It has to be said that this amazing new Doug Kershaw Anthology - Rare Masters 1958-1969 [2CD] set is, well, one of the best things that I have heard since the last Roy Orbison CD was "unearthed" late last year.

A veritable treasure trove of 50+ vintage unreleased studio recordings and demos by Cajun country and folk legend Doug Kershaw - performing both with his brother Rusty and solo - Anthology - Rare Masters 1958-1969 is just one of those albums that, whether you're a country fan or not, you should own for its depth of musical history.

For those not in the know though, Doug Kershaw is an American fiddle player, singer and songwriter from Louisiana. Active since 1948, Kershaw has recorded fifteen albums and charted on the Hot Country Songs charts. Indeed, and with that short intro said, this collection not only showcases Kershaw's amazing fiddle and accordion skills, but also his tremendous songwriting talent!

Doug grew up surrounded by Cajun fiddle and accordion music. After teaching his brother, Rusty, to play guitar, he formed a band, the Continental Playboys, with Rusty and older brother Nelson "Peewee" Kershaw in 1948. With the departure of Peewee from the group, in the early 1950s, Rusty & Doug continued to perform as a duo.

In 1955, when Kershaw was nineteen, he and Rusty performed on the Louisiana Hayride KWKH radio broadcast in Shreveport, Louisiana.[4] The two were so popular that they were invited to perform at the WWVA Jamboree (later renamed Jamboree U.S.A.), in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Although the brothers initially sang in French, J. D. "Jay" Miller, owner of the Feature Records label, persuaded them to incorporate songs in English into their repertoire. In 1955, Doug and Rusty recorded their first single, "So Lovely, Baby." Released on the Hickory label, the tune went to number 14 on the country music charts.

Later that same year, Doug and Rusty were invited to become cast members of the Louisiana Hayride cast. The Kershaws appeared at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee and became regular members of the Opry cast the following year. The rest, as they say, is history!

DISC 1:
1. 'Big Mighty Man'
2. 'Didn't You Hear Me'
3. 'Fais Do Do'
4. 'Two Out Of Three'
5. 'Mary Lou'
6. 'Among Other Things'
7. 'Do Me Right Now'
8. 'A Victim Of Love Gone Wrong'
9. 'Hardly Anymore'
10. 'Give Me Some Girl'
11. 'Am I Lonely Tonight'
12. 'Except'
13. 'Shake Hands & Come Out Crying'
14. 'Pride Versus Love'
15. 'I Can't Love That Way' 16. 'It Takes All Day To Get Over Night'
17. 'I'm Just A Man Called Sam'
18. 'Before I Start Over'
19. 'Baby's Gone'
20. 'Ain't Going To Get Me Down'
21. 'Contract For Misery'
22. 'Around & Around'
23. 'Hollywood to Memphis'
24. 'Future Of Love'
25. 'I Can't See Myself'

DISC 2:
1. 'Love's Enemy'
' 2. 'I'm Going To Get Drunk 3. 'If You're Not Going To Love Me That's Alright'
4. 'This Is Our Chance'
5. 'Love Bird'
6. 'There's A Wall Being Built'
7. 'Mine Is A Lonely Heart'
8. 'That's What Hurts The Most'
9. 'Misery's All Gone'
10. 'I Wish I Had Died As A Baby'
11. 'A Ring For My Darlin''
12. 'Our Love Affair Came Tumbling Down'
13. 'Son Of A Gun'
14. 'My Mind's In A Fog'
15. 'Just Hurting Me'
16. 'My Memory Of You'
17. 'That's Alright With Me'
18. 'Mannequin Woman'
19. 'This Is The Strangest Love I've Ever Seen'
20. 'That Far Away Look In Your Eyes'
21. 'Pay No Attention'
22. 'This Is The House That I Live In'
23. 'That's Too Bad About The Summer Night'
24. 'There's No Better Way'
25. 'Louisiana Sun'
26. 'Little Bo Peep'
27. 'Rosie Come Take Me Home'

Packaged in a deluxe 6-panel digipak, this incredible 2CD Anthology - Rare Masters 1958-1969 collection - released on Goldenlane Records - is by far one of the most comprehensive Doug Kershaw collections I have ever had the pleasure to sit down and listen to. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.