The Joy of 45 Collecting: Lost 45 Tunes Not Available from iTunes, Spotify, or Similar Services
Jukebox "Snippet" 45s: Chronological List of Site Additions
As I add 45s to our inventory, I pick select 45s to highlight with mp3 "snippets" so you can hear the music yourself. I only record "snippets" of tunes I particularly like, ones I think have been under-played and under-appreciated, or ones that are so rare and wonderful I'll never hear them otherwise. For myself, I keep an iTunes playlist of these "snippets," and that playlist is one I listen to most often. These pages chronicle the mp3 "snippets" I've added to our online "jukebox" in reverse chronological order. You can browse the pages to see what was added and when. Click on the blue "Play" button to play the snippet, or click on a song's title to load the page. Many of these 45 records are still for sale, though just as many have been sold. I hope you enjoy perusing these pages as much as I have enjoyed putting them together!
Here's a very nice copy of this rare and wonderful Soul instrumental, recorded at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals. This is the first release, on the Rick Hall label (which had only a half-dozen or so releases); 45cat.com pegs the release date at 1971. The recordings were re-released on Rick Hall's Fame label in 1972, and that is also a rare item to find.
These songs were originally released by RCA in 1965 and revived after Rich became a country star in the early 1970's. The A side is one of his greatest songs (and recordings) ever, and with this copy I finally have that holy grail copy, with pristine Mint audio!
It's sobering to realize that this top-notch rocker failed to chart when released, even though it was following up on Holly's huge hit, "Peggy Sue." I suspect that radio programmer confusion over records on Brunswick by the "Crickets" and those by Holly must have played a part. At about the same time this tune came out, the Crickets were having hits with both "Oh, Boy!" and "Maybe Baby." Still, just cause it was overlooked in 1958 doesn't mean it should be missing from your personal collection of essential Buddy Holly!
Here's a beautiful copy of the very rare first Sun single by Carl Perkins. The matrix numbers suggest that "Let The Juke Box..." was the intended A side, but certainly it's "Gone, Gone, Gone" that makes the lasting impression as a glimpse of the wild Rockabilly Sun was recording with Elvis as well as Carl Perkins in 1955.
The overwhelming feeling of joy in this performance is truly infectious... And notice that what's been found is not just "love" or "a love," but "The love"! How radio failed to notice it is beyond me, but don't you miss out! I'm adding a snippet to the Classic 45s jukebox so I can keep the sound handy. :-)
Here's a gorgeous copy of one of an iconic 1963 Country single, which was included in the Smithsonian's excellent multi-album History of Country Music.