Rare early recordings by late folk singer Jim Croce and country singer/songwriter collective the Flatlanders are finally becoming available to the masses.
Released today (March 23) by Shout! Factory, Croce's "Facets" is an updated version of the then 22-year-old artist's 1966 album that was limited to 500 copies. Now a two-disc set, the release features the original 11-track album remastered from one of two copies Croce kept for himself. The second disc, "Facets and Jim & Ingrid Too," features seven bonus tracks chosen by the artist's son A.J. and wife Ingrid.
Financed by a $500 wedding gift from Croce's parents, "Facets" gives an early glimpse into the artist that he would become. Among the songs are covers of Gordon Lightfoot's "Steel Rail Blues," Buffy Sainte Marie's "Until It's Time for Me To Go" and Billy Edd Wheeler's "Coal Tattoo." Also featured are such Croce originals as "Texas Rodeo" and "Sun Came Up."
Of the second disc's seven songs, five are co-written by the artist and his wife. The couple recorded 21 songs a year after the release of the Capitol album "Jim & Ingrid Croce" as an audition tape to become hosts of a Boston television show (a job that went to Hoagy Carmichael, according to music historian Rona Elliott's "Facets" liner notes).
On April 13, Varese Sarabande will issue "The Complete Plantation Recordings," a collection of all the music the Flatlanders recorded in preparation for their 1973 debut. Of the 17 tracks, 11 appeared on the original release, "Jimmie Dale Gilmore & the Flatlanders," issued only on 8-track tape.
Even after its reissue in 1980 on vinyl, the album was a highly prized collectable from the short-lived collaboration of core members Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock. The Shout! Factory reissue includes the entire original album, as well as the bonus tracks, some of which appeared on Rykodisc's 1990 CD release, "More a Legend Than a Band."
Gilmore, Ely and Hancock went on to become respected solo singer/songwriters, and have in recent years regrouped to tour and record. In January, New West released the group's third studio album, "Wheels of Fortune," which debuted at No. 17 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart and No. 35 on the Top Country Albums tally.
Released today (March 23) by Shout! Factory, Croce's "Facets" is an updated version of the then 22-year-old artist's 1966 album that was limited to 500 copies. Now a two-disc set, the release features the original 11-track album remastered from one of two copies Croce kept for himself. The second disc, "Facets and Jim & Ingrid Too," features seven bonus tracks chosen by the artist's son A.J. and wife Ingrid.
Financed by a $500 wedding gift from Croce's parents, "Facets" gives an early glimpse into the artist that he would become. Among the songs are covers of Gordon Lightfoot's "Steel Rail Blues," Buffy Sainte Marie's "Until It's Time for Me To Go" and Billy Edd Wheeler's "Coal Tattoo." Also featured are such Croce originals as "Texas Rodeo" and "Sun Came Up."
Of the second disc's seven songs, five are co-written by the artist and his wife. The couple recorded 21 songs a year after the release of the Capitol album "Jim & Ingrid Croce" as an audition tape to become hosts of a Boston television show (a job that went to Hoagy Carmichael, according to music historian Rona Elliott's "Facets" liner notes).
On April 13, Varese Sarabande will issue "The Complete Plantation Recordings," a collection of all the music the Flatlanders recorded in preparation for their 1973 debut. Of the 17 tracks, 11 appeared on the original release, "Jimmie Dale Gilmore & the Flatlanders," issued only on 8-track tape.
Even after its reissue in 1980 on vinyl, the album was a highly prized collectable from the short-lived collaboration of core members Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock. The Shout! Factory reissue includes the entire original album, as well as the bonus tracks, some of which appeared on Rykodisc's 1990 CD release, "More a Legend Than a Band."
Gilmore, Ely and Hancock went on to become respected solo singer/songwriters, and have in recent years regrouped to tour and record. In January, New West released the group's third studio album, "Wheels of Fortune," which debuted at No. 17 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart and No. 35 on the Top Country Albums tally.
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