Music for the casual listener
Reader's Digest record collections were extremely popular in the 1950s and 60s. For many middle- and lower-middle-class families, they offered a way to obtain instant culture.
Grand Old Country does just that. This isn't a set for country music fans. Those folks already owned the albums and singles of their favorite artists. Rather, Grand Old Country is a sampler for the casual listener. It's an instant collection of about a decade of country top 40 hits.
When I unearthed this collection at my dad's house, I was dismissive. Reader's Digest was the very definition of mainstream kitsch. How good could this collection possibly be?
As it turns out, very good. The set was compiled by Columbia Special Products and features original artists and recordings. It's a virtual snapshot of country music ca. 1970.
And it's not just only the biggest hits. And there are liner notes for each track, helping the newcomer place each song and artist in context.
Something for everyone
The music on the eight LPs is organized by theme. The major mainstream country genres are represented, from countrypolitan to bluegrass, There's an entire side devoted to the Cash and Carter families.
Country royalty like George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Charlie Rich, Mel Tillis, and Dolly are well-represented.
Early breakthrough artists are also included. The set has music by Johnny Horton, Marty Robbins, and Gene Autry.
Johnny Paycheck has two tracks, neither of them "Take This Job (and Shove It)." That song, which was to be his biggest hit, was still seven years in the future.
The set also has country crossover artists, such as Lynn Anderson, Mac Davis, Roger Miller, and Charlie Rich.
Way-back Wednesday
Hope you'll join me Wednesday, February 9 from 7-9 am. At my first radio gig in the 1980s, I ran a board with three turntables. I'll be dusting off those skills for this show! There's a lot of great music in these platters, and we'll be sharing as much as we can.
Grand Old Country
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
7:00 am - 9:00 am
WTJU 91.1fm / wtju.net
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