Close Harmony (Louvin Brothers album)
Encyclopedia
Close Harmony is a box set of The Louvin Brothers recordings. It is an eight-CD box set and was released in 1992.
, Decca
, MGM
, and Apollo, presented in chronological order along with session notes.
The recordings include such artists as Chet Atkins
, Grandpa Jones
, The Jordanaires
, Jerry Byrd
, Pete Drake
, Floyd Cramer
, Hank Garland
and many others.
The annotations for the songs that accompanied the box set were expanded into a book titled In Close Harmony: The Story of the Louvin Brothers by Charles K. Wolfe.
Production notes:
History
Close Harmony contains 219 songs from the duo's years with CapitolCapitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, MGM
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
, and Apollo, presented in chronological order along with session notes.
The recordings include such artists as Chet Atkins
Chet Atkins
Chester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
, Grandpa Jones
Grandpa Jones
Louis Marshall Jones , known professionally as Grandpa Jones, was an American banjo player and "old time" country and gospel music singer...
, The Jordanaires
The Jordanaires
The Jordanaires are an American vocal quartet, which formed as a gospel group in 1948. They are best known for providing vocal background for Elvis Presley, in live appearances and recordings from 1956 to 1972...
, Jerry Byrd
Jerry Byrd
Gerald Lester "Jerry" Byrd was an American musician who played Lap steel guitar in country and Hawaiian music.-Career:...
, Pete Drake
Pete Drake
Pete Drake , born Roddis Franklin Drake, was a major Nashville, Tennessee-based record producer and pedal steel guitar player....
, Floyd Cramer
Floyd Cramer
Floyd Cramer was an American Hall of Fame pianist who was one of the architects of the "Nashville sound." He popularized the "slip note" piano style where an out-of-tune note slides effortlessly into the correct note...
, Hank Garland
Hank Garland
Walter Louis Garland , better known as Hank Garland, was a Nashville studio musician who performed with Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison and many others.-Biography:...
and many others.
The annotations for the songs that accompanied the box set were expanded into a book titled In Close Harmony: The Story of the Louvin Brothers by Charles K. Wolfe.
Reception
In his Allmusic review, Thom Jurek describes the release, concluding " Charlie and Ira took harmony singing to a new level and the creation of full-length albums far out of the sphere of one or two singles and filler. It's true that this is mainly for the fanatics, but it's also for libraries and historians of the music... This set is a treasure. Period."Personnel
- Charlie LouvinCharlie LouvinCharles Elzer Loudermilk , known professionally as Charlie Louvin, was an American country music singer and songwriter. He is best known as one of the Louvin Brothers, and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1955.-Biography:Born in Henagar, Alabama, Louvin was one of 7 children...
– vocals, guitar - Ira LouvinIra LouvinIra Lonnie Loudermilk , known professionally as Ira Louvin, was an American country music singer, mandolinist and songwriter. He was a cousin of songwriter John D. Loudermilk.-Biography:...
– vocals, tenor guitar, mandolin - Chet AtkinsChet AtkinsChester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
– guitar - Grandpa JonesGrandpa JonesLouis Marshall Jones , known professionally as Grandpa Jones, was an American banjo player and "old time" country and gospel music singer...
– banjo - The JordanairesThe JordanairesThe Jordanaires are an American vocal quartet, which formed as a gospel group in 1948. They are best known for providing vocal background for Elvis Presley, in live appearances and recordings from 1956 to 1972...
– vocals - Harold BradleyHarold BradleyHarold Bradley is a pop guitarist and an American country guitarist.Harold played banjo as a child but switched to guitar on the advice of his elder brother, Owen Bradley. Owen arranged for Harold to tour with Ernest Tubb while Harold was still in high school. After graduation, Harold joined the...
– guitar, bass - Owen BradleyOwen BradleyOwen Bradley was an American record producer who, along with Chet Atkins and Bob Ferguson, was one of the chief architects of the 1950s and 1960s Nashville sound in country music and rockabilly.-Before the fame:...
– vibraphone - Paul Buskirk – mandolin
- Jerry ByrdJerry ByrdGerald Lester "Jerry" Byrd was an American musician who played Lap steel guitar in country and Hawaiian music.-Career:...
– pedal steel guitar - Lightning Chance – bass
- Roy Madison "Junior" Huskey – bass
- Floyd CramerFloyd CramerFloyd Cramer was an American Hall of Fame pianist who was one of the architects of the "Nashville sound." He popularized the "slip note" piano style where an out-of-tune note slides effortlessly into the correct note...
– piano - Faye Cunningham – vocals
- Pete DrakePete DrakePete Drake , born Roddis Franklin Drake, was a major Nashville, Tennessee-based record producer and pedal steel guitar player....
– pedal steel guitar - Ray Edenton – guitar, banjo
- Hank GarlandHank GarlandWalter Louis Garland , better known as Hank Garland, was a Nashville studio musician who performed with Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison and many others.-Biography:...
– guitar - Smiley Wilson – guitar
- Buddy HarmanBuddy HarmanBuddy Harman was an American session musician.-Career:Born in Nashville, Tennessee, he played drums on over 18,000 sessions for artists such as Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Brenda Lee, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Roy Orbison, Connie Francis, Chet Atkins, Marty Robbins, Roger Miller,...
– drums - William Paul Ackerman – drums
- Don Helms – pedal steel guitar
- Eddie Hill – fiddle, guitar
- Jimmy Capps – guitar
- Paul Yandell – guitar
- Odell Martin – guitar
- George McCormick – guitar, baritone guitar, vocal harmony
- Marvin H. Hughes – piano, organ
- Shot JacksonShot JacksonShot Jackson was a country music guitarist best known for playing Dobro and pedal steel guitar. He also designed and manufactured guitars under the name Sho-Bud.-Biography:...
– dobro - Thomas Lee Jackson Jr. – fiddle
- Dale Potter – fiddle
- Jimmy Riddle – harmonica
Production notes:
- Paul CohenPaul Cohen (producer)Paul Cohen was an American country music producer.One of the men chiefly responsible for Nashville’s emergence as the country music recording capital and the Nashville Sound was Chicago-born Paul Cohen, long-time Decca Records executive...
– producer - Ken NelsonKen Nelson (United States record producer)Kenneth F. Nelson was a American record producer and A & R man for Capitol Records.-Early life:Born in Caledonia, Minnesota, at the age of 14, Nelson made his radio single debut as a singer in 1925...
– producer - Fred RoseFred Rose (musician)Fred Rose was an American Hall of Fame songwriter and music publishing executive.-Biography:Born in Evansville, Indiana, Fred Rose started playing piano and singing as a small boy. In his teens, he moved to Chicago, Illinois where he worked in bars busking for tips, and finally vaudeville...
– producer - Bob Jones – mastering
- Eddie Stubbs – discography
- Larry Walsh – mixing
- Richard Weize – reissue producer, research
- Mark Wilder – disc dub
- Hoffmann Nienburg – artwork
- Charles K. Wolfe – liner notes, photography, illustrations, discography
- Brad Benedict – photography, illustrations
- Manfred Bersebach – photography, illustrations
- David Freeman – photography, illustrations