CCMusic.com

• Track Listing

Comprising performances of songs from the Ray Charles repertoire, the very belated release of what would have been the young Jackie's first album, plus 13 rare bonus Liberty masters. Between October 1960 and July '61, Jackie DeShannon released three Liberty singles which, although excellent performances, had not dented the US Hot 100. So it was a major leap of faith for the company to book Jackie into Fine Recording Studios in New York with producer Clyde Otis to record an album of songs written by or closely associated with Ray Charles. Once completed, Liberty scheduled the release of her "Hits Of The Genius" LP in January 1962. However, in November 1961, not long after Jackie's sessions, Bobby Darin also recorded an album's worth of Ray Charles songs. When Atlantic Records announced the release of "Bobby Darin Sings Ray Charles", this effectively put the kibosh on Liberty's plans. Of the 11 tracks intended for Jackie's shelved album, 'Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying' would be included on her "This Is Jackie DeShannon" LP in 1965. Among the bonus tracks are a further six recorded in New York with producer Clyde Otis, of which 'I Won't Turn You Down' and 'Baby (When Ya Kiss Me)' appear here in stereo for the first time, the latter in an alternate take. Elsewhere, 'I Don't Think So Much Of Myself Now', produced by Dick Glasser in Nashville, is here in first-time stereo and 'That's What Boys Are Made Of' is an alternate take. The other nine bonus titles - including two more Ray Charles songs and several written by Jackie with Sharon Sheeley - are previously unreleased full stop.