Rockabilly derives from bluegrass, country boogie and the African-American rock ‘n’ roll genre, borrowing much from the latter. Its rise coincided with rock’s early popularity with a mass audience. Intense, incomparable and spirited, rockabilly is a style apart, defined by an aesthetic of great purity that is both simple and efficient. It was an emblem in 1950s America and the legendary recordings forming its foundations had exceptional quality. They were so influential that they led to several resurrections. Compiled and annotated by Bruno Blum, this set’s recordings represent the cream of original rockabilly in an essential anthology. Patrick FReMEAUX