Bear Family box sets

Jason Powers · Post by **Jason Powers** » 29 Apr 2002 9:18 am

I would like to get some opinions from the guys and gals here on the forum, I will be vacationing in Nashville during the third weekend in June, and was wanting any opinions on what Bear Family box sets I should look at as possible purchases? I just decided this morning to get the Darrell McCall, and was thinking about the Charlie Walker. Just wanted to get some opinions. Thanks, Jason

Jeff Evans · Post by **Jeff Evans** » 29 Apr 2002 9:52 am

Good call on the McCall. The mid-'70s stuff he produced with Buddy is knocked out, isn't it?

The Wynn Stewart might be another comprehensive set for you to look into. The best deal on this one may be from his daughter, Wren, at http://www.wynnstewart.com/ .<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jeff Evans on 29 April 2002 at 10:57 AM.]</p></FONT>

Doug Childress · Post by **Doug Childress** » 29 Apr 2002 1:11 pm

My son gave me the Bob Wills and Wynn Stewart box sets from the Bear Family Collection. The Wills boxset includes photo album, Biography, a DVD western movie and everything that Wills ever recorded.

The Wynn Stewart box set has everything that he recorded plus a biography with photos. Both are exceptional values.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 29 Apr 2002 1:30 pm

All the Bear Family material, produced by Germans who are meticulous completists, is worthwhile owning, if you have the bucks. If you're not independently wealthy, you must pick and choose based on your favorite musics.

I have the Bob Wills MGM Years set (in vinyl-pre CD's), the Ray Price set, the Hank Thompson set, the Speedy West/Jimmy Bryant "Flaming Guitars" set, the Ernest Tubb "Yellow Rose of Texas" set, the Ernest Tubb "Waltz Across Texas" set, the Merle Travis set, and the Flatt and Scruggs "1948-1959" set.

Also the Jimmy Day double CD set. Wow. Didn't realize I had so many. All are great, and my next one will be the Wynn Stewart "Wishful Thinking" set.

------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 29 Apr 2002 3:55 pm

There's also a lot of single CD sets by Bear Family that cover a lot of wonderfully obscure outfits and singers, or those who are simply forgotten over the years due to early passing or the fact that outside of Western Swing circles (etc), their name is relativley unknown.

A couple of my fave BF single sets are the Gene O'Quin and Ole Rasmussen sets, covering the bulk of their Capitol years in the early 1950s.
There's the awesome Lefty Frizzell box set, Johnny Cash, Warren Smith, Gordon Terry, Hank Thompson... (has anyone got the Hank T. set, I want to know what it covers please), and the list just goes on forever, oh yeah BF has two volumes of Tommy Duncan material as well.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 29 Apr 2002 3:58 pm

P.S. as Herb has mentioned there is an excellent Wynn Stewart box set, ten CDs and pretty much everything he recorded except live stuff and demos, and having said that, there are some real cool demos included in the set, including an awesome session where Wynn and the Nashville Nevada Band back singer Jackie Burns on a rather upbeat demo session in Vegas.
I'm hoping that BF will do a compilation on Jackie as well.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 29 Apr 2002 9:29 pm

And now BF is coming up with DVD's! I recently got their release of Johnny Cash At The Town Hall Party, -58-59. I'm still dumbfounded, great sound and picture quality ( considering it's a 50's tv-broadcast ), not to mention the music, and Cash is in top form, as is his band ( Luther Perkins even moves during the show

This DVD alone would be an excuse to get a DVD-player, but I read, that BF has about 60 Town Hall Party shows in a vault and plans to release more! And if we just keep in mind who were among the THP house band and regulars at that time; Merle Travis, Joe Maphis, Marian Hall, Skeets MacDonald, Collins Kids...
Jussi

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 29 Apr 2002 9:59 pm

I have about 5 of those BF sets and the one I always come back to is the "ET Waltz across Texas" box set. Buddy Charleton just kills me with the instrumental stuff in there.

Bob

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 29 Apr 2002 10:20 pm

I got about 20 of those old Town Hall Party shows when Tex Ritter was the host and Joe Maphis was the band leader. I got them on video tape from someone that worked at Rino Records about 16 years ago. Also the Skeets McDonald Bear Family set it another great one to get along with the Tommy Collins one and the Faron Young set,Wanda Jackson,Maddox Brothers and Rose,Farmer Boys(Buck Owens first group) lots of great old West Coast stuff.You could go broke tryin to keep up with the stuff they put out.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 29 Apr 2002 11:03 pm

Alvin, I think you're talking about the Ranch Party shows. Basically, it's the same cast, except these THP's are hosted by Jay Stewart, not Tex Ritter and they were filmed couple of years later. The main difference on the program is, that the questing artist plays about six, seven songs in a row, and not just one like on the Ranch Party. British Rockstar-label recently released videos of Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent on the THP, also in -58 and -59, like the Cash DVD.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 29 Apr 2002 11:10 pm

Also meant to say, that steel guitarwise, Hank Thompson and Ray Price sets are a must!

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 29 Apr 2002 11:29 pm

Jussi, your right the one's I have are the Ranch Party. It mostly featured the Collins kids and Tex Ritter but also had Skeets McDonald,Freddy Hart, Johnny Bond, Jan Howard and tons of others in the cast.I would love to get the Town Hall Party Shows.

Dave Burr · Post by **Dave Burr** » 30 Apr 2002 5:12 am

I've got to go with Merle Haggard's boxset entitled "Untamed Hawk". It has just about everything Merle recorded from 62 to 68. It also has previously unreleased material. If I had but one to pick, this would be it.

The folks at Bear Family Records put together a wonderful product.

Respectfully,

------------------
Dave Burr
Remington Sustainmaster SD-10 3x4

Kenny Dail · Post by **Kenny Dail** » 30 Apr 2002 9:20 am

Jason...I have the Hank Thompson box set. It has only the "Capital Sessions" and the few recordings he made on the independent label before signing with Capital.

------------------
kd...and the beat goes on...

Jason Powers · Post by **Jason Powers** » 30 Apr 2002 9:46 am

I wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions and/or ideas. It looks like I'll follow Herb's advice and just stick with my personal favorites because if you don't, you could tie up a small fortune. For example, I would like to own the Ray Price set BADLY, but I think $225 is a little too steep. I guess I just make up my mind when I get to Nashville. If you have any more suggestions, feel free to post them. Thanks, Jason

BobRob · Post by **BobRob** » 1 May 2002 5:57 pm

Jason, check out www.cdwolf.com. He has the
Ray Price box set for $169.00 plus shipping.
I got the Connie smith box set(lots of steel here) and the Don Gibson 1960-1966 box set for $66.00 each from there.