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The songs that grace this comprehensive 3CD package all come from the golden age of country music... Often called "white man's blues", there is a strong case to be made for country music being the authentic beating-heart of the United States. For nearly a century now, country music has been captured on cylinder, vinyl, tape and compact disc. In America during the 1950s, while rock & roll battled calypso as the nation's favourite sound, meanwhile in the background, these classic country songs could be heard across the land - all the way from the Gulf of Mexico, right up to the frozen wastes of Minnesota. After the golden age of what might be called pure country, came country-rock, alt-country and Americana. But the 60 songs gathered together here are plain and simple country music - at it's best