An album of previously unreleased Jeannie C Riley songs recorded by Elvis Presley’s guitar player Scotty Moore has been released with a Sam Phillips connection.
Sam Phillips was the owner and founder of Sun Records, Elvis Presley’s first record label. This new Jeannie C Riley album comes via Select-O-Hits, founded by Sam Phillips and his brother Tom in 1960 and know operated by Tom’s son and Sam’s nephews Sam W. and John Philips.
The other partner in the project is Thomas Gramuglia who rescued the songs after 50 years in storage. The tracks were initially never intended for commercial release but have been restored and upgraded to the sounds available from today’s technology.
Gramuglia brought in Grammy Award-winning producer J.R. McNeely and Larry Mars to generate the high quality now available. The tracks were recorded in Nashville for broadcast use only and have been hidden from the public until. The original authentic sound is respected and supplemented with updated instruments and background vocals, to bring the new recordings into the contemporary country era.
Jeannie C Riley rerecorded her classic ‘Harper Valley PTA’ for the sessions as well as her version of Kris Kristofferson’s ‘Me and Bobby McGee;, made famous by Janis Joplin.
Jeannie C Riley “The Music City Sessions” Song List:
Country Girl
That’s A No-No
Harper Valley P.T.A.
Crying Time
There Never Was A Time
Son Of A Preacher Man
Things Go Better With Love
Me And Bobby McGee
The Back Side Of Dallas
The Games People Play
Wish You Were Here
The Girl Most Lonely
Okie From Muskogee
Rollin’ In My Sweet Baby’s Arm
Jeannie C Riley has 11 Top 40 Country hits in the USA between 1968 and 1972. Her album ‘Harper Valley PTA’ was a no 1 country album in 1968.
The song Harper Valley PTA was a no 1 song on both Billboard’s Pop and Country charts in 1968. That feat was not repeated for a female until 1981 when Dolly Parton also did it with ‘9 to 5’.
The story of ‘Harper Valley PTA’ was made into a movie in 1978, then a TV show between 1981 and 1983. Barbara Eden played the starring role of Mrs Johnson in both the TV show and the movie.
Jeannie became a Born Again Christian in the 1970s and vacated Country music for Gospel.
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