The Carter Family are among the most important artists in the entire history of popular music. They were pioneers in writing and recording folk and country music for the commercial market, and their huge output of songs and recordings has become a major influence on music that has come after them in bluegrass, country, gospel, folk, skiffle, pop and rock.

Acrobat has recognised their importance by creating two 6CD sets to present the primary element of their recorded output – those recordings between 1927 and 1941 featuring the original incarnation of the group, A.P. Carter, his wife Sara Carter, and his sister in-law Maybelle Carter. This is the second of those sets, and addresses the years from 1935 to 1941, in a 130-track 6-CD collection comprising just about all their releases from this era on the Conqueror, Decca and Bluebird labels.

It features their landmark1935 hit Can The Circle Be Unbroken, along with many other classics which have become standards in folk and country repertoire, and provides a substantial and enlightening showcase for their unique talents. Maybelle continued to perform with her daughters Anita, June, and Helen. By 1943, Maybelle Carter and her daughters, were performing as  “the Carter Sisters and Mother Maybelle” before returning to “The Carter Family” name for their act during the ’60s and ’70s following the death of A.P. in 1960.

These two highly significant releases will give enthusiasts the chance to have a comprehensive collection of the first era Carter Family recordings, complete with Acrobat’s usual substantial booklet with comprehensive discographical information and detailed narrative.

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