Take a look at our special WebShop offer: This CD set comes with a FREE Meteor slipmat or METEOR T-shirt (depending on availability).

Nearly as famous as Sun Records was his rival Memphis label Meteor Records. Meteor Records was formed by the Bihari brothers who had launched the Modern Music label in Los Angeles after the war in the late 40s. The label soon became known as Modern Records and was a major player in West Coast R & B. In 1952 they started a new label in Memphis to be run by Lester Bihari called Meteor that would concentrate in the mid-South in signing and recording regional talent there. After releasing 19 singles, the Bihari brothers decided in 1957 to consolidate their labels. The most famous single for rockabilly enthusiastics is Meteor 5032, Charlie Feathers - Tongue Tied Jill / Get With It. But there is much more to explore for rockabilly fans. 14 of the 19 singles can be counted as rockabilly style, the rest (mostly the pre 1955 recordings) are more hillbilly style. Six of the songs are only available on this compilation (or on the original singles).

The double CD set includes a 40 page booklet with many details about the label and its rival Sun records. Did you know that Elvis mother sent dinner to one of these recording artists ? Or that some of the recordings artist also worked with Sam Philips ?

CD1:
Daydreamin' / Let's Not Pretend - Bud Deckelman With The Daydreamers • Brother, That's All / Ring Out Those Bells - "Red" Hadley's Wranglers • I'm As Lonely As I Can Be / You Will Have To Pay - Haward Swords With The Blue Light Boys • Yakety Yak - Mac & Jake With The Esquire Trio • A Gal Named Joe - Mac Sales With The Esquire Trio • Much Too Young For Love / Can't Steal My Way Around - Barney Burcham With The Daydreamers • Sleepy Time Blues / All Messed Up - Jess Hooper With The Daydreamers • Can We Live It Down? / Daydreams, Come True - Buddy Bain, Kay Wayne, Merle (Red) Taylor With The Hayriders • Women / Lost Love - Lendon Smith With The Jesters • Don't Worry 'bout Nuthin' / I'll Never Fall Out Of Love With You - Mason Dixon With The Redskins • Mama's Little Baby / Raw Deal - Junior Thompson With The Meteors

CD2:
Get With It / Tongue-Tied Jill - Charlie Feathers With Jody & Jerry • Don't Shoot Me Baby (I'm Not Ready To Die) / Have Myself A Ball - Bill Bowen With The Rockets • Charcoal Suit / Bop, Baby, Bop - Brad Suggs With The Swingsters • Rock, Roll And Rhythm / Lonesome Rhythm Blues - Wayne Mcginnis With The Swingteens • Oh! Oh! Mama / Chilly Willy - Mary Edwards With The Saxons • Tell Her True / Gonna Shut You Off Baby - Jimmy Haggett With The Daydreamers • Feeling Kinda Lonely / Real Gone Baby - The Velvatones With The Memphis Rhythm Boys • I'll Pretend / Latch On To Your Baby - Jimmy Lamberth With The Saxons • Curfew • Year Old Blues / Stone Cold Mama / Blacksmith Blues / You're For Me / Lonely Road - Steve Carl With The Jags

Take a look at our special WebShop offer: This CD set comes with a FREE Meteor slipmat or METEOR T-shirt (depending on availability).

Reviewed by Mr. Firecreek, 2004