BILLY ADAMS / "ROCKINī THRU THE YEARS"
(Sanctuary Records)
Release:
Sept. 2002
September 30, 2002
For immediate release:
is set to release Billy Adams-Rockin' Thru The Years
1955-2002 (Castle Music CMRCD581) and a limited-edition vinyl single
(CMN07581), on October 7, 2002. The 27-track career retrospective marks the
first time that all of the early recordings of this Kentucky-born rockabilly
and rock 'n' roll legend have been gathered on one album. The pre-release
for the record will coincide with Adams' first European headliner performance
on October 4, at the 29th Hemsby Rock 'n' Roll Weekender, in Norfolk, England
- one of the top rockabilly festivals in the world. The compilation was
produced by Nashville talent manager Clif Doyal, with assistance from Adams
himself, who also currently resides in Nashville, and it is the first release
to be licensed from their joint-venture label imprint, Redbush Classics
Records. The Sanctuary CD features liner notes by top rockabilly and rock 'n'
roll authorities, Stuart Colman and Tony Wilkinson, and includes a 16-page
booklet with many historic label shots, photographs, and period reviews from
Billboard Magazine. All of Adams' original recordings for Quincy, Dot,
Nau-Voo and Fern Records are featured here, including many that have not been
re-issued since they were first debuted. The digitally re-mastered collection
also includes historic unreleased tracks, "living room" recordings from the
late 50's, selections from his 1998 CD, Legacy (recorded at Sun Studio), and
recent live recordings from a 2001 performance at Billy Block's Western Beat
radio show, in Nashville. The release is being supported by press ads, and
numerous magazine and radio features, both in the U.S. and Europe.
Rockabilly Hall of Famer, Billy Adams, began his career with the landmark
song, "Rock, Pretty Mama," released on Quincy Records, in 1957 (the new
Sanctuary vinyl single is a re-issue of this sought-after recording, together
with a previously unreleased track from his Sun sessions). The original 45
rpm record of "Rock, Pretty Mama" is now valued between $1,500-$2,000 in The
Official Price Guide to Records: 2002. Adams followed this with a string of
releases including, "You Heard Me Knocking" for Dot Records, the teen anthem,
"You Gotta Have A Duck Tail" and "Return of the All American Boy" for the
legendary Nau-Voo label, and "Darling Take My Hand" for Fern Records, among
others (many of these original records are housed in the collection at the
Country Music Hall of Fame). Those seminal recordings have cemented Billy
Adams' status as one of the originators of the rockabilly sound, and they
have been included on over 20 compilation releases on MCA, Ace, Bear Family,
Collector, and other labels worldwide, for the past 25 years. While those
releases have helped to maintain the visibility of this influential artist,
Billy Adams-Rockin' Thru The Years 1955-2002 is a complete career
retrospective that spans Adams' nearly 50-year career (until recently many
people thought him to be dead), and fills in the gaps of this musical
survivor's recording history. Sanctuary's release of Billy Adams-Rockin' Thru
The Years 1955-2002 will further develop a major revival of interest in Billy
Adams' career in Europe, and the US.
For more information go to: http://www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.co.uk
Visit Billy Adams online at: http://www.rockabillyhall.com/BillyAdams.html
Contact: The Clif Doyal Agency @ CDAnashville@aol.com
Tel: 615.885.5998 Fax: 615.885.8297