"A Brenda Lee extravaganza covering her enormously popular years between 1956 - 1962, This Bear Family boxed set of 4 cds includes a large hard-bound book jam-packed with photos and biographical data. For starters, the audio quality and remastering are superb. I was startled at how the music leaped out into the room, being exceptionally dynamic and lively. Brenda's voice has a palpable presence. Also, you can take pleasure in hearing the fine detail and nuances of the instrumentation. Speaking of instrumentation, Owen Bradley, the Nashville producer who produced such stars as Patsy Cline, Conway Twitty, and Loretta Lynn, matched Brenda Lee early on with outstanding studio pros like Hank Garland, Floyd Cramer, Boots Randolf,Grady Martin, the Jordanaires and Anita Kerr singers. Legends in themselves, these musicians brought a level of professionalism to Brenda's music second to none. Even excluding Brenda's extraordinary contribution, it is pure pleasure listening to her supporting cast. And finally, there is Brenda. Song after song, interpretation after interpretation, we discover the allure and timelessness of her music. Her talent is a shining star that shines brightly in each of the 122 performances included in this set. In a very natural manner, Brenda effortlessly emotes an energy and feeling that ranges all the way from heartbreak to fiery passion. When we look back and think of country artists like Hank Williams, Jim Reeves, and Patsy Cline as singing the "country blues", Brenda Lee established a style that can only be referred to as "country soul". What is indeed trully remarkable about this body of work is that she reached such a height of success and professionalism between the tender ages of 12 and 16. Equally impressive, upon listening to her repertoire, was that there was no tapering off of her talent or presentation - she only gets better! For those who want to look back through the lens of time and discover a treasure of beautifully crafted gems, I recommend this collection of vintage Brenda Lee. It reminds us that all true art is timeless and eternal."
THE BEST CARREER-LOOK-BACK CD OF BRENDA OF THE 50/60'S
06/02/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A very nice and swinging CD-Box of Brenda lee. I hope that a second CD-box of the 60/70's and a third box of the 70/80's and a fourth CD-Box of the 80/90's will berelease VERY SOON. Please BEAR FAM.RECORDS, you proved to know what is good music......................."
Truly is DYNAMITE!
Larry Ortiz | Santa Barbara, CA | 02/24/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I think I fell in love with Brenda when I heard her first single in 1957. What a big powerful voice in such a little girl. I've waited for a good Brenda Box Set since CDs first came out. The double MCA anthology was OK but only left me wanting much, much more Brenda. Leave it to Bear Family to do it right. The sound quality is pristine and this box set showcases Brenda's enormous talent during her early years. Every song is great on this set and I've been anxiously awaiting the next release by Bear Family for this enormous talent. If you're a Brenda Lee fan, you absolutely have to have this box set!"
An enormous triumph; probably the best pop singer ever
C. Heinrich | Oyster Bay, NY USA | 08/27/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Brenda Lee has had a most interesting career. You could divide it into three parts. The first is her rockabilly period, which was pretty much her first thing and continued to 1960. Then the 1960s was her second phase, which was largely about ballads. Then the 1970s and on have been her third phase, which have largely been country. While I haven't heard much of her third phase work, her early work is as good as gold. I especially LOVE her rockabilly work; Brenda Lee is truly the queen of rockabilly. And it's hard to believe she was so young! We're talking pre-teen here. It really blows the mind when you hear it. Just listen to her crank out "Little Jonah (Rock On Your Steel Guitar)". WOW! While some of her ballad years had her singing so-so songs, and some with so-so arrangements, her voice would always cut through and reach you directly. While it was easier to do that back in the day (now a good singer can barely be heard behind today's production noise), it's still a testament to the power of her voice. It's hard to believe she was mostly a star among teenagers at the time, because I find her voice and many of the songs so timeless. This is something that hardly any other teen singer will ever be able to claim. I highly suggest this set, and I dare you to not think the first CD is among the finest rockabilly singing that you have ever heard. And then I dare you to listen to the rest and not think that "Break It To Me Gently", "Fool #1", and "Emotions" are not among the finest ballad crooning you've ever heard. Brenda Lee could rock, she could swing, and she could croon. And she excelled at all of them. While she couldn't crank out a tune in the same way as a Judy Garland or an Ella Fitzgerald, that is really the point and the enormous charm of her voice. She had a rock voice that could conquer anything. But first and foremost, it was a rock voice, based on the core ingredients of rock (blues, country, and gospel). But it was an elegant rock voice. I shouldn't speak in the past tense because she's still working to this day, but I'm speaking of this set for it's all I really know by her. This set is worth every penny!"
Dynamite is Right!
C. Heinrich | 11/29/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a wonderful release. The quailty of the sound is outstanding. The added bonus of the hard cover book abounds with rare photos of Brenda that I'm sure most fans have not seen and would love to see. I'm looking forward to a next boxed set by this wonderful gifted entertaining lady...Brenda Lee!!!"
Track Listings (20) - Disc #1