefty has been a major influence on those that followed, particularky Merle.
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 | The Essential Ray Price (1951-1962) by Ray Price
Buy used from: $2.52 Ray was successful throughout the sixties and early seventies, but the fifties were his most creative period.
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 | The Story of My Life: The Best of Marty Robbins by Marty Robbins
Buy used from: $3.96 There are many compilations of Marty - this one is a good selection of the early part of his career.
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 | The Complete Original Sun Singles by Johnny Cash
Buy new: $26.98 / Used from: $7.19 A strong collectiion of Johnny's recordings for Sun, where he began his career in the fifties.
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 | The Essential Carl Smith (1950-1956) by Carl Smith
Buy new: $8.99 / Used from: $4.99 Carl made some great records, as this collection demonstrates.
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 | The Complete Capitol Hits of Faron Young by Faron Young
Buy new: $27.98 / Used from: $15.99 Faron had a top five pop hit in the Britain in the seventies (not on this CD), but the fifties were his most creative period.
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 | Cattle Call/Thereby Hangs a Tale by Eddy Arnold
Buy new: $21.97 / Used from: $17.24 This shows what Eddy could do when he just enjoyed himself, rather than worrying about chart success.
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 | The Essential Eddy Arnold by Eddy Arnold
Buy used from: $2.00 I think there may be better Eddy Arnold compilations than this, but it does contain most of the essential tracks that you might be looking for.
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 | The Definitive Ernest Tubb Hits Collection by Ernest Tubb
Buy used from: $13.99 This compilation is about right for me, though I can well understand anybody who wants the five (yes five) boxed sets covering every recording in his whole career.
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 | I've Been Everywhere: Hank Snow Story by Hank Snow
Buy new: $50.99 / Used from: $91.74 Like Ernest, Hank recorded a lot of music and it takes up several boxed sets. This compilation contains everything you need unless you're a die-hard Snow fan.
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 | When I Stop Dreaming: The Best of the Louvin Brothers by The Louvin Brothers
Buy new: $17.98 / Used from: $11.63 These brothers were less successful than Webb Pierce and others at the time, but their songs are kept alive by Dolly, Emmylou and others who have enthusiastically covered their songs.
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 | Country Music Hall of Fame by Red Foley
Buy new: $7.98 / Used from: $1.25 Red had many country hits. This collection does not do him justice, but it does include Old Shep, which he wrote about one of his dogs. It was later recorded by Elvis Presley.
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 | Rose Marie by Slim Whitman
Slim is more popular in Britain than in his own country. He has a voice like no other - the nearest comparison is Vince Gill - and recorded some brilliant songs.
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 | The Thin Man from the West Plains: The RCA Sessions 1952-1962 by Porter Wagoner & the Wagonmasters
Buy new: $105.98 / Used from: $87.81 Porter was an important country singer in the fifties, although I think his best solo recordings were made in the sixties.
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