Kitty Wells I Heard the Jukebox Playing (2-CD)

The late Kitty Wells was without question the first female superstar of country music. In the late 1950s, she was the only woman who was selling records in the kind of quantities that matched those of her male counterparts, and the only one to chart more than thirty records (in eight years) during that decade. Kitty's success and her influence paved the way for great female country vocalists of the 1960s like Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline and Tammy Wynette - all of whom readily acknowledge that influence. Her early catalogue is already represented on Jasmine and has been for some time. They now add to their existing packages this new set, which brings together all of Kitty's 1950s albums that they have not already reissued plus a bunch of highly significant bonus tracks, including Kitty's duets with her label mates Roy Acuff, Ray Crisp, Red Foley and Webb Pierce. Around one third of those thirty country chart hits are included across the two CDs in this essential new Jasmine compilation, which features some of the best pure country music of the fifties. Kitty was one of country music's leading lights for almost six decades. Loved by her fans and her peers, she was truly a legend of the music she never strayed from. Here are 51 great reasons why "Pretty Miss Kitty" will never be forgotten.