Classic Cuts 1933-1941 [Box set]

Delmore Brothers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 8, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Jsp Records
• ASIN: B0001HM55U
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #132,372 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Ain't Got Nowhere To Travel

2. Smokey Mountain Bill And His Song

3. Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar

4. Lonesome Yodel Blues

5. Brown's Ferry Blues

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. The Nashville Blues

2. The Lover's Warning

3. I'm Worried Now

4. Take Away This Lonesome Day

5. Promise Me You'll Always Be Faithful

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Lead Me

2. I Need The Prayers Of Those I Love

3. I've Got The Railroad Blues

4. The Weary Lonesome Blues

5. Heavenly Light Is Shining On Me

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Over The Hills

2. The Dying TruckDriver

3. Scatterbrain Mama

4. Happy On The Mississippi Shore

5. Rainin' On The Mountain

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Alabama's Alton and Rabon Delmore made their first splash on the Grand Ole Opry in the 1930s. They became the Louvin Brothers' primary inspiration, and their enduring original numbers live on among Americana and bluegrass acts. This four-disc, 87-track set assembles their complete 1933-40 Bluebird recordings and 1940-41 Decca recordings, the bulk of them timeless, unadorned country with blues overtones galore. Their style, too, was free of artifice, centered around their relaxed, flexible harmonies. The interplay between Alton's guitar and Rabon's four-string tenor guitar created a solid, fluid base for every tune. Included are Delmore masterpieces "Brown's Ferry Blues," "Southern Moon," "Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar," "Blue Railroad Train," "False Hearted Girl," and "Rainin' on the Mountain." Some obscure numbers are equally fascinating. "The Dying Truckdriver," among the earliest country trucker tunes, was more sentimental than most. "Scatterbrain Mama" anticipates the Delmores' postwar country boogie records for King, which clearly anticipated rockabilly. While the notes don't reflect the comprehensive expertise such a package merits, the music, superbly and skillfully remastered, speaks for itself. --Rich Kienzle

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sorry, this AIN'T the complete works..., July 10, 2004

By 

Frank M. Young III "eubiecat" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Classic Cuts 1933-1941 (Audio CD)

I think that Rich Kienzle must have written his review based on the good faith that this set would include all of the Delmores' Bluebird and Decca sides. It does not. It's a good hefty collection of their pre-war material, but there are many important sides missing. The Columbia 1931 disc is not there, and most of the Decca sides are absent. Some Bluebird B-sides are also MIA.
This is rather shocking for JSP. They are usually so thorough in their reissue boxes. I'll grudgingly buy this, because I know the remastering will be good, but don't believe for one moment that you're getting the whole enchilada. If you're curious as to what these guys sound like, or like 'em and want 4 hrs of their music, go for it. But there's many sides left out. :( Maybe Bear Family will get off their arses and finally do the Delmores right.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Cuts are the Best Cuts, May 19, 2004

By 

J. F Kopeck "jkopeck9" (Parkville, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Classic Cuts 1933-1941 (Audio CD)

I bought this set yesterday. For as old as these recordings are the way they were remastered sounds great. Again as I have stated in previous reviews this this set is "Great" but it's not for the new kid that thinks Country Music or Good Bluegrass is The Dixie Chicks or Toby Keith. These songs by Alton and Rabon are some of the Best Root Country Music that you can get anywhere. 1933 - 1941 ,That during the time that Jimmie Rodgers died and not many good strong groups were on the scene ( not counting the Original Carter Family). This Set is worth every penny and I think the price is downright cheap for what you are getting ! Purchase this Box Set and you will truly be Purchasing a part of real American History. "ENJOY"

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PRIME CUTS, November 23, 2009

By 

Tom Without Pity (A Major Midwestern Metropolis) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classic Cuts 1933-1941 (Audio CD)

This is a review of THE DELMORE BROTHERS box set from JSP entitled CLASSIC CUTS, 1933-1941.
I bought this box set at a deep discount over three years ago and only listened to it once. I liked it but really didn't get a chance to get into it.

Recently I took it out and gave it another and then another play. What an excellent set of recordings, even though they were done many decades ago they still sound fresh and the sound quality on these CDs is everything you could hope for.

I think that the trouble I had getting interested in these recordings is because of the relatively straight forward, unemotional singing style the Delmores
favored. I am not sure if this was the predominant country style of group or duo singing at the time but I suspect that it might have been, either during this period or in the period just before recording companies starting hunting through the hills for new musical stars.

For a listener who is used to the more emotional "modern" styles this type of singing takes some getting used to. But I got around that problem by concentrating on the beautiful close harmonies of the brothers' voices and the great guitar work that the Delmore Brothers recorded on one classic cut after another.
And it didn't take long before the Delmore's style of straight faced right at you
kind of singing seemed second nature to me and perfectly normal and natural
to my ears.

In fact, this type of singing is much preferable to much of the modern moaning and wailing that is found on current day recordings. The Delmore Brothers seem more natural and less artificial than modern singers.

Of course, the guitars are acoustic although I heard a couple of cuts with
a steel guitar and some others with a tasty country fiddle accompanying the brothers.

All together there are 87 choice cuts in this box set. The music is in a variety of styles, including sentimental ballads and some pretty snappy toe tappers as well.

I think among my favorites are: "When We Held Our Hymnbooks Together," "I Now Have a Bugle to Play," "The Gospel Cannonball," "Old Mountain Dew," "Smokey Mountain Gal" and just way too many others to list.

The truth is, some of these recordings echo back to the earlier days of American music, before Edison even thought of recording. But others of these records were fairly modern and contemporary for 1930s tastes.

The Delmore Brothers were giants of early harmony and country (or what was called folk music) and the recordings in this JSP box set are part of the legacy the Delmores left for us to enjoy. And these records will be listened to and enjoyed as long as the human voice in song is appreciated and loved.