The US country charts were for many years in the post-war era the exclusive domain of male artists and it was not until Kitty Wells in 1952, soon followed by Jean Shepard in 1953, that a female artist topped the country charts.
Specialising in songs redolent with the familiar country themes - especially for female artists during those times - of relationships, lost love, betrayal and heartache, and had her first hit at No.1 with A Dear John Letter, which was a duet with Ferlin Husky.
Hailing from Oklahoma, Shepard was born in 1933, and raised in Visalia, California. She signed with Capitol Records in 1952, following the success of Kitty Wells’ It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels Shepard cut four songs at her first session with popular band players Jimmy Bryant, Speedy West, Cliffie Stone, and Billy Strange. Her first single for the label in 1952, Crying Steel Guitar Waltz, but it failed to chart, however, she went on to enjoy a lengthy chart career, with more than 40 hits through to 1978.
This 60-track set focuses on the first decade of that career when she established her position as a pioneer for female artists in country. Something of a pioneer, she helped pave the way for the likes of Patsy Cline in the years that followed. It features all her pop and country chart entries between 1953 and ’62, including the country No.1 and pop No.4 A Dear John Letter, plus her other Top 10 country hits Forgive Me, John, A Satisfied Mind, I Thought Of You and Beautiful Lies.
Adapting her sound as the smoother new Nashville sound arrived in the late ‘50s she was nevertheless very much an archetypal exponent of the style of country music associated with female artists during these years and this collection offers both a substantial overview of a key era of her career and showcases her distinctive style.
TRACKS
Disc 1 |
|
|
Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Crying Steel Guitar Waltz |
Jean Shepard And Speedy West |
2
|
Twice The Lovin' |
Jean Shepard And Speedy West |
3 |
A Dear John Letter |
Jean Shepard with Ferlin Husky |
4 |
I'd Rather Die Young |
Jean Shepard |
5 |
Forgive Me, John |
Jean Shepard with Ferlin Husky |
6 |
My Wedding Ring |
Jean Shepard |
7 |
The Glass That Stands Beside You |
Jean Shepard |
8 |
Let's Kiss And Try Again |
Jean Shepard with Ferlin Husky |
9 |
Two Whoops And A Holler |
Jean Shepard |
10 |
Why Did You Wait? |
Jean Shepard |
11 |
You'll Come Crawlin' Back |
Jean Shepard |
12 |
Don't Fall In Love With A Married Man |
Jean Shepard |
13 |
Please Don't Divorce Me |
Jean Shepard |
14 |
Don't Rush Me |
Jean Shepard |
15 |
Did You Tell Her About Me |
Jean Shepard |
16 |
You Sent Her An Orchid |
Jean Shepard |
17 |
Take Possession |
Jean Shepard |
18 |
A Satisfied Mind |
Jean Shepard |
19 |
I Thought Of You |
Jean Shepard |
20 |
Beautiful Lies |
Jean Shepard |
21 |
This Has Been Your Life |
Jean Shepard |
22 |
I Learned It All From You |
Jean Shepard |
23 |
You're Calling Me Sweetheart Again |
Jean Shepard |
24 |
He Loved Me Once And He'll Love Me Again |
Jean Shepard |
25 |
Just Give Me Love |
Jean Shepard |
26 |
Thank You Just The Same |
Jean Shepard |
27 |
Tomorrow I'll Be Gone |
Jean Shepard |
28 |
If You Can Walk Away |
Jean Shepard |
29 |
Under Suspicion |
Jean Shepard |
Disc 2 |
|
|
Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
The Other Woman |
Jean Shepard |
2 |
It Scares Me Half To Death |
Jean Shepard |
3 |
Act Like A Married Man |
Jean Shepard |
4 |
You're Just The Kind Of Guy |
Jean Shepard |
5 |
I Used To Love You |
Jean Shepard |
6 |
He's My Baby |
Jean Shepard |
7 |
Secrets Of Life |
Jean Shepard |
8 |
Just Another Girl |
Jean Shepard |
9 |
I Want To Go Where No One Knows Me |
Jean Shepard |
10 |
I'll Take The Blame |
Jean Shepard |
11 |
Have Heart, Will Love |
Jean Shepard |
12 |
Jeopardy |
Jean Shepard |
13 |
Better Love Next Time |
Jean Shepard |
14 |
Heartaches, Teardrops And Sorrow |
Jean Shepard |
15 |
Sweetheart Don't Come Back |
Jean Shepard |
16 |
The One You Slip Around With |
Jean Shepard |
17 |
The Mysteries Of Life |
Jean Shepard |
18 |
How Do I Tell It To A Child |
Jean Shepard |
19 |
Lonely Little World |
Jean Shepard |
20 |
For The Children's Sake |
Jean Shepard |
21 |
The Root Of Evil (Is A Man) |
Jean Shepard |
22 |
No One Knows |
Jean Shepard |
23 |
How Long Does It Hurt |
Jean Shepard |
24 |
If You Were Losing Him To Me |
Jean Shepard |
25 |
The Biggest Cry |
Jean Shepard |
26 |
Two Voices, Two Shadows, Two Faces |
Jean Shepard |
27 |
Your Conscience Or Your Heart |
Jean Shepard |
28 |
It's Never Too Late |
Jean Shepard |
29 |
One Less Heartache |
Jean Shepard |
30 |
It's Torture |
Jean Shepard |
31 |
I've Learned To Live With You (And Be Alone) |
Jean Shepard |