Bobby Helms - The Complete Releases 1955-62 on CD

Bobby Helms was one of the new breed of country stars who came to the fore in the late '50s recording material which readily crossed over into the pop charts, as he embraced the smooth Nashville sound and helped bring the genre closer to the mainstream of popular music, to the extent of having hits during the '50s in the UK, rarely a happy hunting ground for country stars. His first two hits were long-running country No. 1s with "Fraulein" and "My Special Angel", both crossing over to the pop charts, the latter making the Top 10 as well as charting in the UK in the face of local cover versions. His third was a landmark classic with the crossover seasonal hit "Jingle Bell Rock" which returned him to the pop and country charts on an annual basis for several years. Over the next few years he racked up a dozen or more further hits, including "No Other Baby" and "Jacqueline" in the UK charts, underlining his distinctive appeal. This great-value 52-track 2-CD set comprises every track he released during this period, whether as an A or B side of a single, on an EP or on his one LP release in that era, and as such it represents a comprehensive anthology from his early career, which encompassed all his significant hits.