Recorded between 1935 & 1947. Includes liner notes by Joseph F. Laredo.

Rather than assemble a straight Dorothy Shay anthology, Collectors' Choice paired ten of her original Columbia recordings (including her hit "Feudin' and Fightin'") with 15 other recordings by various artists. Shay's gimmick was to perform hillbilly material in prim and proper pop fashion, thereby sending her audience into hysterics. Many of the other tracks are in roughly the same vein as Shay's shtick, and feature erstwhile pop acts (the Four Lads, Dinah Shore, the Modernaires, etc.) performing hillbilly or Western material. Arthur Godfrey's hilariously politically incorrect "Slap 'Er Down Agin, Paw" merits special mention for the sheer force of its outrageousness. Thrown into this review of discographical oddities are a few tracks by actual country novelty acts, including the Hoosier Hot Shots and two welcome contributions by the seldom-heard Zeke Manners & His Swing Billies. Some of this material circulates in Europe on CDs mastered from commercial 78s, but it is rare to find these recordings presented in such pristine sound quality as on this legitimate reissue. ~ Greg Adams

No Depression (9-10/01, pp.124-5) - "...An unusual and imaginative collection....an entertaining and suprising reminder of novelty music of the time..."