Early Country series and WA Series
Click or tap image for details. |
WA series serial number |
Label |
Title |
Artist |
Year |
MX Number |
Notes |
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CW500 | Majestic | Country and Western Favorites | Various | – | Re-issue of the Canadian Pickwick album from 1963. | |
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CW400 or LP711 | Majestic | 25 Country & Folk… | Various | – |
Re-Issue of the 1964 Artistic album. Artistic’s parent company was Hollywood Album Center of Beverly Hills. The record is in three bands on each side making track location difficult. Can be found inexpensively and in as new condition. Later copies have CF400 printed on them. |
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CG200 | Majestic | 20 Town & Country Greats Volume 3 | Various | – |
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TC300 | Majestic | 20 Town & Country Greats Volume 4 | Various | 163377 |
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WA340 | Majestic | 20 Town & Country Greats Volume 5 | Various | 165585 |
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WA341 | Majestic | 20 Country Greats Volume 6 | Various | 167287 |
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WA342 | Majestic | Good Times in Country Music | Various |
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Double album with a fair number of Australian (Festival) artists. Lots of copies about, but hard to find in good condition. |
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WA343 | Majestic | Best Of Country Music | Various | 173533 | ||
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WA344 | Majestic | 20 Country Tracks | Various | 176533 |
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WA345 | K-tel | Country Feeling | Various | 178131 |
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WA346 | K-tel | Country Teardrops | Various | 179503 | ||
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WA347 |
K-tel |
Country Love | Various | 187419 | ||
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WA348 | K-tel | Country Comfort | Various | 188320 | ||
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WA349 | K-tel | Sundown | Various | |||
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WA350 | K-tel | Unknown | ||||
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WA351 | K-tel | Country Giants Vol. 1 | Various | |||
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WA352-1 | K-tel | Country Legends Vol. 1 | Various | 1984 | 203523 |
Notes
This page mainly covers the WA series which were compilations of popular Country Music (and some Western) tracks by well known artists.
Australia wasn’t far behind the American market for Majestic/K-Tel, with the first Australian release, following less than two years after the original American release 25 Great Country Artists Singing Their Original Hits. These albums reflect the origins of K-Tel music licensing. It is not clear who pressed the records (they have plain yellow labels) and they may have been brought into the country from overseas.
The next two albums were pressed by ARC/CBS, then a long run of 12 years at Festival, before a final move to RCA in 1982.
Numbering
Early issues had a random numbering system based on the album title.
The WA series coincides with the full take over by K-Tel brand name and the move to Festival for pressing.
The W series is common to Australia (WA) and North America (WU).
The consolidated series begins with WA340 and so far the Highest number I have seen is WA351. Latter numbered Country compilations were numbered in the consolidated NA series when there was a move to RCA in about 1982.
The order of the early releases is based on the Australia Matrix system that the ARC, Festival, Warner, companies adhered to. This is often referred to as the MX number. EMI and RCA were not part of the scheme.
As with the majority of Majestic K-Tel releases there is no publishing date – probably to allow greater shelf life.
Please note: this is work in progress.
Enjoy. 🙂