Roy Acuff - The Early Albums Collection (2018)

Born in Maynardville, Tennessee on 23rd November 1903, Roy Claxton Acuff - later to be known as 'The King of Country Music' - came from a family that included medics, preachers, politicians and musicians among its ranks. The young Roy learned to play a number of instruments from an early age, although as a youth he favoured the harmonica and the Jew's harp. Whilst recovering from an illness, Acuff honed his skills on the fiddle and would play daily on the porch of his house; he was influenced by the likes of Fiddlin' John Carson and Gid Tanner. His first professional engagements were to provide entertainment at Dr. Hauer's Medicine Show. The show could not afford microphones, so Acuff learned to sing loud enough to be heard above the crowds. This skill went on to assist him when performing for early radio broadcasts. Having recorded dozens of albums between the 1940s and the late 1970s, Roy received numerous awards during his career. He was the first living inductee into the 'Country Music Hall Of Fame' and was awarded the 'National Medal of Arts'. He was given a lifetime achievement award by the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts - the first Country music star to receive this honour. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and two separate museums were named in his honour; 'The Roy Acuff Museum' In Opryland and 'The Roy Acuff Union and Library' in his hometown of Maynardville. This 4CD set brings together the finest recordings made by Roy Acuff across his career, featuring as it does 10 complete, original LPs totalling over five hours of truly unique country music. Serving as both a fine introduction to this great performer's work, and as a welcome reminder of just how good Roy Acuff's timeless recordings still sounds today, this delightful collection will fit in perfectly with the collections of music fans of all genres.