Sony Unveils First Releases From New Hickory Vintage Masterpiece Series
Patsy Cline
Sony/ATV has announced the release of four albums from the new Hickory Vintage masterpiece series, a lineup of country music’s most celebrated artists and their classic recordings. This series draws from Hickory Records, one of country music’s most significant labels and part of Sony/ATV Nashville’s historical catalog. The albums, available now on Amazon, iTunes and other digital retailers, feature early recordings from country icons Willie Nelson, Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard and Patsy Cline.
These digital releases are the first of three planned from the Hickory Vintage series. The releases are:
Willie Nelson, “The Demos”: These early songwriting demos were recorded in the 1960s while Nelson was writing for Sony/ATV. This album contains popular songs eventually recorded by other country superstars, including “I Gotta Get Drunk,” “Save Your Tears,” a duo track featuring Ray Price entitled “I’ve Just Destroyed the World,” and a duo track featuring Hank Cochran entitled “Undo the Right.” It also includes the song “Crazy,” written by Nelson and famously recorded by Patsy Cline.
Conway Twitty, “The Hits”: This project contains three #1 Hits from the Billboard Country Songs Chart, “You’ve Never Been This Far Before” (1973), “Hello Darlin” (1970) and “Lying (here with) Linda on My Mind” (1975). It also includes “Danny Boy,” a #10 hit from the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in 1959. Better known as Mr. “T,” Twitty was a fixture every Saturday evening on the historic radio program, “The Grand Ole Opry.”
Merle Haggard, “Hag: The Hits Vol.1”: This album includes two #1 Hits from the Billboard Country Songs Chart, “Carolyn” (1971) and “If We Make It Through December” (1973). Considered part of the outlaw country movement of the 1970’s, Haggard had 42 #1 hit songs throughout his career.
Patsy Cline, “Classics Vol. 1”: This release contains one of Patsy Cline’s most significant recordings, “Walkin’ After Midnight” (1957). The song reached the #2 position on the Billboards Country Chart and #12 on the Top 100 chart. One of country’s all-time greatest talents, Cline was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1960 just four shorts years after performing on that historical stage. She ranks #46 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Singers of All Time and was known for walking up to the show promoter before her performance, extending her hand and saying, “No Dough No Show.”
