Legendary old-time music performer Wade Mainer has had a long and distinguished career. A skilled practitioner of two-finger style banjo, his playing was a precursor of the bluegrass style that developed a decade or so after his professional debut. His music has been a source of inspiration to a number of bluegrass notables, including Earl Scruggs and the Stanley Brothers. Wade got his start in the 1930s and made some memorable recordings for Bluebird, both on his own and with his brother, J. E. After World War II, Wade landed a contract with King Records, where he recorded off and on for most of the next 15 years. The material was issued on 78s, 45s, and albums but has never appeared as a complete collection until now. For the occasion, Dick Spottswood (a famed DJ at WAMU in Washington, DC, a contributor to Bluegrass Unlimited magazine, and an esteemed musicologist) assembled a splendid overview of Wade’s career as well an analysis of Wade’s recordings of this period. The collection includes several songs that have to date been previously unissued as well as several never-before-published photos. As Wade nears his 100 th birthday, this double-disc set makes for an enchanting snapshot of this phase of his illustrious career.

Disc One

Disc Two