"The single most important event in the history of country music." That's not us or Bear Family talking—that's what Johnny Cash called this matchless storehouse of traditional American music. Victor... more

It took a while for Bear Family to find and restore the sound of all these classic Cajun recordings made by legendary producer J.D. Miller in the '40s and '50s—and to track down as many survivors and... more

It was 1966, and the success of the American Folk & Blues festivals in Europe led to an American Festival of *Country* Music. But not the slick, Nashville stuff—instead, European audiences were... more

Ranging from the '20s to 1957, the first set in this series features the great early icons of American folk and the original versions of dozens of classics. A 152-page booklet joins 75 tracks: "I... more

The 1958 smash that sparked the folk revival—the Kingston Trio's "Tom Dooley"— begins this set: 70 tracks and a 120-page booklet. You'll encounter the dawn of the singer-songwriter age and the great... more

Ancient ballads and new politics come together in set three. The towering songwriters of the day offer their own slant on the issues of their time, and the trailblazing folk-rockers forge a whole new... more

You'll find poets, pop stars, country-rockers, old-school folkies and forward-looking singer-songwriters in the very eclectic (and extensive) fourth set of the series: 80 tracks and a 140-page... more

She was one of the biggest stars of early country radio—"the first hillbilly star to own a Cadillac"—, and was a favorite of the folk revival crowd of the '50s and '60s, with appearances at the... more

Mixed-race country groups were pretty much unheard of back when this black/white duo formed after meeting while browsing old 78s. Allerton & Alton were broadcast on radio throughout the Northeast and... more

After touring with Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger in the U.S., Ramblin' Jack came to England to begin his recording career. He effectively jumpstarted the folk-music craze in England; here are 33... more