Ramblin Fever: Complete Record

-With this double CD, Bear Family Records® is the first label to present all the commercial recordings of the great Bill Carter, originally released between 1953 - 1961! -The Arkansas musician started with country music and hillbilly and jumped on the rockabilly bandwagon towards the end of the 1950s. -This compilation also includes his outstanding gospel recordings for the Rural Rhythm label and recordings with western swing bandleader Big Jim DeNoone for 4-Star. -We have found an additional 14(!) previously unknown and unreleased recordings in excellent quality from that era! -A total of 68 recordings for 4-Star, Republic, Tally, Ozark, Rural Rhythm, Honey B and 'D' among others. -41 songs on CD for the first time, 14 tracks released the first time. -In 1950s California, he and his band accompanied numerous big names in country music on tour on the West Coast. -Shortly after signing a promising contract with M-G-M and before his final breakthrough, Carter retired from the music business in 1961 and devoted himself exclusively to Christian country music. -Extensive liner notes by Michael Hurtt in the comprehensive illustrated booklet. -Carefully restored and remastered recordings. Bill Carter was born in 1929 in Eagleton, Arkansas, moved with his family to Oklahoma in 1937 and six years later to Indio, California. His family encouraged the teenager's interest in music and paid for his singing lessons. Before joining the U.S. Air Force in 1949, he had already performed on several local radio stations. During his military service in California, he formed his first C&W bands and performed in the San Francisco area and at a radio station in San Antonio, Texas. After completing his military service in 1953, Carter joined Jim DeNoone's country band as a vocalist and performed at the 'California Hayride' in San Francisco and elsewhere. The band's recordings for Gilt-Edge Records, produced that same year, feature Bill Carter as a singer for the first time.