By Ken Paulson –We came to know Rosie Flores when she lived in Nashville in the late ‘90s, and have always been impressed with her music – and her heart.
Both are in abundance on The Blanco Sessions, the final album from Janis Martin, the late rockabilly pioneer, set for release on Sept. 18.
Martin was billed as the “female Elvis” by RCA Records, and that wasn’t all hype. Her “Will You Willum” single reportedly sold more than 750,000 copies in 1956.
Martin’s career never took off after that, and she put her musical career on hold in 1960. Still, her early singles became collector’s items and her legend grew.
Flores, a rockablly artist with great respect for her roots, recruited Martin to sing on her Rockabilly Filly album, and in 2007, produced this new album. Sadly, Martin died months after the recording and Flores wasn’t unable to place the recordings with a label.
But Rosie persevered. Five years later, and thanks to fans on Kickstarter and the Cow Island Music label, The Blanco Sessions will be released on Sept. 18.
It’s a wonderful collection of rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll classics, performed with joy and energy by a woman who first tackled this music five decades earlier. From Jesse Stone’s “As Long As I’m Movin’” to Cowboy Jack Clement’s “It’ll Be Me” and Dave Alvin’s “Long White Cadillac,” Martin absolutely delivers. Highly recommended.
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