CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Freedom: Songs from the Heart of America

Search: When The Moon Shines On The Moonshine- Bert Williams
by: Various Artists

Release Date December 10, 2002
If you're going to spend some rather serious bucks on a compilation CD, you could do a lot worse than this! It takes us on a multidimensional, multigenerational trip through some of the plateaus of American music from the first half of the 20th century, on. I guess Columbia is trying to catch up with Sony on these all encompassing compilations, and if so, more power to them. This recording touches so many bases and appeals to so many different sensibilities, fans of different genres, etc. that it would be impossible to cover it in under 2,000 words. I'm far too lazy to attempt that, amyway. Suffice it to say that there isn't a bad cut on the CD and that the compilers actually took some thought into arranging the thing.

As it's ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Sony Music 100 Years: Soundtrack for a Century

Search: When The Moon Shines On The Moonshine- Bert Williams
by: Various Artists

Release Date October 12, 1999
This is an impressive collection-- a century's worth of great music. 26 discs, covering many different genres.

And while there is plenty of variety here, it is very much weighted to the modern era. Only eight of the 26 discs contain pre-1950 material, and of those eight, most contain only about half-a-disc's worth of pre-1950 material. It is certainly true that fewer recordings were made in the early days of the technology, but to call it a "Soundtrack for a Century" and ignore half the century seems very misguided.

What would have made a much more interesting collection would have been a set that looked at the most popular recordings of each era and genre. Since there are six discs of "pop" music here, why not divide the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Pop Music: The Early Years 1890-1950

Search: When The Moon Shines On The Moonshine- Bert Williams
by: Various Artists

Release Date October 12, 1999
Got this item for an older Aunt and she was thrilled with the early songs.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Tribute to Black Entertainers

Search: When The Moon Shines On The Moonshine- Bert Williams
by: Various Artists

Release Date March 02, 1993
The music on A TRIBUTE TO BLACK ENTERTAINERS covers over sixty years, although the last two decades have only a couple of examples. There's an occasional alternate take here, as well as some in-concert tracks, and a few that are rechanneled stereo. The 32-page long-sized booklet is easy on the eyes, has lots of interesting photos and song details. Some recording dates and personnel are missing, however. The music itself is first class, from the legendary Bert Williams' 1919 acoustic waxing of a Prohibition lament, to Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing," the newest track here.

For the most part, source material is in fine shape, with no heavy-handed processing added. Songs are in a generally chronological order. This COLUMBIA LEGACY set is well-worth ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

Search: When The Moon Shines On The Moonshine- Bert Williams
from: Sony

Release Date October 19, 2004
Of course there should have been much more. I remember there been a Metropolian Opera series called CAST ALBUMS- 100 YEARS that was put out for a limited time only and had like five volumes.
As Peter Filichia noted they left out SHE LOVES ME, BRIGADOON and SWEENEY TODD. Also nothing from PACIFIC OVERTURES, BIG RIVER, CHESS, CRAZY FOR YOU, JEKYLL & HYDE, TITANIC, THE SCARLET
PIMPERNEL, FOOTLOOSE- THE MUSICAL, THE FULL MONTY, URINTOWN...
But they couldn't have put it all. I would have done without Lee Remick's
"Anyone Can Whistle", because the show was a flop. I guess because it was Sondheim's first "serious" show...