VA - Born to Be Wild - The Country & Rockabilly Roots of Ray Campi (2011)

Although he’s been around since the dawn of rockabilly (he cut his first record in 1951), New York-born but Texas-raised Ray Campi has never enjoyed much success or name recognition in the United States outside of the rockabilly revival circuit, but he still has an extensive discography thanks to his popularity in Europe and Japan, where he has released numerous albums and singles. Campi, with his trademark standup bass, which he often stands and balances on as part of his live show, is a living reminder of the energy and vitality of the '50s rockabilly style and the country boogie and swing pieces that went into the music’s DNA, several examples of which are collected here that celebrate Campi's roots in the genre. It’s a fun playlist, featuring original tracks like Sleepy LaBeef's “All the Time,” Merle Travis' “Sweet Temptation,” the Delmore Brothers' “I Let the Freight Train Carry Me On,” and “My Baby Left Me” by some guy named Elvis Presley.