Search - Various Artists :: Louisiana Hayride 1

Music Mill Entertainment has compiled four volumes of material showcasing Shreveport's popular and influential Louisiana Hayride show of the '40s, '50s, and '60s. Volume 1 highlights a true historic moment: Hank Williams's September 13, 1952, return to the Hayride following his dismissal by the Opry, which included a slipshod performance of "Jambalaya." Ray Price, in his honky-tonk prime, sings "Crazy Arms." Webb Pierce performs his 1955 hit "I Don't Care." Jim Reeves provides a masterful rendition of "Am I Losing You," and Johnny Cash returns as a guest to sing his 1959 classic "Five Feet High and Rising." George Jones's rendition of his 1964 hit "The Race Is On" clearly hails from a later Hayride incarnation, since by then, the weekly show had ended. In all, all these sets make one hanker for single-artist Hayride collections. (NOTE: Recording dates are not included.) --Rich Kienzle