Shepard,Jean Dear John Letter:The Singles Collection 1953-62 CD

The US country charts were for many years in the post-war era the exclusive domain of male artists and it was not until Kitty Wells in 1952, soon followed by Jean Shepard in 1953, that a female artist topped the country charts. Specialising in songs redolent with the familiar country themes, especially for female artists during those times, of relationships, lost love, betrayal and heartache, and having had her first hit at No. 1 with "A Dear John Letter", which was a duet with Ferlin Husky, Jean Shepard enjoyed a lengthy chart career, with over forty hits through to 1978. This 60-track 2-CD set focuses on the first decade of that career when she established her position as a pioneer for female artists in country, helping to pave the way for the likes of Patsy Cline in the years that followed. It comprises most of her A & B sides during this era from her debut for Capitol through to 1962, including duets with Ferlin Husky and Speedy West, and features all her pop and country chart entries from these years, including the country No. 1 and pop No. 4 "A Dear John Letter", plus her other Top 10 country hits "Forgive Me, John", "A Satisfied Mind", "I Thought Of You" and "Beautiful Lies". Adapting her sound as the smoother new Nashville sound arrived in the late '50s she was nevertheless very much an archetypal exponent of the style of country music associated with female artists during these years and this collection offers both a substantial overview of a key era of her career and an enjoyable showcase for her distinctive style.

1. Crying Steel Guitar Waltz 2. Twice The Lovin' 3. A Dear John Letter 4. I'd Rather Die Young 5. Forgive Me, John 6. My Wedding Ring 7. The Glass That Stands Beside You 8. Let's Kiss And Try Again 9. Two Whoops And A Holler 10. Why Did You Wait? 11. You'll Come Crawlin' Back 12. Don't Fall In Love With A Married Man 13. Please Don't Divorce Me 14. Don't Rush Me 15. Did You Tell Her About Me 16. You Sent Her An Orchid 17. Take Possession 18. A Satisfied Mind 19. I Thought Of You 20. Beautiful Lies 21. This Has Been Your Life 22. I Learned It All From You 23. You're Calling Me Sweetheart Again 24. He Loved Me Once And He'll Love Me Again 25. Just Give Me Love 26. Thank You Just The Same 27. Tomorrow I'll Be Gone 28. If You Can Walk Away 29. Under Suspicion 30. The Other Woman 31. It Scares Me Half To Death 32. Act Like A Married Man 33. You're Just The Kind Of Guy 34. I Used To Love You 35. He's My Baby 36. Secrets Of Life 37. Just Another Girl 38. I Want To Go Where No One Knows Me 39. I'll Take The Blame 40. Have Heart, Will Love 41. Jeopardy 42. Better Love Next Time 43. Heartaches, Teardrops And Sorrow 44. Sweetheart Don't Come Back 45. The One You Slip Around With 46. The Mysteries Of Life 47. How Do I Tell It To A Child 48. Lonely Little World 49. For The Children's Sake 50. The Root Of Evil (Is A Man) 51. No One Knows 52. How Long Does It Hurt 53. If You Were Losing Him To Me 54. The Biggest Cry 55. Two Voices, Two Shadows, Two Faces 56. Your Conscience Or Your Heart 57. It's Never Too Late 58. One Less Heartache 59. It's Torture 60. I've Learned To Live With You (And Be Alone)