The 76 tracks on this set include contributions by crowned queens of soul Etta James and Aretha Franklin, and other luminaries like Big Maybelle, Ruth Brown, Little Esther, LaVern Baker and Betty Everett. But lesser-known names are also well represented, whose recordings, like most of the songs collected here, sold poorly, but fetch huge prices today. Their lack of success was not due to ability, performance or quality of songwriting; every artist here (including Kentucky-born rockabilly musician Joyce Harris) shouts, screams and hollers as if their lives depend on it, every song is perfectly crafted..........
