Elton Britt was a country singer, songwriter and guitarist who was born in 1913, and had a recording career which began in the early 1930s and spanned more than three decades. He successfully adapted his distinctive and effortless vocal style to the needs of the changing market, and after the Billboard charts were launched in the early ’40 he had a string of hits in both the pop and country charts, mostly as a solo artist but also in duets with Rosalie Allen, as well as with The Three Suns and The Skytoppers.

This 51-track collection includes selected A- and B-sides of his releases on the Banner, Conqueror, Decca, Bluebird and RCA labels during these years, with recordings as The Wenatchee Mountaineers, Britt & Ford, Pappy, Zeke, Ezra and Elton, as well as in the duet formats already mentioned. Britt’s big break came in 1939 when he signed with the RCA label and developed an association with songwriter/producer Bob Miller. Miller wrote many of Britt’s early hits including Someday, Detour and Candy Kisses. However, Britt’s greatest hit came in 1942 when he recorded There’s A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere - a track which would garner an invite to perform for President Roosevelt at the White House. The song portrays a crippled mountain boy who yearns to fight for American freedom. Given the patriotic fervour of the early war years, both the sheet music and single would become the biggest sellers of 1943.

From early ‘mountain music’ through to the more commercial music of the ‘50s, it offers a fascinating trawl across the country spectrum while offering an insightful showcase for Britt’s relaxed style.

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