HANGMAN'S BLUES - PRISON SONGS IN COUNTRY - From the people who brought you Hillbillies In Hell... Grim tales of jailbirds, cutthroats, cuckolds, executioners, murderers and popcorn-dusted escapees. Prison ballads form part of the historic lifeblood of Country music and saw a distinct resurgence after the May 1960 execution of controversial convict Caryl Chessman. Here Iron Mountain Analog Research presents 16 of the very best, many seldom heard since their original release (often on obscure, microscopic or private-press labels). Running the gamut from smooth balladeers of woe to ramshackle and plaintive backyard rockabillies, The Hangman's Blues features fevered declarations of innocence, profound diatribes on capital punishment and mournful odes to that Last Mile. Years in the making - The Hangman's Blues will chill, thrill and bedevil the dreams of all who hear it. Originally issued on forgotten 45s, some of these sides are indescribably rare and are reissued here for the very first time. This eclectic mix of recordings ranges from the rockabilly sound of Ronnie Hawkins ("The Ballad of Caryl Chessman") to the Western swing of Pee Wee King & Redd Stewart ("24 Months") to the outlaw country of Johnny Paycheck ("21 Miles to Lake Charles Prison"). Also features Freddie Hart's "The Wall," Jaycee Hill's "Crash Out," Porter Wagoner's "(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle," Marty Robbins' "The Chair" and much more! Omni.