-Strictly limited to 500 copies, this exclusive LP/CD combo on Bear Family is dedicated to Oak Records, a small, only sporadically active label from North Carolina. -Only eight singles were released on Oak Records between 1957 and 1966. -The original Oak records are rarities and sometimes hard to find. -The Bear Family bundle of LP and CD provides for the first time all recordings made for the Oak label, including originally unreleased alternate versions; three titles for the first time on CD and LP! -Rockabilly collectors appreciate such great artists as Don Hager, Glenn Johnson and Bobby Green, R&B fans will be delighted with the rare recording of Big Jay Mercer. -With this edition we document a small yet significant aspect of the music history of the state of North Carolina. -High-quality pressing, luxurious cover, bonus CD in full-color sleeve, a postcard and a large-format booklet with the results of the meticulous research by author Lightnin' Wells and producer Nico Feuerbach! The ending of World War II brought the age of the independent record label and introduced new, often younger, artists who were no longer beholden to the demands of the major record labels. Eastern North Carolina stretches from east of the Piedmont area of the state to the Atlantic coastline, Eastern Carolina was known as a tobacco belt because of the large number of tobacco warehouses and markets. During the late 1950s a small record label was established in Whitaker. The label was established with guidance from and based on the fame of local celebrities, Mustard and Gravy who were a comedy/musical duo. Oak Records mainly promoted younger local performers who were attempting to establish their musical identity through the new medium of Rock 'n' Roll yet filtered through their own rural North Carolina culture, upbringing and experiences.
