No more toein’ the line…the Rockman is here
The compact disc celebrated its 40th birthday in 2022. Yet certain key titles have proven frustratingly elusive on CD throughout the decades. Rocky Burnette's debut The Son of Rock and Roll is a record that has figured prominently in "albums I'd like to see reissued on CD" lists over the years. Now those wishes have been answered, as Iconoclassic Records releases Rocky Burnette's The Son of Rock and Roll for the first time on CD worldwide!
It is particularly surprising that The Son of Rock and Roll has never previously appeared on CD when one considers the album's pedigree. Its opening track and lead single "Tired of Toein' the Line" was a worldwide hit in the summer of 1980, reaching the Top 10 in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and hitting #1 in Australia.
And that album title The Son of Rock and Roll was no mere hyperbole. Rocky's father was rockabilly hell-raiser Johnny Burnette, whose mid-’50s sides as front man for the Memphis-based Rock ’n Roll Trio helped pioneer the genre. Uncle Dorsey Burnette, no slouch as a singer himself, was that ferocious crew’s bass slapper. Cousin Billy Burnette is best known for his work with Fleetwood Mac and as a songwriter. Thus, Rocky learned from the best in the business when it came to the fine art of rocking the house—priceless knowledge that defined his 1979 debut LP.
Iconoclassic Records' CD reissue of The Son of Rock and Roll proves worth the wait. Remastered by Nick Robbins from the original master tapes, it features new liner notes by Bill Dahl with exclusive commentary from Rocky Burnette within a memorabilia-packed booklet, and adds two bonus tracks, including Rocky’s previously unreleased cover of Sam Cooke’s “Shake.” North American fans may feel as though there are four bonus tracks, as two songs that were cut from the U.S. and Canadian LP have been reinstated into the track listing. The North American cover art also appears on the reverse of the booklet, allowing fans to choose their preferred cover. It's yet another Reissue Done Right from your friends at Iconoclassic Records.
No more toein' the line...The Rockman is here! The Son of Rock and Roll is out now!