Search - Various Artists :: Four By Four 1

The Ronnie Hawkins Tracks ALone Make This A 5-Star Release

10/08/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1993 release, part of a small series from Stardust Productions of Canada (the same folks who brought you the great series Vintage Instrumentals and Treasured Tunes), earns its 5 stars primarily on the basis of the four tracks by Rompin' Ronnie Hawkins.



From Huntsville, Alabama (born January 10, 1935), and a cousin of Dale Hawkins, he formed his group The Hawks in 1952, and relocated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1958. In 1959, with Roulette Records, he covered the Chuck Berry hit, Thirty Days, changed the title to Fort Day, and had it go to # 45 Billboard Pop Hot 100 that summer b/w One Of These Days. A few months later he covered the 1955 Young Jesse recording, Mary Lou, and this time he hit the # 7 R&B/# # 26 Hot 100 spot billed as Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks. The flip to that was Need Your Lovin' (Oh So Bad).



Both hits are here in their original form, as are two cuts that never charted for the group (Southern Love and Bo Diddley) but which are nevertheless sought after by collectors of pure Rockabilly. Later in 1967, guitarist/vocalist Robbie Robertson, drummer/vocalist Levon Helm, bassist Rick Danko, and keyboardists Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson, all from Canada except Helm who hailed from Arkansas, and all members of The Hawks, would form the legendary group The Band in Woodstock, N.Y.



Most of the selections from the other three artists in this volume are available on any number of compilations, but here too there are a few hard-to-find hits: God, Country And My Baby by Johnny Burnette with The Johnny Mann Singers (# 18 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in late 1961); Rock Your Little Baby To Sleep, billed to Lieutenant Buddy Knox With The Rhythm Orchids and a # 17 in early summer 1957); and Please Don't Go by Elvis sound-a-like Ral Donner, which reached # 39 in the fall of 1961.



The sound quality is good, and there are two pages of liner notes."