Margie Rayburn - I'm Available: The Rare Recordings (2020)

Margie Rayburn rose to the top of the charts twice, first as lead singer of the Sunnysiders with "Hey! Mr. Banjo" and then again as a solo artist with "I'm Available". She had a charming pop-country style that was well-suited to all of the material she recorded and this new 2CD set contains nearly her entire body of work, including a nifty stereo jazz album with Russ Garcia. The single sides include guitar backing by the great Eddie Cochran, as well as orchestras conducted by Ray Anthony, Jack Marshall, and Dennis Farnon. All of them show her range with country, rockabilly and pop/rock, and her album with Russ Garcia shows still another dimension that she could have easily pursued. All are a treat and show the versatility of this fine artist. Heard in retrospect, Margie's body of work stands the test of time and can be appreciated more today. Removed from the pressure of commercial success, they can be listened to for their musical value, and most of them will be heard for the first time. Thanks to Jasmine, she will not be forgotten and her music will be available for generations to come.