The Leiber & Stoller Story, Vol. 1: Hard Times, the Los Angeles Years, 1951-56

• music

The first of three Ace anthologies chronicling the songwriting achievements of arguably the two most famous names in rock‘n’roll songwriting, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. This first volume deals with their early years as (predominantly) rhythm and blues songwriters in Los Angeles, starting with their first recorded compositions by Jimmy Witherspoon and the Robbins and ending just prior to the start of their great successes with the Coasters and Elvis Presley. It also includes the first of their earliest national and international pop successes with the Cheers, Vicki Young and Edith Piaf! Several of the tracks are featured in previously-unreleased alternate versions, while many others are being digitised for the first time here. Compiled with the personal assistance and approval of Jerry and Mike, and featuring their commentary on many of the tracks in the sleevenotes, this is a long-overdue Ace salute to two men who, for most, are the alpha and omega of rock‘n’roll songwriting.