It seems we have simply run out of words to describe the fabulous box sets that the German Bear Family label keeps coming out with. Not that long after issuing deluxe multi-cd box sets that were put out in the late 1920s by the VICTOR label (The Bristol Sessions) and then COLUMBIA (The Johnson City Sessions), Bear Family has come out with a third set --this time featuring the VOCALION label (of field recordings made in Knoxville, Tennessee.) How Bear Family does it so quickly and so beautifully is a mystery. But collectors of old time music can be thankful for it. The box and its 4 CDs features a 156-page, hard cover book that weighs several pounds, packed with photos, picture of labels, and various other artifacts and ephemera that should warm the heart of serious old-time fans and provide fascinating reading for a cold winter's night. As to the quality of the music itself, it is not as strong over all as the JOHNSON CITY or BRISTOL sets, but that is not to say that there are no "gems" among the 163 individual recordings. As a rule, Vocalion records from these 1929 and 1939 sessions range from rare to extremely rare, and most collectors would love to get their hands on most of the rarest and best musically -- by such artists as RIDGEL'S FOUNTAIN CITIANS, THE APPALACHIA VAGABOND, the WISE STRING ORCHESTRA, the TENNESSEE CHOCOLATE DROPS, the PERRY COUNTY MUSIC MAKERS the KENTUCKY HOLINESS SINGERS, and ALEX HOOD & HIS RAILROAD BOYS. Uncle Dave Macon and his son also cut 8 songs & tunes, but for some reason they never got issued (perhaps there was damage to the masters). Researchers Ted Olson and Tony Russell are due much of the praise for assembling this marvelous set! A thing of beauty!

4 CDs and a 156 page LP-SIZED Hardcover Book

DISC 1:

1. GARBAGE CAN BLUES - TENNESSEE RAMBLERS
2. TENNESSEE TRAVELER - TENNESSEE RAMBLERS
3. RAMBLERS MARCH - TENNESSEE RAMBLERS
4. IN MY DEAR OLD SUNNY SOUTH - TENNESSEE RAMBLERS
5. HAWAIIAN MEDLEY - TENNESSEE RAMBLERS
6. GIVE THE FIDDLERS A DRAM - TENNESSEE RAMBLERS
7. MY CAROLINA GIRL - SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT ENTERTAINERS
8. ARE YOU HAPPY OR LONESOME - SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT ENTERTAINERS
9. LOST JOHN - SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT ENTERTAINERS
10. MY CABIN HOME - SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT ENTERTAINERS
11. MY BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN QUEEN - SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT ENTERTAINERS
12. DREAM WALTZ - SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT ENTERTAINERS
13. SISTER LIZ - SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT ENTERTAINERS
14. BUCKIN' MULE - SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT ENTERTAINERS
15. HALLELUJAH TO THE LAMB - RIDGE'S FOUNTAIN CITIANS
16. BE READY - RIDGE'S FOUNTAIN CITIANS
17. FREE LITTLE BIRD - RIDGE'S FOUNTAIN CITIANS
18. LITTLE BONNIE - RIDGE'S FOUNTAIN CITIANS
19. YELLOW DOG BLUES - WISE STRING ORCHESTRA
20. HOW DRY I AM - WISE STRING ORCHESTRA
21. RAILROAD BILL - WILL BENNETT
22. REAL ESTATE BLUES - WILL BENNETT
23. MY LITTLE GIRL - HASKELL WOLFENBARGER
24. SAILING OUT ON THE OCEAN - HASKELL WOLFENBARGER
25. HE CARES FOR ME - LEOLA MANNING
26. HE FANS ME - LEOLA MANNING
27. OLD BLACK CROW IN THE HICKORY NUT TREE - BALLARD CROSS
28. MY POODLE DOG - BALLARD CROSS

DISC 2:

1. THE WABASH CANNON BALL - BALLARD CROSS
2. LORRAINNA - BALLARD CROSS
3. DOUBLE EAGLE MARCH - CAL DAVENPORT & HIS GANG
4. BROKEN HEARTED LOVER - CAL DAVENPORT & HIS GANG
5. LITTLE ROSEWOOD CASKET - CAL DAVENPORT & HIS GANG
6. BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN BLUES - CAL DAVENPORT & HIS GANG
7. DOWN WHERE THE SWANEE RIVER FLOWS - BALLARD CROSS
8. WON'T YOU WALTZ HOME SWEET HOME WITH ME - BALLARD CROSS
9. IN MY SAVIOUR'S CARE - SENIOR CHAPEL QUARTETTE
10. THE GREAT JUDGMENT - SENIOR CHAPEL QUARTETTE
11. LONESOME ROAD - SENIOR CHAPEL QUARTETTE
12. WAY DOWN HOME - SENIOR CHAPEL QUARTETTE
13. SORRY - MAYNARD BAIRD & HIS SOUTHERN SERENADERS
14. JUST FOR YOU - MAYNARD BAIRD & HIS SOUTHERN SERENADERS
15. TO MY FRIENDS AND PATRONS - COLONEL J. G. STERCHI
16. CAL WEST'S YODEL BLUES - PART 1 - CAL WEST
17. CAL WEST'S YODEL BLUES - PART 2 - CAL WEST
18. SAN ANTONIO - SMOKY MOUNTAIN RAMBLERS
19. BACK TO OLD SMOKY MOUNTAIN - SMOKY MOUNTAIN RAMBLERS
20. AIN'T IT HELL, BOYS - SMOKY MOUNTAIN RAMBLERS
21. DOWN IN TENNESSEE - SMOKY MOUNTAIN RAMBLERS
22. I'M SAD AND BLUE - PERRY COUNTY MUSIC MAKERS
23. MAUDALINE - PERRY COUNTY MUSIC MAKERS
24. GOT A BUDDY I MUST SEE - PERRY COUNTY MUSIC MAKERS
25. BY THE COTTAGE DOOR - PERRY COUNTY MUSIC MAKERS

DISC 3:

1. I'M ON MY WAY - KENTUCKY HOLINESS SINGERS
2. I WILL NOT BE REMOVED - KENTUCKY HOLINESS SINGERS
3. NO BUSINESS OF MINE - SMOKY MOUNTAIN RAMBLERS
4. BEAR MOUNTAIN RAG - SMOKY MOUNTAIN RAMBLERS
5. HARD FOR TO LOVE - THE APPALACHIA VAGABOND
6. PEDDLER AND HIS WIFE - THE APPALACHIA VAGABOND
7. WHERE THE SWEET MAGNOLIAS BLOOM - LESTER MCFARLAND & ROBERT A. GARDNER
8. MY LITTLE GEORGIA ROSE - LESTER MCFARLAND & ROBERT A. GARDNER
9. GOODBYE DIXIE DEAR - GIBBS BROTHERS WITH CLAUDE DAVIS
10. DO YOU THINK THAT YOU COULD LOVE ME - GIBBS BROTHERS WITH CLAUDE DAVIS
11. YOU LEFT ME LAST NIGHT BROKEN HEARTED - GIBBS BROTHERS WITH CLAUDE DAVIS
12. STROLLING HOME WITH JENNY - GIBBS BROTHERS WITH CLAUDE DAVIS
13. I LOVE MY TOODLUM-DOO - GIBBS BROTHERS WITH CLAUDE DAVIS
14. I WANDERED AWAY FROM HOME - GIBBS BROTHERS WITH CLAUDE DAVIS
15. LOOKOUT VALLEY WALTZ - CLAYTON & HIS MELODY MOUNTAINEERS
16. JUNE WEDDING WALTZ - CLAYTON & HIS MELODY MOUNTAINEERS
17. TENNESSEE TRIO/KNOX COUNTY STOMP - TENNESSEE CHOCOLATE DROPS
18. TENNESSEE TRIO/VINE STREET RAG - TENNESSEE CHOCOLATE DROPS
19. I'VE GROWN SO USED TO YOU - LESTER MCFARLAND & ROBERT A. GARDNER
20. THE UNMARKED GRAVE - LESTER MCFARLAND & ROBERT A. GARDNER
21. THE MANSION OF ACHING HEARTS - LESTER MCFARLAND & ROBERT A. GARDNER
22. WILL THE ROSES BLOOM IN HEAVEN - LESTER MCFARLAND & ROBERT A. GARDNER
23. ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH - LESTER MCFARLAND & ROBERT A. GARDNER

DISC 4:

1. THE BALD HEADED END OF THE BROOM - RIDGEL'S FOUNTAIN CITIANS
2. THE NICK NACK SONG - RIDGEL'S FOUNTAIN CITIANS
3. BABY CALL YOUR DOG OFF - RIDGEL'S FOUNTAIN CITIANS
4. GITTIN' UPSTAIRS - RIDGEL'S FOUNTAIN CITIANS
5. IT'S FUNNY WHAT WHISKEY WILL DO - LOUIS BIRD
6. NOTHING GOES HARD WITH ME - LOUIS BIRD
7. THEN I'LL MOVE TO TOWN - SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT ENTERTAINERS
8. HOW TO MAKE LOVE - SOUTHERN MOONLIGHT ENTERTAINERS
9. THE ARCADE BUILDING MOAN - LEOLA MANNING
10. SATAN IN BUSY IN KNOXVILLE - LEOLA MANNING
11. LAYING IN THE GRAVEYARD - LEOLA MANNING
12. THE BLUES IS ALL WRONG - LEOLA MANNING
13. IF YOU THINK I'M NOT WORTHY - BESS PENNINGTON
14. JACK AND MAY - BESS PENNINGTON
15. LYNCHBURG - UNCLE JIMMY THOMPSON
16. UNCLE JIMMY'S FAVORITES FIDDLING PIECES - UNCLE JIMMY THOMPSON
17. WALKING WITH MY LORD - ETOWAH QUARTET
18. BACK IN THE YEARS - ETOWAH QUARTET
19. POSTAGE STOMP - MAYNARD BAIRD & HIS ORCHESTRA
20. I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU - MAYNARD BAIRD & HIS ORCHESTRA
21. L AND N RAG - ALEX HOOD & HIS RAILROAD BOYS
22. CORBIN SLIDE - ALEX HOOD & HIS RAILROAD BOYS
23. THE GREAT HATFIELD-MCCOY FEUD - LOWE STOKES, HOMER MILLER, WALT MCKINNEY, HEAVY MARTIN, ROGER WILLIAMS & BILL BROWN
24. THE GREAT HATFIELD-MCCOY FEUD - PART 2 - LOWE STOKES, HOMER MILLER, WALT MCKINNEY, HEAVY MARTIN, ROGER WILLIAMS & BILL BROWN
25. THE GREAT HATFIELD-MCCOY FEUD - PART 3 - LOWE STOKES, HOMER MILLER, WALT MCKINNEY, HEAVY MARTIN, ROGER WILLIAMS & BILL BROWN
26. THE GREAT HATFIELD-MCCOY FEUD - PART 4 - LOWE STOKES, HOMER MILLER, WALT MCKINNEY, HEAVY MARTIN, ROGER WILLIAMS & BILL BROWN