Wildwood Flower
While the Carter Family is certainly worthy of deeper  exploration, this 25-song compilation provides a very useful overview  of the work of one of country music's cornerstone artists. Beginning in  the late 1920s, Sara, Maybelle, and A.P. Carter delivered to the rest  of the world British and Irish ballads that had been preserved in  remote Appalachian regions. By fusing the concept of hillbilly string  music with the vocal harmonies of religious music and then attaching  this fusion to these timeless songs, they helped give country music its  foundation, both sonically and spiritually. As a result, many of these  tunes have become distinctively American staples of popular music.--Marc Greilsamer