A handful of bravura vocalists defined early 1960s rock and roll, standing staunch and true against the steady softening of the once-tough genre. They included Roy Orbison, Gene Pitney, Gary (U.S.) Bonds, and Del Shannon, whose muscular lungpower, laced with thrilling falsetto that seemed to soar to the heavens, receives full-fledged tribute on this album. Naturally, Runaway, Del’s indelible 1961 debut smash, is here (in stereo), as are his monster followups for Big Top Records, Hats Off To Larry, Hey Little Girl, and Little Town Flirt. Also on board is Shannon’s haunting Keep Searchin’ (We’ll Follow The Sun), a 1964 smash on the Amy label. But there are plenty of surprises, including his pre-Elvis original reading of Marie’s The Name (Of His Latest Flame), the swaggering Mary Jane, and a snarling Move It On Over featuring Dennis Coffey’s bone-crunching guitar. The album contains extensive liner notes by music expert Bill Dahl from Chicago.

• 1. Runaway (Stereo)
• 2. (Marie's the Name of)
• 3. His Latest Flame
• 4. Little Town Flirt
• 5. That's the Way Love is
• 6. My Wild One
• 7. Wide Wide World
• 8. Torture(Version 1) (Instrumental)
• 9. Hats Off To Larry
• 10. The Wamboo
• 11. Don't Gild the Lily, Lily
• 12. From Me To You
• 13. Two Silhouettes
• 14. Froggy
• 15. Sue's Gotta Be Mine
• 16. Hey Little Girl
• 17. Misery
• 18. Hey Baby
• 19. Now She's Gone
• 20. Nothin' (Instrumental)
• 21. Lies
• 22. So Long Baby
• 23. The Swiss Maid
• 24. Dream Baby
• 25. Ginny In the Mirror
• 26. The Search (Stereo)
• 27. Mary Jane
• 28. Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow the Sun)
• 29. I Don't Care Anymore
• 30. You Never Talked About Me
• 31. Runaround Sue
• 32. I Won't Be There
• 33. Cry Myself To Sleep
• 34. Move It On Over
• 35. Lookin'