Various Artists - Before The Gold Rush: An American Country Rock Anthology 1966-1973 Various Artists

3CD compilation chronicling the early days of the American country rock movement.

Featuring key players Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, and The Flying Burrito Brothers.

48-page booklet includes many obscure photos and the story behind each song.

The American country rock genre wouldn't peak in commercial terms until the mid-1970s, when the likes of Linda Ronstadt and her old backing band, Eagles, smoothed out the musical rough edges to achieve huge mainstream success and inspire a whole host of likeminded singers and bands.

Nevertheless, it's generally acknowledged that the genre's creative peak occurred in the second half of the 1960s and the early 1970s, when long-haired California hippie rock musicians rejected the peacock plumage of psychedelia to hijack the musical traditions of Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry, playing out their Old West cowboy/outlaw fantasies while also following the counter cultural desire to "get back to the garden".

'Before The Gold Rush' chronicles the early days of the North American country rock scene, from the pioneering efforts of established names like Rick Nelson, the Everly Brothers and Jerry Lee Lewis to a new wave of proto Americana acts that stretched from the Flying Burrito Brothers and Poco to rampant musical cross-pollinators like The Band and Little Feat.

Featuring four hours of music across 76 tracks, 'Before The Gold Rush' is a fascinating look at
some of the finest, most enduring sounds to emanate from rock music's most tumultuous era.

Tracklisting

Disc One

1. Rick Nelson – Things You Gave Me
2. The Monkees – Papa Gene's Blues
3. Buffalo Springfield – Hot Dusty Roads
4. The Lovin' Spoonful – Nashville Cats
5. Gene Clark with The Gosdin Brothers – Needing Someone
6. Hearts & Flowers – Rain, Rain
7. (Gib) Guilbeau and (Gene) Parsons – Louisiana Rain
8. Stone Country – Life Stands Daring Me
9. The Youngbloods – Sugar Babe
10. Sonny Curtis – I Fought The Law (And The Law Won)
11. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – These Days
12. Stone Poneys featuring Linda Ronstadt – Some Of Shelly's Blues
13. Lee Hazlewood – She Comes Running
14. Merle Haggard & The Strangers – Mama Tried
15. The Band – The Weight
16. The Beau Brummels – Cherokee Girl
17. The Everly Brothers – Mr. Soul
18. Merrell Fankhauser & H.M.S. Bounty – Your Painted Lives
19. The Flying Burrito Bros. – Hot Burrito #1
20. Jerry Lee Lewis – Louisiana Man
21. Linda Ronstadt – The Only Mama That'll Walk The Line
22. Sir Douglas Quintet – Texas Me
23. Poco – Calico Lady
24. John Stewart – Omaha Rainbow
25. Lothar & The Hand People – Midnight Ranger
26. Polly Niles – For What It's Worth
27. Joshua Fox – Come What May
28. Kenny Rogers & The First Edition – Reuben James
29. Taj Mahal – Six Days On The Road

Disc Two

1. Dillard & Clark – No Longer A Sweetheart Of Mine
2. Quicksilver Messenger Service – Words Can't Say
3. Brewer & Shipley – Rise Up (Easy Rider)
4. The Dillards – Brother John
5. Ron Elliott – Molly In The Middle
6. Great Speckled Bird – Long Long Time To Get Old
7. Eagle – Brown Hair
8. Goose Creek Symphony – Charlie's Tune
9. Jesse Winchester – The Brand New Tennessee Waltz
10. Brethren – Don't Talk Now
11. Mason Proffit – Two Hangmen
12. Shiva's Headband – Take Me To The Mountains
13. We Five – Never Goin' Back
14. The Allman Brothers Band – Midnight Rider
15. Yellow Hand – Down To The Wire (album version)
16. Turnquist Remedy – Cowboy Song
17. Michael Nesmith & The First National Band – Silver Moon
18. Morning – It'll Take Time
19. Ry Cooder – My Old Kentucky Home
20. Jesse Ed Davis – Tulsa County
21. Otis Williams & The Midnight Cowboys – I Wanna Go Country
22. Crazy Horse – Dance Dance Dance
23. Timber – Pipe Dream
24. Rio Grande – Idle Idabelle

Disc Three

1. Grin – Everybody's Missin' The Sun
2. Gene Clark – The Virgin
3. Bob Lind – I Love To Sing/ Sweet Harriet
4. Roger Tillison – Good Time Gal
5. Mountain Bus – Rosalie
6. New Riders Of The Purple Sage – Last Lonely Eagle
7. Deerfield – Me Lovin' You
8. Charlie Daniels- Georgia
9. Swampwater – Ooh-Wee California
10. Chuck & Mary Perrin – Picking Up The Pieces
11. Cowboy – 5'll Getcha Ten
12. John Prine – Angel From Montgomery
13. Pure Prairie League – Woman
14. Little Feat – Willin'
15. Bob Mosley – Thanks
16. Michael Gately – Sometimes I Get A Notion (Gotta See The Country)
17. Burnt Suite – Sally Salamander
18. Marlin Greene – Forest Ranger
19. Danny O'Keefe – Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues
20. J. D. Souther – How Long
21. Eggs Over Easy – Runnin' Down To Memphis
22. America – Don't Cross The River
23. Byrds – Cowgirl In The Sand