The US country charts were for many years in the post-war era the exclusive domain of male artists and it was not until Kitty Wells in 1952, soon followed by Jean Shepard in 1953, that a female artist topped the country charts. Specialising in songs redolent with the familiar country themes, especially for female artists during those times, of relationships, lost love, betrayal and heartache, and having had her first hit at No. 1 with “A Dear John Letter”, which was a duet with Ferlin Husky, Jean Shepard enjoyed a lengthy chart career, with over forty hits through to 1978. This 60--track 2-CD set focuses on the first decade of that career when she established her position as a pioneer for female artists in country, helping to pave the way for the likes of Patsy Cline in the years that followed. It comprises most of her A & B sides during this era from her debut for Capitol through to 1962, including duets with Ferlin Husky and Speedy West, and features all her pop and country chart entries from these years, including the country No. 1 and pop No. 4 “A Dear John Letter”, plus her other Top 10 country hits “Forgive Me, John”, “A Satisfied Mind”, “I Thought Of You” and “Beautiful Lies”. Adapting her sound as the smoother new Nashville sound arrived in the late ‘50s she was nevertheless very much an archetypal exponent of the style of country music associated with female artists during these years and this collection offers both a substantial overview of a key era of her career and an enjoyable showcase for her distinctive style.
