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The production values of this new multiple CD boxed set are a far cry from the amazing Bear Family box sets that we are used to (perhaps spoiled with)—Mac Wiseman already has two such Bear Family sets, the better of which contains his classic early DOT label recordings  (BCD-15796, $ 135.00 for 6 CDs and a 76 page hardcover book—it’s a masterpiece of music, production and packaging). But if you are a Mac Wiseman fan who just would like more of his music, we can recommend this set as there’s a lot of excellent music here.  It is all taken from Mac’s 1970s recordings with the C.M.H. label, and presents a lot of good old songs that Mac does so well.  The best of the music here comes from a two-LP set with the Osborne Brothers—this is uniformly excellent.  Also quite interesting is “The Clayton McMichen Story”, taken from another old 2-LP set and featuring Merle Travis, Joe Maphis and the fiddling of Red Herron.  A “Grassroots To Bluegrass” collection (also 2-LPs worth) features a mix of older ballads like LITTLE ROSEWOOD CASKET, POOR ELLEN SMITH, etc., and country and Bluegrass standards like TRAIN 45, KENTUCKY, and DON’T GIVE YOUR HEART TO A RAMBLER  (Kenny Baker, Eddie Adcock, Josh Graves and Jim & Jesse lend their presence on these). The other albums are not as successful but  still have some good songs well sung by Wiseman:  an album’s worth of Gordon Lightfoot songs is OK, and “Country Music Memories” and “Songs that make the Juke Box Play” have mostly good songs but suffer a bit from so-so Arthur Smith production with piano, electric guitar, etc.  The last of the 6 CDs (“Most Requested”) is just a rehash of the other recordings, even though touted as a “free bonus CD”.  Still, there are 153 songs in the box, and plenty of them are very good recordings that you won’t find elsewhere;  no one sings the old tear jerkers like LITTLE BLOSSOM, THE BAGGAGE COACH AHEAD and TAKE ME BACK TO RENFRO VALLEY  like Wiseman can.

DISC 1

     THE MAC WISEMAN STORY

1. LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND
2. LITTLE BLOSSOM
3. I'VE GOT NO USE FOR THE WOMAN
4. DARK HOLLOW
5. THE WRECK OF THE OLD 97
6. THE BALLAD OF THE LAWSON FAMILY
7. MAY I SLEEP IN YOUR BARN TONIGHT, MISTER
8. BRINGING MARY HOME
9. THE GIRL IN THE BLUE VELVET BAND
10. I'LL BE ALL SMILES TONIGHT
11. I WONDER HOW THE OLD FOLKS ARE AT HOME
12. JIMMIE BROWN, THE NEWSBOY
13. LITTLE BOX OF PINE
14. REMEMBERING
15. THESE HANDS
16. THE BAGGAGE COACH AHEAD
17. I STILL WRITE YOUR NAME IN THE SAND
18. SIX MORE MILES
19. 'TIS SWEET TO BE REMEMBERED
20. DREAMING OF A LITTLE CABIN

    THE OSBORNE BROTHERS AND MAC WISEMAN

1. MIDNIGHT FLYER 
2. SHACKLES AND CHAINS 
3. FOUR WALLS AROUND ME 
4. I'M A STRANGER HERE 
5. YOU'RE THE GIRL OF MY DREAMS 
6. FAMILY BIBLE 
7. MOTHER MAYBELLE

DISC 2

    COUNTRY MUSIC MEMORIES

1. THEY'LL NEVER TAKE HER LOVE FROM ME
2. I'LL SAIL MY SHIP ALONE
3. DON'T BE ANGRY
4. THE GREEN LIGHT
5. ALL FOR THE LOVE OF A GIRL
6. MY BABY'S GONE
7. I WONDER WHERE YOU ARE TONIGHT
8. I LOVE YOU A THOUSAND WAYS
9. FLESH AND BLOOD
10. ME & BOBBY MCGEE
11. MOTHER, THE QUEEN OF MY HEART

    MAC WISEMAN SINGS GORDON LIGHTFOOT

1. DID SHE MENTION MY NAME
2. COTTON JENNY
3. RAINY DAY PEOPLE
4. SUMMERTIME DREAM
5. FOR LOVIN' ME
6. STEEL RAIL BLUES
7. RIBBON OF DARKNESS
8. THE HOUSE YOU LIVE IN
9. EARLY MORNING RAIN
10. OLD DAN'S RECORDS
11. SUNDOWN

   THE OSBORNE BROTHERS AND MAC WISEMAN

1. POISON LOVE
2. TAKE ME BACK TO RENFRO VALLEY
3. MOUNTAIN FEVER
4. 'TIS SWEET TO BE REMEMBERED

DISC 3

    THE CLAYTON MCMICHEN STORY

1. GIVE THE FIDDLER A DRAM
2. IN THE PINES
3. FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN
4. FIFTY YEARS AGO WALTZ
5. HELL BROKE LOOSE IN GEORGIA
6. TROUBLE IN MIND
7. MCMICHEN'S REEL
8. PEACH PICKIN' TIME IN GEORGIA
9. LIMEHOUSE BLUES
10. THE CONVICT AND THE ROSE
11. CARROLL COUNTY BLUES
12. HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
13. I'M LOOKING OVER A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER
14. DREAMY GEORGIANA MOON
15. WAITING FOR THE ROBERT E. LEE
16. IDA RED
17. ROCK JENNY ROCK
18. ARKANSAS TRAVELER
19. BILE 'EM CABBAGE DOWN
20. IN THE BLUE HILLS OF VIRGINIA/BACK TO OLD SMOKY MOUNTAIN
21. SWEET GEORGIA BROWN
22. THEY CUT DOWN THE OLD PINE TREE
23. DARKTOWN STRUTTERS' BALL
24. GOODNIGHT WALTZ
25. FAREWELL BLUES
26. SWEET BUNCH OF DAISIES

DISC 4

    GRASSROOTS TO BLUEGRASS

1. DON'T LET YOUR DEAL GO DOWN
2. TRAIN 45
3. LITTLE ROSEWOOD CASKET
4. POOR ELLEN SMITH
5. KENTUCKY
6. SALTY DOG BLUES
7. DUST ON THE BIBLE
8. IT'S MIGHTY DARK TO TRAVEL
9. OLD CAMP MEETING TIME
10. STREAMLINED CANNONBALL
11. RED ROCKING CHAIR
12. DOIN' MY TIME
13. I'M JUST HERE TO GET MY BABY OUT OF JAIL
14. WAIT FOR THE LIGHT TO SHINE
15. LONELY MOUND OF CLAY
16. SHORT LIFE OF TROUBLE
17. CRYING HEART BLUES
18. DON'T GIVE YOUR HEART TO A RAMBLER
19. I'M USING MY BIBLE FOR A ROAD MAP
20. HOW MOUNTAIN GIRLS CAN LOVE
21. SAILOR ON THE DEEP BLUE SEA
22. LIGHT AT THE RIVER

   THE OSBORNE BROTHERS AND MAC WISEMAN

1. KEEP ON THE SUNNYSIDE
2. IT'S GOODBYE AND SO LONG TO YOU
3. SHENANDOAH WALTZ
4. I'LL STILL WRITE YOUR NAME IN THE SAND

DISC 5

    SONGS THAT MADE THE JUKE BOX PLAY

1. BUBBLES IN MY BEER
2. SLIPPING AROUND
3. I WISH I HAD NEVER SEEN SUNSHINE
4. HOME IN SAN ANTONE
5. MY MARY
6. NO LETTER TODAY
7. YESTERDAY'S GIRL
8. LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND
9. I LOVE YOU BECAUSE
10. TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING
11. WORRIED MIND
12. DRIVIN' NAILS IN MY COFFIN
13. WALTZ ACROSS TEXAS
14. IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE NOW
15. DIVORCE ME C.O.D.
16. BORN TO LOSE
17. I WONDER HOW THE OLD FOLKS ARE AT HOME
18. THE WILD SIDE OF LIFE
19. OKLAHOMA HILLS
20. (REMEMBER ME) I'M THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU
21. LIVE AND LET LIVE
22. ONE HAS MY NAME, THE OTHER HAS MY HEART

   THE OSBORNE BROTHERS AND MAC WISEMAN

1. PINS AND NEEDLES (IN MY HEART)
2. ARE YOU COMING BACK TO ME
3. THE BLUEBIRDS ARE SINGING FOR ME

DISC 6

   MOST REQUESTED

1. DID SHE MENTION MY NAME
2. THE WILD SIDE OF LIFE
3. IN THE PINES
4. I'M USING MY BIBLE FOR A ROAD MAP
5. I'LL SAIL MY SHIP ALONE
6. DREAMING OF A LITTLE CABIN
7. MAY I SLEEP IN YOUR BARN TONIGHT, MISTER
8. BORN TO LOOSE
9. I'LL BE ALL SMILES TONIGHT
10. DON'T BE ANGRY
11. LITTLE ROSEWOOD CASKET
12. THESE HANDS
13. OKLAHOMA HILLS
14. HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
15. I'M JUST HERE TO GET MY BABY OUT OF JAIL
16. THE BAGGAGE COACH AHEAD
17. KENTUCKY

    THE OSBORNE BROTHERS AND MAC WISEMAN

1. OLD BRUSH ARBORS
2. DON'T LET YOUR SWEET LOVE DIE
3. TRAVELIN' THIS LONESOME ROAD
4. I WONDER HOW THE OLD FOLKS ARE AT HOME
5. I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SING IN RENFRO VALLEY
6. LITTLE WHITE CHURCH