Hank Ballard was one of the most influential R&B artists of the 1950s -- it’s difficult to imagine a James Brown or even an Otis Redding without the raw and rough-edged template that Ballard and his group the Midnighters provided -- so it’s a little surprising that this two-disc set is the first time that all of Ballard's singles released between 1954 and 1959, both A- and B-sides, have been collected in one package. It’s all here, from the early Federal hits “Work with Me Annie” (plus all of its many sequels) and “Sexy Ways” to the later King hits “The Twist” (which Ballard wrote) and “Kansas City,” making this a great and full portrait of Ballard and his legacy. ~ Steve Leggett
Rovi