AVID Roots continues with its Four Classic Albums series with a re-mastered 2CD compilation set from The Highwaymen, The Brothers Four, The Limeliters & Peter, Paul & Mary complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details. “The Highwaymen: The Highwaymen”, “The Brothers Four: The Brothers Four”, “The Limeliters: The Slightly Fabulous Limeliters” and “Peter, Paul & Mary: Peter, Paul & Mary” There could not have been a greater contrast between the sound of the Blues revival in the USA (and the UK) which rediscovered such artists as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, B.B.King, John Lee Hooker, Reverend Gary Davis, Lonnie Johnson, Jimmy Reed and many more, and the sweet harmony vocal blend of the folk revival groups who formed during the Folk revival around the same time (particularly in the USA). Here we have four folk groups who had huge success especially in the states, during this short-lived period before The Beatles and a new Dylan arrived. Our first three groups, The Highwaymen, The Brothers Four and The Limeliters represented the less political side of the folk scene, alongside others like The New Christy Minstrels, The Chad Mitchell Trio and of course The Kingston Trio. Their strength and popularity rested with their superb vocal harmonies and choice of traditional, novelty and romantic ballads which they were able to re-work into fine commercial fun folk. These guys were entertainers. The Highwaymen even appeared many times on the Ed Sullivan Show and two of the groups existed as a performing unit into the noughties albeit not with exactly the original line up! Our fourth group Peter, Paul & Mary had a much more political edge to them to go alongside wonderful vocal harmonies as the singing of the guys blended beautifully with that of Mary Travers. They were able to combine this political edge helped by the fact that they were managed by Dylan’s manager Albert Grossman and so were able to gain access to many of the great man’s early protest masterpieces. The folk revival did not last very long but it gave us many great vocal harmony bands which had a great influence on the next musical development in the early mid-sixties, folk rock. Many of the great bands of the era had their origins in the early folk scene, take a listen to The Byrds, Lovin’ Spoonful and The Mamas & Papas for example, pretty much all their members were in folk groups from The New Christy Minstrels to the Chad Mitchell Trio and even the legendary Mugwumps! McGuinn & McGuire (of course!) Crosby, Gene Clark, John Phillips, Mama Cass, Sebastian and Yanovsky, the list goes on and is pretty impressive. Here’s where it started. Check out:- Joan Baez (AMSC 1213); Woody Guthire & Jack Elliott (AMSC944); Muddy Waters / Howlin’ Wolf (AMSC1162); Lightnin’ Hopkins (AMSC1225, AMSC1254 & 1363); Jesse Fuller / Josh White (AMSC1344); Jimmy Reed (AMSC1214); John Lee Hooker (AMSC1234 & 1382); B.B. King (AMSC1203 & 1387); Lonnie Johnson (AMSC1207); Rev. Gary Davis (AMSC1271);
CD1 1-12: ‘The Highwaymen: The Highwaymen’ 1. Santiano 2. Big Rock Candy Mountain 3. A La Claire Fontaine 4. Carni Valito 5. Ah Si Mon Moina 6. Sinner Man 7. Michael 8. Take This Hammer 9. Au Clair De La Lune 10. Greenland Fisheries 11. Irish Work Song (Pat Works On The Railway) 12. Cindy Oh Cindy 13. The Gypsy Rover (The Whistling Gypsy) (Bonus Track) 14-25: ‘The Brothers Four: The Brothers Four’ 14. The Zulu Warrior 15. Sama Kama Wacky Brown 16. The Damsel’s Lament (I Will Never Marry) 17. Yellow Bird 18. Angelique-O 19. Superman 20. East Virginia 21. Greenfields 22. Darlin’ Won’t You Wait 23. Eddystone Light 24. Banua 25. Hard Travelin’ 26 The Green Leaves Of Summer (Bonus Track) 27. The Tarriers: The Banana Boat Song (Bonus Track) 28. The Weavers: This Land Is Your Land (Bonus Track) 29. Bud & Travis: Ballad Of The Alamo (Bonus Track) 30. The Rooftop Singers: Walk Right In (Bonus Track)
CD2 1-12: ‘The Limeliters: The Slightly Fabulous Limeliters’ 1. Western Wind 2. Medley: Hard Travellin’ / Mount Zion 3. Lass From The Low Country 4. Gunslinger 5. Curimã 6. Vikki Duggan 7. Aravah, Aravah 8. Whistling Gyspy 9. The Time Of Man 10. Harry Pollitt 11. Hard, Ain’t It Hard 12. Mama Don’t ‘Low 13. A Dollar Down (Bonus Track) 14-25: ‘Peter, Paul & Mary: Peter, Paul & Mary’ 14. Early In The Morning 15. 500 Miles 16. Sorrow 17. This Train 18. Bamboo 19. It’s Raining 20. If I Had My Way 21. Cruel War 22. Lemon Tree 23. If I Had A Hammer 24. Autumn To May 25. Where Have All The Flowers Gone 26. Big Boat (Bonus Track)
