Hank Thompson - Songs for Rounders / At the Golden Nugget (2014)

Legend of the Honky-Tonk, scion of the drinker's dirge and the low-life lament, Hank Thompson is a towering figure in the world of Western Swing. Here, for the very first time, his two finest LPs are presented on one official CD. 1959's Songs For Rounders is just that, a loving ode to life's heels, dead-beats, drunkards and flotsam, built around Thompson's astoundingly ''un-radio-friendly'' cut of Cocaine Blues (later covered twice by Johnny Cash) and sublime numbers like Three Times Seven and Teach 'Em How To Swim. At The Golden Nugget was recorded in concert at the famous Las Vegas Casino in 1961 and is without a doubt one of the most surreal artifacts of the entire Honky-Tonk era. Roulette wheels tumble, gamblers jostle and gossip front and center as Hank and band roll from one superb tune (Lost Highway) to the next (A Six Pack To Go). This deluxe edition is remastered from the original Capitol master tapes and presented with exclusive liner notes, rare photos and extra tracks.