Grand Ole Opry's New Star
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Grand Ole Opry's New Star[1] is the very first album by American country music artist George Jones.[2] This album was released in 1957[3] on the Starday Records label.
History
This was Starday Records' first album release ever as well.[2] The title reflected Jones's 1956 appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, which solidified his emerging status in the country music world.[2] The album included three of his early Top 10 country hits, "Why Baby Why", "What Am I Worth", and "You Gotta Be My Baby".[4] Jones wrote or co-wrote all fourteen songs on the album.[5]
The first three songs written for the album, "Play it Cool", "Hold Everything", and "Boat of Life" were recorded between January and August of 1954 at Jack Starnes Studio in Beaumont, Texas. The remainder of the songs were recorded in Houston at Gold Star Studio between March of 1955 and August of 1956[6].
The album was also released in Canada in 1958.[7] Extant copies of Grand Ole Opry's New Star are rare, and collector's prices range from $400 and up.[7]
Several other artists have released "Why Baby Why" (Jones's first chart single) as well. These include Red Sovine and Webb Pierce (as a duet in 1956), Charley Pride (1983), Palomino Road (1992) and Patty Loveless (2008). These first two versions were both Number One hits. "What Am I Worth" was also covered by Sammy Kershaw on 1991's Don't Go Near the Water.
Track listing
As listed on the cover and record label:[8][5]
Side one
- "Why Baby Why" (Darrell Edwards, George Jones)
- "Seasons of My Heart" (Jones, Edwards)
- "It's OK" (Jones)
- "Let Him Know" (Jones)
- "Play It Cool" (Jones)
- "Hold Everything" (Jones)
- "Boat of Life" (Jones)
Side two
- "You Gotta Be My Baby" (Jones)
- "What Am I Worth" (Edwards, Jones)
- "Your Heart" (Jones)
- "Ragged But Right" (Jones)
- "Yearning (to Kiss You)" (Jones, Eddie Eddings)
- "Still Hurtin'" (Jones)
- "Taggin' Along" (Jones, Burl Stephens)
Notes
- ^ Some online sites give the title with a leading "The", but multiple album cover images confirm that is not the case.
- ^ a b c Irwin Stambler, Grelun Landon (2000). Country Music: The Encyclopedia. Macmillan Books. p. 223. ISBN 0312264879.
- ^ Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine (2003). All Music Guide to Country. Backbeat Books. p. 388. ISBN 0-879-30760-9.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Some online sites give the release year as 1956. - ^ "George Jones: Charts & Awards: Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
- ^ a b Auction result for this album with high definition images of front and back here, only shows track listing for side one.
- ^ profile page for "Country Song Hits - George Jones" at [1].com
- ^ a b Ivy Press, Gary Dowell, Isaiah Evans, Kim Jones, James L. Halperin (eds.) (2006). Heritage Music and Entertainment Dallas Signature Auction Catalog. Heritage Capital Corporation. p. 27. ISBN 1-599-67081-X.
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has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Various online sites, such as this and this, list the same contents but in a different order from the album cover track listing.