Brenda Lee's earliest studio material, recorded for Decca Records between 1956 and 1958 when Lee had yet to reach the age of 14, had less of the pop-country ballad sheen of her early-'60s hits and a whole lot more sassy rockabilly attitude, which may be revelatory to those only familiar with the later country-pop hits. This set collects material from around 1960, when she began to temper the rockabilly influence and scored her first big hit with "Sweet Nothin's," which is included here, along with "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," "Jambalaya," and other classic tracks, although curiously, one of her biggest hits, "I'm Sorry," is absent. ~ Steve Leggett
