LOS ANGelES (Top40 Charts/ Time Life) -
Music legend and folk rock icon
Bob Dylan coined the zeitgeist of the 1960s when he recorded "Like a Rolling Stone." Folk found an unlikely bedfellow in rock 'n' roll when Dylan "plugged in," touching off a new genre of music that continues to resonate and reconstruct itself to this very day. To commemorate that historical moment and its lasting legacy, Time Life will release Four Decades of Folk Rock, a monumental four-CD box set, in stores on
September 11. With 71 tracks that run the gamut of folk rock, singer-songwriter, country rock, roots rock and Americana and span over 40 years, Folk Rock is so comprehensive that it not only includes the most important songs of these genres, but also spotlights folk tracks performed by rock bands, rock songs recorded by folk acts and experiments by both along the way;
Thin Lizzy performs an Irish folk song, punk rock band X takes on Americana, and comparative newcomer
David Gray layers electronica on top of acoustic folk. The collection was painstakingly assembled by Grammy nominated producer Ted Myers and acclaimed author and pop culturist Bruce Pollock, and also features tracks by Tim Buckley, The Band, Arlo Guthrie, Richard Thompson and Steve Earle. The set is highlighted by extensive liner notes alongside rare and archival photographs of the artists, taken during the era their songs were first recorded.
Up until "Like a Rolling Stone," Dylan was folk music's golden boy and his new rock song mortified the folk purists. But it wasn't long before groups like The Turtles, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Mamas & The Papas and, of course, The Byrds followed with a barrage of folk rock that would dominate the charts until the end of the '60s. By the 1970s, artists like Crosby Stills & Nash, Nick Drake, The Grateful Dead and Fleetwood Mac changed the way folk rock would be regarded by pushing its boundaries in different directions, introducing different sounds into the mix. This musical evolution opened the doors for young '80s bands like X, R.E.M., The Pogues and 10,000 Maniacs to experiment with their own music and take on a surprisingly important role in folk rock history. They led the way to a new musical and cultural milieu that was reinterpreted in the '90s by acts ranging from Wilco to the Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan and The Corrs. Their eclectic sounds updated folk rock for a new era and a new generation of fans. Four Decades of Folk Rock chronicles the incredible evolution of the genre, devoting each CD in the set to a separate decade.
The release of Four Decades of Folk Rock reflects Time Life's ongoing commitment to bring top quality American music to life. Over the past two years, the company has launched the Legends of American Music series, featuring critically acclaimed box sets on Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Louis Armstrong and The Stanley Brothers. This box set is part of Time Life's retail division campaign to redefine its role in the marketplace.
