1 comments about Classic Soul Ballads.

1. This entire collection of CDs has been added to my Ipod. Some of the most memorable soul ballads selected from the 60s, 70s, and 80s; a few, not so nice, but I skip right through those. But if you appreciate really good R&B love songs of that era, something like 144 in all, you'll want to consider adding this convenient compilation to your list.

1 comments about The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 8: 1968.

1. Just finished listening to 1968. 6 discs , 144 songs , 6 hours , 47 minutes and 28 seconds. We are now at 43 discs , 1,106 songs , over 50 hours for volumes 1-8 , with four more to go. If you've read the other reviews , you know how impressed I am with this whole series. EVERY Motown single (A & B side), from each year 1959-1972 (the Detroit years), being released in 12 lovingly-assembled cd box sets, to be completed by 2009 (the 50th anniversary of Motown). You'll hear old faves as well as things you never heard before....but be forewarned , once you hear one set , you will want to hear it all. 1968 is a great place to start.Go ahead, PUT THIS IN YOUR CART!!!

No comments about Lowrider Oldies, Vol. 1-3: Cruisin' Chrome Series.

3 comments about Rounder Records 25th Anniversary.

1. Soundscape of incomparable depth and breadth - miles of music - full of suprises - used it as the soundtrack for my big L party - no one went away dissapointed - listen to it again and again and find some new delight every time - the booklet was missing on my copy but them lovely folks at Rounder sent me one through the post after I told them about it.



2. Rounder Records has done at least four "25th Anniversary" sets, and this box set includes four of the sets. I first discovered the Rounder sets when I bought "Hand-Picked 25 Years of Bluegrass on Rounder Records." I've given that set to several people as an introduction to Bluegrass.
   
   This box set includes the following CDs that are also available on Amazon.
   
   Hills of Home: 25 Years of Folk Music
   Louisiana Spice: 25 Years of Louisiana Music
   Deep Blue: 25 Years of Blues on Rounder Records
   Hand-Picked: 25 Years of Bluegrass on Rounder Records
   
   This set is a good value and a great selection of american music.



3. This is eight CD's (plus bonus if you have what I have) of great American folk/blues/bluegrass/zydeco. Rounder has done it year in and year out better than any. Let them choose the songs. There are many favorites here for me: When God Dips his Pen of Love into my Heart, Never Will Give Up, We Believe in Happy Endings, and I Ain't Broke (But I'm Badly Bent). I heartily recommend this set. Every CD is worth a listen and will contain a treasure. Depending on your taste, several will be listened to whole again and again. Way to go Rounder!!

5 comments about Q: The Musical Biography of Quincy Jones.

1. Beautiful music. This is lovely bio-discography. Jazz, movie, pop, funk .... for all kind of music, he is #1 . Fans of Q, u have to buy it !



2. I had no idea who Quincy Jones really was until I watched a PBS special the other night called American Masters. I am a big fan of his album "Big Band Bossa Nova" and I was amazed to see that he did a great deal of big-band styled music. This box set encompasses so many different aspects of his career. Big band music, movie & television scores, to producing some of pop music's greatest stars. I am extremely pleased with this purchase. There are so many great songs on these 4 discs they will be in heavy rotation on my MP3 player for quite some time.



3. This collection runs the gamut of pop and jazz musical styles. When songs differed between the single and album version, the single version is used. For a Rhino box set, this title has excellent remastering. Instead of the usually over-bright presentation, Bernie Grundman is the remastering engineer here -- and he treats these tracks with a slight hand, allowing the original musicality of the master tapes shine through. You probably don't have these tracks sounding this good elsewhere in your collection (unless you own the Grundman remastered Michael Jackson albums).



4. The wide array of music in this collection is amazing - I've always enjoyed his later albums (The Dude, Back on The Block) but this collection opened up the depth of his earlier work to me. I had originally ordered this from Amazon, but cancelled it after I found it at a discount club (Costco)...



5. Jones's musical biography is a history of American music. The variety and depth of the music compiled on these CDs is amazing.

5 comments about Can You Dig It? The '70s Soul Experience.

1. Let me just start by saying this is quite simply the greatest
   compilation ever unleashed on man or beast. This is the most deluxe boxed set I have seen- 6 discs in an 8 track carrying case
   style package. This will take you back to the days of shag carpets,lava lamps and monster size afro hairstyles. Classic 70's Soul is my favorite genre of music and to find such a lovingly compiled set just blew my mind. 136 of the very best cuts of this era including the obvious smash hits like "Cruising","Let's Stay Together", Mr. Big Stuff", I Wanna get Next to You" alongside lesser known or forgotten tracks like "I'm Doin Fine Now" by New York City, "Golden Touch" by Rose Royce.and "Why can't We Live Together" by Timmy Thomas.The set also comes with a beutiful 76 page booklet packed with photos, track by track commentary and artist bios. Obviously a package like this will set you back a bit financially but the fact that you will never stop playing this for the rest of your life makes it worth every penny.



2. This is a nice collection of some of the best R&B songs of the 70's. My cousin used to always watch "Soul Train" when we were growing up so these songs pleasantly remind me of my childhood and visiting with my beloved grandparents at the holidays.

   The box the discs come in is also cleverly designed to look like it's filled with 8-track tapes. This would make a great gift for anyone who loves 70's soul.




3. I love this cd box set, and I love the way it looks! Rhino has done a good job of capturing the look, sound, and feel of 70's soul music with this attractive six cd collection. I love how they made the outside of the box look like an old 8 track tape rack! And it's great to hear songs like Betcha By Golly Wow, I'll Be There, Rainy Night in Georgia, War, Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time, Family Affair, Let's Stay Together, and so many others once again. I felt like it was 1973 all over again!

   I do have one minor complaint: Over 20 of these songs are on another Rhino Box set that I have called "Have a Nice Decade." I felt a little cheated, that Rhino could have sampled some other songs. Moreover, there were some great soul artists that didn't have songs represented on this collection at all: Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, and a few others.

   But this is still an excellent collection, and if you love 70's soul music, you might want to splurge and buy it.




4. One of the very best, top of the line soul/r&b collections you could possibly own! Man oh man, do these classic tunes bring back so many fine memories! This type of talent as far as singing & songwriting is sorely lacking in today's music world. Today's youth should try giving this set a listen to hear what real talent was actually like. If you are a major fan of 70s soul/r&b like I am, then this is a MUST-HAVE collection. Very highly recommended.



5. Recommended listening. Sandwiched in time between the Motown of the 60s and the emergence of rap in the 80s is the forgotten cool of 70s soul. I remember these songs from watching Soul Train after American Bandstand and Casey Casem's Top 10, and was delighted with the richness of the sound and song. Makes me almost embarrassed by what I listened to as a teenager in the 80s, it doesn't hold up as well as the songs in this collection.

   Even if you don't like soul, R&B, get it anyway if you can. It will broaden you horizons. Added bonus is the booklet that accompanies the grammy-nominated packaging - you will enjoy every aspect of this set.

5 comments about Tougher Than Tough: The Story Of Jamaican Music.

1. ... is the fact that this set has been allowed to go OOP. Read the other 23 reviews; this is the ABSOLUTE best collection of Jamaican music on (or now, off) the market. People would come to my home and hear this set, and the next day, buy it.
   
   What a shame.



2. This box set really opened my eyes, my ears and my mind to the infinite possibilities within Jamaican music. It is without a doubt the most important set of discs I own. As the title suggests, it is the history of Jamaican music in one handy box. Music for the body, the mind, and the soul. The liner notes are exceptional, invaluable even. If you have the money, by all means get this set. Classic songs by essential artists. VERY HIGHLY RECCOMMENDED.



3. This set is the best of several sets I have collected with early ska and reggae music. Read the list of songs: early Maytals, Wailers, Bob Marley, and more. This collection has historical value and all that. But most importantly it is very listenable and danceable.



4. I bought this set when I was in the infancy of my interest in Jamaican music and Jamaica. Every song is truly special in a historical and musical sense! I started off listening to Bob Marley and then found this gem.
   I first listened to this set one night, soon after I came back from Jamaica, whilst sipping Blue Mountain coffee and burning incense(only!)---I was back in Jamaica... I still love the set even after listening to it a hundred times. If you are looking for sappy, cheesy generic reggae music you're looking in the wrong place. Once you buy the set, you will keep it forever--A real classic. Enjoy, Mon!



5. I bought this CD set on a whim in 1993. It is one of the most amazing impulse purchases I have ever made!!! You hear the development of a nation's music. Great written info and pics accompany the 4 CDs - it adds color and background. But to fully appreciate the roots of ska and reggae, you just kick back and listen to the cds, from song one on cd one. Truly a journey.

4 comments about The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 1: 1959-1961.

1. It's about time! Although most tracks are mastered from the original tapes, 26 are dubbed from the original 45s--"Let's Rock" sounding the worst but still worth having (as if you can find it anywhere else). This package also indicates recording dates on some tracks, rare photos, and track-by-track notes (e.g. other artists who've remade each track, story behind the music, corrections on writer/producer credit). Here are some I found very interesting:
   - Nick & the Jaguars were Motown's 1st white act.
   - "I've Got A Notion" originally by Henry Lumpkin, later remade by Marv Johnson. "We Really Love Each Other" is almost a duet with Smokey.
   - "I Want A Guy" from The Supremes. Freddie Gorman recalls Berry Gordy saying, "I don't want another girl group." I thought The Supremes were the 1st girl group at the company.
   - Richard Wylie & His Band (Popcorn & the Mohawks) originally recorded "I'll Still Be Around" before Mary Wells.
   - "Tomorrow and Always" given proper writer's credit to Goffin & King.
   - "Angel" originally recorded by The Satintones before The Marvelettes.
   - Mable John's "No Love" also recorded by Mary Wells, although not noted.
   - "You're My Desire" originally recorded by The Equadors before Mary Wells.
   - "The Day Will Come" originally recorded by Freddie Gorman before Mary Wells.
   - The Supremes singing backup for Bob Kayli, Don McKenzie, and possibly Pete Hartfield.
   - Norman Whitfield credit as vocal accompaniment to Mickey Woods although not noticeable.
   - Most songs produced by Berry Gordy during that era. It's nice to hear Brian Holland growing from backup singer to writer to producer.



2. For once, here is a total overview of every Motown and Motown related label 45, both A & B side from the beginning, to 1961.
   To the Motown collector, this set is a godsend. To the occasional Motown listener, one may at times hit the forward button, as every track was not a hit, but is worth a listen to understand which direction Gordy wanted to go as the series of cd's progress.
   The quality of the material is superb, taking into consideration the way music was recorded back in the day when all was not digital, but was recorded on tape that did produce some hiss. That is rectified here by such clarity one may think these were recorded just yesterday.
   The packaging with extensive liner notes are also a treat. One cannot fathom such care and thoroughness with this set that one can assume that such a devoted group of people actually assembled this neccessary and interesting piece of history.
   As a Motown collector for years, it was close to impossible to collect everything, as i was born too late. The rare tracks included here among with the familiar ones are very hard to find since many were only released in the Detroit region. The hits, which were distributed better are far and few between here, as in all beginnings, there were a fair amount of flops. The flops included here are still needed listening to understand fully Gordy's intent, and how diverse his thinking was in order to gain a foundation for what would become of one the world's biggest black-owned record company.
   As a bonus, a single 45 is included, and it does play on a phonograph. A superb reproduction as a reminder of what we used to purchase quite often since we didn't have alot of money in those days to buy the artist's album.
   I recommend this set to the highest, as Motown is a part of America's musical heritage, but also to those who would enjoy to have an early understanding of what Motown was like in the early years, start here.



3. "The complete Motown singles" ????? Sounds like a project that could never be possible. But IT IS , and IT Has been started. Hip-O Select is issuing 12 box sets of EVERY Motown single released during the label's heyday of 1959-1972. Each package is a limited edition , superbly documented treasure trove of classic after classic, and many , if you're like me , some you will be discovering for the first time. WARNING !!!! Buy one , you'll need all twelve.



4. As far as box sets go, this series is destined to be the king of them all. Most of us recall the three Complete Stax/Volt Singles box sets a few years back. These three sets contained 19 discs with every Stax and almost all its subsidiary labels' A-sides and a handful of B-sides. (The Gospel Truth singles were completely ignored, so there were no Rance Allen or Maceo Woods singles included). Nearly every Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Isaac Hayes and you-name-it B-side went M.I.A. Not only do these Motown sets include every B-side, but they include ALL subsidiary labels plus first and second pressings which vary from slightly to two different takes. Yes, folks-everything on Tamla, Motown, Gordy, V.I.P., Soul, Rare Earth plus the temporary labels such as Divinity (Gospel), Mel-o-dy (Country), Workshop Jazz, Miracle, plus all the Rock/Pop, Blues, and Jazz recordings Hitsville ever put out. If that isn't enough, each set comes with a replica of a major 45 from that era. (The first volume features Barrett Strong's single, "Money".)
   
   This first installment includes 45s from 1959 through 1961. Here is the humble beginning of what was to become the biggest black-owned independent record company ever. The set starts off with Marv Johnson's "Come To Me" (Tamla 101) from January 1959 and Eddie Holland's "Merry Go Round" (Tamla 102). Larger distribution required Berry Gordy to release these two on United Artists, based in New York in those days. It would be the next single that Tamla became a permanent entity with the release of Barrett Strong's "Let's Rock" b/w "Do the Very Best You Can" (Tamla 54021 and 54022). "Money" had to be distributed nationally via the Anna label (operated by Gordy's sister). The Miracles provided background vocals on the B-side, "I Apologize". "Bad Girl" (Motown G1) by the Miracles was diverted to the Chess label out of Chicago. In 1960, things took a turn for the better. Not only was "Money" revived, but the newly recorded "Shop Around" (found here in two different takes) went into the stratosphere and gave Motown its first major hit. In the same month (September 1960), Mary Wells hit the chart with her first release, the blues shouter, "Bye Bye Baby", the closest anyone at the label ever came to Little Richard. Mary's second single "I Don't Want To Take A Chance" (June 1961) fared a little better getting the strings treatment that "What's So Good About Goodbye" (December 1961) and Eddie Holland's "Jamie" (October 1961) received. The B-sides, "I'm So Sorry" and "Please Forgive Me", show that Mary is just at home with the Blues as with the contemporary R&B of the day. Rare singles by The Miracles include Shop Around follow up, "Ain't It Baby", "Broken-Hearted" "Everybody's Got To Pay Some Dues" and the non-LP single, "Mighty Good Lovin'". Eddie Holland would later be known for poet extraordinaire for scores of Motown artists, joining forces with his brother Brian and fellow vocalist, Lamont Dozier. His first outing, "Jamie" was a smash, but as soon as the public caught wind that this wasn't the great Jackie Wilson, they soon ignored subsequent singles by Eddie. But the greatest triumph in the first set belongs to The Marvelettes, who scored Number 1 right away with "Please Mr. Postman" (August 1961). And the story doesn't end here.
   
   A mixed bag of then unknowns such as Marvin Gaye, The Valadiers, The Contours, The Supremes, The Temptations and even a young Jimmy Ruffin recorded a few of these early singles. Most wouldn't have major hits until 1963 or 1966. Marvin Gaye's bluesy "Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide" with organ backdrop is not unlike some of the British blues records later to come out during the invasion. The rocking "Never Let You Go" is where Marvin lets go with the excitement he was to become known for in later years. A promo single, "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" and "Witchcraft" was never released. Small wonder because "Masquerade" is over five minutes and it was unheard of in those days for a 45 to last significantly beyond three. "Soldier's Plea" is in the early Vietnam era draft department as is The Valadiers' "Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)". The drill sergeant monologue at the end doesn't sound very convincing, but the original 45 containing the missing part in the middle was unearthed. The B-side, "Take A Chance" is much better and more suited to the group's sound. The Valadiers were probably the Duprees of Motown, adopting a more pop sound than say, The Temptations. The Contours wouldn't score big until the following year, but "Whole Lotta Woman" was one stomp, shout `n' work it on out piece of seven inch vinyl. This was another two version release and again, the first release has the edge. "The Stretch" is another one of those dance craze songs like the Vibrations' "Watusi" with a clever lyric. The tempo is relaxed here and not as tight allowing the early Funk Brothers to stretch out a bit. "Funny" is a beautiful ballad in the vein of The Flamingos while "Come On And Be Mine" is in Gospel territory. The Supremes' "I Want A Guy" contains a churchy sound very different from their later releases and is quite a few seconds longer than the mono album track. One can detect Diana Ross' early Gospel training in Smokey Robinsons' steamy song, "Who's Lovin' You". If you can listen to this version and still go back to the Jacksons' take, check your pulse. It's a shame this was stuck on the B-side of Berry Gordy's throwaway piece, "Buttered Popcorn", but Rule Number One is "The boss is always right". Rule number two: "If the boss is wrong, see Rule Number One". Here Florence sounds more like a non-descript singer backed by The Supremes. I actually prefer the earlier pressing because Ballard was a stone soul singer anyway and the spontaneity was refreshing. (Don't miss her bring-down-the-rafters take on Sam Cooke's "Ain't That Good News" on the 2001 Anthology collection). Their popularity wasn't huge until 1964, but The Supremes are heard (mostly on backup vocals) on more recordings in this set than on all the others! The early Temptations' sides brim with excitement and where their later songs were better, they lacked the enthusiasm of "Romance Without Finance" and the Gospel tinged "Mother Of Mine". Dixie Hummingbirds influence is obvious here, especially with Mel's bass lines getting dangerously close to Willie Bobo's even this early. One favorite of Temp fans, the quirky "Check Yourself" is loaded with hooks and great lyrics, another one that should have at least dented the charts. The Robbs, a seminal rock/pop band from the late sixties, used some of these chords for their "Rapid Transit" single, 1967. Just before the draft took Jimmy Ruffin, he waxed a respectable disc on the Miracle label, "Don't Feel Sorry For Me" b/w "Heart", another ballad acronym picking out related words starting with each letter of the title. The A-side is an up tempo confession of cheating on his sweetheart, and "Heart" is more in line with a typical Jackie Wilson show-stopper.
   
   Scores of blues, jazz vocalists and Gospel artists are all here: Mable John-nobody, I mean nobody sounds like Mabel and she sounds like no one else. History cries foul here, because Ms. John wouldn't have chart success until she went to Stax. Although Gordy gave her some pretty good songs: "Who Wouldn't Love A Man Like That", "Action Speaks Louder Than Words" and "No Love" (covered by Mary Wells on Two Lovers LP), they went nowhere. "Looking for A Man" is her ideal of the right man. She's deftly backed by The Supremes on this one. Her voice is sweet, yet sassy and street-wise. Sammy Ward was the Bobby Bland of Motown. He's all business and no fluff. Listen to the way he tears into "What Makes You Love Him" (again, two different versions recorded) and "That Child Is Really Wild", a rather funny take on a crude girlfriend. His only chart success (and that was R&B only) was "Who's The Fool". Don't want to miss that one. Gino Parks cuts loose with songs like "Same Thing", a vicious rocker complete with King Curtis-like tenor punches, and the hilarious "Blibberin' Blabbin' Blues", a take on the Leiber-Stoller song, Yakety-Yak. The latter three artists were featured on the 1970 LP release, "Switched On Blues", which contained stereo re-recordings of some of the singles here. If you can find this disc, be prepared to shell out a wheel barrel full of green. The Satintones made some nice singles, although ballads like "My Beloved" and "Angel" fared much better than the novelties. An aborted attempt at another answer song, "Tomorrow And Always" (The Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow") never saw official release until now. Mickey Woods, a Gene Pitney type, pleaded with the late president John Kennedy not to draft him before tying the knot to his girlfriend on "Please Mr. Kennedy". The B-side, "They Call Me Cupid" is more in line with the contemporary of the day, though. Compare this to Marty Balin's "I Specialize In Love" from "Jefferson Airplane Loves You", who at the time was also trying to capitalize on Pitney's sound. A country-like singer, Debbie Dean charted briefly with "Don't Let Him Shop Around" backed up by The Miracles. Another answer-song here is Bob Kayli's (a.k.a. Robert Gordy) take on Jimmy Dean's Big Bad John. "Small Sad Sam" is quite a funny song in which he is abetted by The Supremes. Another novelty is Andre Williams' side-splitting "Shoo-Doo", a throwback to "I Never See Maggie Alone".
   
   As far as Gospel goes, Gordy was not warm to it. Not that he disliked it; it just didn't send a whole lot of people to the cash registers. Labels such as Savoy, Excello, Jewel, Vee Jay and Specialty had plenty of Gospel artists and Gordy dismissed it as being tapped as far as it could go. Shame, because a lot of local Detroit churches could have sent their aspiring singers to 2648 W. Grand Blvd. As a result, a lot of local Gospel talent was never heard. So what if Gospel didn't sell like hot cakes? Many record companies used it as a tax write-off until the late 60's, when the interest was rekindled during the revival. The Gospel Stars were actually given an album on the Tamla imprint. Their single, He Lifted Me, is close to Myrtle Jackson's (Roberta Martin singers) version; Rev. Columbus Mann and The Golden Harmoneers (mistaken as The Gospel Harmonettes in some Motown discographies I've seen) are all fine examples of the genre. They are of the same high quality of the Savoy and Specialty counterparts. The latter's "I Am Bound" recalls The Soul Stirrers, the lead bass vocalist not unlike Melvin Franklin's. "Precious Memories" is transformed into a wonderful original in the tradition of the Blind Boys and Sensational Nightingales. I believe dismissing Gospel music on the Motown imprint was a mistake, because other independent labels thrived with it. Despite its low sales, the company would not have been the worst for wear.
   
   I regret space does not permit me to touch on everything in this first collection, but don't let that stop you. Listen to the clips wherever you can find them. Yes, there are some real dogs in the collection, but there's some great music here too. Find some way to get the funds together to buy these because The Complete Motown Singles series is the most valuable piece of American Music History of the 60's. Not since the Complete Hot Five and Seven recordings of Louis Armstrong and the Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia have vaulted recordings of this magnitude seen the light of day.

2 comments about Soul Hits of the '70s.

1. THIS IS A GOOD CD IF YOU LIKE OLD SCHOOL MUSIC



2. First of all, let me assure you that these are the Original Recordings with the exception of a live version of "Midnight Train to Georgia" which actually sounds nice & fresh after having the original played to death on the radio.
   
   If you are a Soul Freak, you will probably own some of these songs, but there are many, many overlooked gems such as:
   
   "Say You Love Me" a wonderful track by Patti Austin
   
   "Love Brought Me Back" This is a gospel like mid-tempo number by D.J. Rogers (who did a great duet with Patrice Rushen which is not included here). Why was this song not a hit?
   
   "Your Love" by Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis - a marvelous, happy love song between this married couple. You also get the massive hit, "You Don't Have to Be A Star"
   
   "Am I Black Enough For You" Billy Paul - the "Mrs. Jones" crooner goes kind of funky on us with this affirming anthem of racial pride
   
   "In the Mood" Tyrone Davis - T. Davis is the man! You should check out a Greatest Hits collection. This is a nice Quiet Storm ballad
   
   "Where Do We Go From Here" Trammps - The Disco Inferno Guys mellow it out here (kind of Barry White meets the Temptations)
   
   I can't recall the name of the Manhattans tune included here, but it is nice - a good sample of what you will find on a Greatest Hits Collection
   
   "Reach For It" is a light hearted funk number from Soul-Jazz Man, George Duke.
   
   
   Anyway, this is an absolute steal at its $6.99 price. Remember this is a 3 CD / 40 song set. A must for any Soul Collection. A good mix of Quiet Storm ballads & uptempo steppers. Put in on at your next party & enjoy!
   
   If you are still reading this pitiful review - stop right now & order this CD or check out your local Circuit City or Best Buy store which may carry this at a decent price.
   
   A special thanks to my buddy who knowing what a soul freak I am gave this to me as a Christmas gift a few years ago. Thanks my man!!!!!!

5 comments about Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs.

1. I bought this in 1993 upon its release. At the time it was disappointing for its lack of creativity (compared to Barbra Streisand's Just for the Record... box set which I rate as the best way to do a "musical memoir"). Diana has so many wonderful songs to select from, that by choosing just the top 40 hits (and even leaving some of them out such as "All Of Me","So Close", "Pieces of Ice"), Motown lost an opportunity to truly showcase how wonderful of an artist she is.
   
   Yes, there are some unexpected treats like "99 1/2" from her 1987 TV special and "Family" from her 1983 Central Park concert, but they are too few for a box set of "memoirs" where special, unique gems should be placed. Just look at how great the The Supremes box set, released in 2000, turned out to be!! Now that there are various "best of the supremes" CDs with exactly the same songs on Disc 1, why not REWORK this Ross box set? Get rid of Disc 1, and start the collection with 1970's Reach Out And Touch, and the FULL 6 minute version of Ain't No Mountain High Enough. Add some live songs from Caesar's Palace or Evening with Diana Ross, and songs performed for her TV shows (from Diana! or diana, and my favorite--the duet she sings with Billy Dee Williams in her 1987 "Red Hot Rhythm and Blues" special "Baby, You Got What It Takes.") Include a few choice album tracks from Surrender, Everything is Everything, Last Time I Saw Him ("When Will I Come Home to You" and "Love Me"), Ross 78 ("Never Say I Don't Love You" and "Where Did We Go Wrong") and so on. Update the collection so it includes some of her 90s work from Take Me Higher and Every Day is a New Day, and hard to find material due to alternate international releases (such as "Promise Me You'll Try"--a dance effort before J-Lo released her ballad version of the same song, "You Are Not Alone" and "Free (I'm Gone)"--one of my favorites that took me a long time to track down.) GET RID OF the last six songs on Disc 4 which were sheer filler and apart from Best Years of My Life, easily forgettable compared to much better and more important work she has recorded. And since it is 2008, it would be easy enough to include a DVD of some interviews from the 70s through the 2000s as well as meaningful live performances (for example, when she sang "Over the Rainbow" at the Academy Awards in 1990). THIS would be a true "musical memoir" of Diana Ross, to nicely complement the Supremes Box Set from 2000.
   
   In the meantime, for an intro to Diana, get The Definitive Collection. When you want to explore her early solo years start with Diana Ross, Touch Me in the Morning, then Diana & Marvin. Quintessential disco Diana: The Boss and Diana. Recently important, her brilliant "Lady Sings the Blues"-inspired discovery Blue. And for the 80s RCA years, although the songs were not entirely well-chosen, Diana Ross - Greatest Hits: The RCA Years showcases how her music away from Motown had a different sound and feel. Every Day Is a New Day was her last attempt at a contemporary album--and it was very good but didn't get the exposure or airplay it deserved. But the non-Motown 2007 I Love You did respectably well, indicating we may be hearing more soon from Diana. In summary, a Diana Ross box set SHOULD be so much better than the 1993 release, but if you are a die-hard fan, you know you have to own this in spite of its shortcomings. As fans, we should petition Motown/Universal for an updated version.



2. Incredible as it seems, I was 17 years old when this box set came out. Untill now, I've been unable to buy it anywhere in either San Antonio or even online, but last month, all of that has changed. Disc 1 showcases all of the Supremes' hits with one notable exception...the song "Stone Love" was completely left out; however, it doesn't matter. As I continued with the other 3 CDs, I noticed there were some songs that nowadays rarely get airplay, such as: MUSCLES, THE BOSS, THEME FROM MAHOGANY, MISSING YOU, ENDLESS LOVE, SWEPT AWAY & WHEN YOU TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME.
   Even though the box set looked nearly new when I received it in the mail, it turns out the CDs themselves are in mint condition. Good God, the former Supreme is still at it after all this time.



3. When I started looking for a cd of Diana's greatest hits I found that there were hundreds to choose from.
   If I had to buy the cd's with the songs i liked I would have to buy 10 greatest hits cd's, but with 'Forever Diana' I got all the songs i really loved and a great book in a great box.
   I'm not a die hard fan but with this box collection, it does it for me.
   It has all the songs I know and love and the quality is good.
   Sometimes its a hit or miss when a record company releases something like this but I think they did good.
   Its Diana all the way from the Supremes to solo, and for a simple fan like me I am happy with the result.
   Diana is cool and this box collection is great.



4. I never received this item and i was refunded my money. I am please with your items so this was a BIG disappointment.



5. My daugher gave me this collection of Diana Ross CDs a few years ago. I like the way the first CD begins with Diana's career with the Supremes where she sings all of the songs that made her and the Supremes great. Then, the next three CDs focus on Diana's solo career. A great collection to have, if you're a fan of The Supremes, and of Diana Ross.