Carl Belew - The Early Years 1956-62 (2021)

Carl Belew was a country singer and songwriter, who as well as having hits on his own account, provided songs with which other artists continue to have hits many years after this death. Coming to prominence in the late ‘50s, his songs provided Top 10 country hits for the likes of Faron Young with “Every Time I’m Kissing You”, and Johnnie & Jack, the latter with “Stop The World (and Let Me Off)”, as well as a Top 5 pop hit for Andy Williams with “Lonely Street” and a Top 30 hit for Debbie Reynolds with “Am I That Easy To Forget”, the song that gave him his own Top 10 debut in the country chart. He continued to have solo hits into the ‘70s alongside his hits as a writer. This 52-track 2-CD set comprises the A and B sides of his singles during these years on the 4 Star, Decca and RCA-Victor labels, along with the tracks from his 1960 Decca album “Carl Belew” not otherwise released on singles and all the tracks from his 1962 album, also called “Carl Belew” on the Wrangler/Forum Circle label. It features his Top 10 country hits “Am I That Easy To Forget” and “Hello Out There”, and the Top 20 hit “Too Much To Lose”, plus his own recordings of his hit songs for other artists, “Every Time I’m Kissing You”, “Stop The World (and Let Me Off)” and “Lonely Street”. It’s a comprehensive overview of the key formative years of his career, which provided the platform for his later success, and we trust it provides a worthy showcase for his talents as both songwriter and performer.