Rockabilly was a fleeting fad, really. Most of the masters (Elvis, Roy, Jerry Lee) had moved onto greener pastures - rock, pop, country - within a few years. Hundreds of lesser artists faded into obscurity or moved on as well. That the music has survived is a testament to its inspiration. Johnny Burnette & The Rock 'n' Roll Trio are case in point. The sides they cut in 1956 and 1957 are among the best, most pure rockabilly ever made, but it was over almost as quickly as it had begun.

A superb LP reissue on Solid Smoke in 1978 was at least partially responsible for the rockabilly revival that spawned the Stray Cats and the roots rock movement that continues to this day. Germany's Bear Family trumped the Solid Smoke set by 11 tracks on their Rockabilly Boogie; it's by far the best on the market. No rockabilly collection is complete without it. Later, Johnny Burnette cut some enjoyable pop solo sides, particularly the title track of Capitol's You're Sixteen: The Best Of Johnny Burnette.