Flatlanders

In January 1972 a newly formed grassroots band The Flatlanders (comprised of the nucleus of Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock) travelled to Tommy Allsup's Odessa, TX studio at the urging of a local radio DJ.<br/> <br/>The 14 songs recorded on reel-to-reel tape arguably marked the birth of alternative<br/>country music. In celebration of their 40th anniversary together, the esteemed founding<br/>fathers of Americana will release a collection of these recordings as The Odessa Tapes.<br/>Thought lost for nearly 4 decades, The OdessaTapes pristine recordings capture without any polish the special blend of country, folk, roots and cosmic energy The Flatlanders pioneered. A DVD featuring a candid new interview with The Flatlanders discussing the myths of the early days of their career and booklet with unreleased archival photos will round out this deluxe package. <br/><br/>The Odessa Tapes features 14 songs four of which were previously unreleased. The record is rounded out by original versions of the 10 songs that were eventually re-recorded when the band was signed to Shelby Singleton's Plantation Records. The subsequent album, All American Music, was barely released on 8-track in late 1972 and The Flatlanders shortly went their separate ways.