So the other day while I was looking over the catalog of Fred Neil albums on Rhapsody there was a compilation album that caught my eye, Forever Changing: The Golden Age of Elektra Records 1963-73. In today’s age of small and independent labels it’s easy to forget what Elektra and Vanguard Records and since 1970 Rounder Records have meant to folk music. When I look through the 100 and some tracks on the album I see many of the roots of my musical listening. Here’s a list of the artists that appear on the album that are also in my music collection:
Phil Ochs
Tom Paxton
The Dillards
Tom Rush
The Doors
Paul Butterfield Blues Band
David Blue
David Ackles
Lonnie Mack
Pauk Seibel
Mickey Newbury
Harry Chapin
Bread
The Lovin’ Spoonful
Eric Clapton
Aztec Two-Step
Judy Collins
and while there are several names that I don’t know there are also many that I’ve heard through the years! Many of the above artists like Tom Paxton also recorded on Vanguard Records looking through their catalog and many of my musical heroes are listed there also including:
Eric Andersen
Doc Watson
John Fahey
Joan Baez
David Wilcox
Jerry Jeff Walker
Mississippi John Hurt
and more current artist like:
Bill Miller
Allison Brown
David Wilcox
and I haven’t even looked at Rounder Recorders but I am sure there are a ton there also. So I guess what all this is leading to is a big THANK YOU to Elektra and Vanguard Records for being there to give me some great music through my formative music years!!!
I guess that another reason for thinking about these labels the recent sale of Rounder Records (here) to the Concord Music group.
