The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go

The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go. Motown Records, 1964.

Motown. An iconic name in music history. This is one of several records I own on the Motown label and one thing I've noticed about them is just how good they sound. Over fifty years old but the sound quality is phenomenal. Some new record pressings these days just miss the mark on sound quality, but most of the records from the 60s and 70s are great.

This is the second studio album from The Supremes, and it included three number one hits: "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love," and "Come See About Me." Diana Ross launched her career with The Supremes, and would go on to be a massively successful solo artist after leaving the group in 1970.

Other notable records from 1964:
Patsy Cline: Today, Tomorrow, and Forever

Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire (The Best of Johnny Cash)

Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire (The Best of Johnny Cash). Columbia Records, 1963.

I've written about Johnny Cash in the past, so I won't say much. He's one of my favorite artists, and he's one of the greatest artists of all time, in any genre. This compilation has a few of his greatest hits, including "Ring of Fire" (co-written by June Carter, who would later become his wife) and "I Still Miss Someone." It doesn't get much better than The Man in Black.

Other notable records from 1963:
Hank Snow - I've Been Everywhere (Cash covered that song in 1996)

Harry Belafonte - The Midnight Special

Harry Belafonte - The Midnight Special. RCA Victor, 1962.

This is just one of many albums released by Harry Belafonte over the course of his long career. This one is a bit unique, however, in that the title track "The Midnight Special," contains the first official recording of Bob Dylan, who played harmonica on the song. A traditional Southern folk song, "The Midnight Special" has been recorded by numerous artists over the years, my favorite being the version by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Another interesting tidbit regarding this album: it was produced by Hugo Montenegro, composer of scores for a handful of spaghetti westerns, most notably The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, one of the most well-known movie themes in history.

Apart from his musical career, Belafonte has acted in both film and television, and has been a hard-working activist since the Civil Rights Movement. He was very close to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and helped organize the 1963 March on Washington. He has remained involved in activism to this day, and will be remembered for both his talents as a musician and actor and as an activist.

Other notable records from 1962:
Chet Atkins - Down Home
Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two

Hank Williams - Greatest Hits

Hank Williams - Greatest Hits. Polydor Records, 1961.

Hank Williams is almost a legend; a mythical figure in American music history. In fact, you can just say "Hank" and most people know who you're talking about. Hank Williams is country music. Everything that has come afterwards has been in his footsteps; some artists have walked in those steps a little better than others. But that's an argument for another time. Hank's life was short (he died at the age of 29) but the impact he left on America and its music will live forever. His legacy continues to live through his son Hank Jr. and his grandson Hank III but even without them we'd still be talking about this giant of the industry.

Numerous songs have been written about Hank, or used him as subject matter, perhaps more than any other artist. He has influenced countless musicians, and not just country ones, either. His songs have been covered by the likes of Taj Mahal, Jeff Healey, Johnny Cash, Volbeat, Al Green, Patsy Cline, The Rolling Stones, and Isaac Hayes, just to name a few. His story is a sad one, but the legacy he left has brightened the future of many an aspiring musician.

Other notable records from 1961:
Chubby Checker - Your Twist Party (With the King of Twist)

The Platters - Encore of Golden Hits

The Platters - Encore of Golden Hits. Mercury Records, 1960.

I honestly don't know much about The Platters as a group, but this compilation album has some great songs on it, including the hits "The Great Pretender," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," and "Only You (And You Alone)." These were the early days of rock and roll and R&B and The Platters were one of the most popular groups out there. The 60s saw the coming of the Civil Rights Movement, and groups like The Platters helped push African-American music into the mainstream, which played a role in breaking down racial prejudices. The music of that era continues to resonate today and is still enjoyable to listen to.

Marty Robbins - Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs

Marty Robbins - Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs. Columbia Records, 1959 (1971 reissue).

I've decided to highlight an album in my collection for every year since 1959 (that being the earliest LP in the collection). There will be a few years in the 1990s and early 2000s where I may not have one to highlight, but for the most part every year for nearly 60 years will be represented. This doesn't necessarily mean it's my favorite album from that year - there are certainly still lots of gaps in my collection that need to be filled. So, let's begin with 1959.

Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs by Marty Robbins is one of those seminal albums that should be in everyone's collection, whether you like country music or not. It's one of the classics of the genre and has been called "the single most influential album of western songs in post-World War II American music." The Western Writers of America have listed six of its songs as being among the top 100 Western songs of all time. "El Paso" and "Big Iron" are two of the best songs, in any genre, period. Both songs have been covered numerous times and the album has been an influence on countless artists. Social Distortion frontman Mike Ness' version of "Big Iron" is one of my favorite cover songs of all time.

Marty Robbins has long since passed on (he died in 1982) but he left a great musical legacy, and this album is his masterpiece and his contribution to the American cowboy mythology, and a must-have in any record collection.

Other notable albums from 1959 in my collection: 
Ferlin Husky - Born to Lose
Hank Snow - When Tragedy Struck