Over the last sixty-odd years Dolly Parton has written almost every major hit she has ever had (and quite a few minor ones, too). Her brilliant songs are covered here by everyone from Betty LaVette and Percy Sledge to Ru Paul and Nana Mouskouri. The booklet has some lovely, rare photos, and rich, track-by-track notes.

‘In these recordings without amplification I could hear the natural resonance of the instruments and the subtleties in the vocals. They also played songs not heard in the dance halls: haunting, sad songs.’

For Your Precious Love started out as a Bandera recording (subsequently leased to Vee-Jay), made by co-owner Vi Muszynski — and there are eleven Impressions sides here, seven of them previously unissued.

Hats off every time to the founding father of New Orleans rhythm and blues. DB holds the master recipe for soul-ska-rhumba-blues gumbo. Just check the tracklisting for a sense of his achievement. Don.

Superb songwriting in a dazzling range of styles and voices, from soul ballads to cocktail jazz, the sardonic to the purely heartfelt.

Classic New Orleans rhythm and blues, same cloth as Lee Dorsey and Ernie K Doe, before funk got a hold.

Soul heaven, and magnificently comprehensive: the Northern anthem in amongst Chicago riches like top-notch Curtis songs you may not have heard and stone classics getting their first run out. Jerry’s younger bro.

Great-fun, expertly-assembled, well-presented collection of ye-ye girl pop, featuring Francoise Hardy (of course) alongside BB, Anna Karina (from the Godard films) and co.

An amazing tribute, infatuated with this iconic Crystal, Blossom, Rebelette, Wildcat, Young Cougar, Pelican, Blue Jean and K-C-Ette — who sang Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) for Phil Spector.