Duets

Digitally remastered by M.C. Rather & Hollis Flatt (Custom Mastering, Nashville, Tennessee). A very weird, and weirdly entertaining, curiosity of an album. The liner notes simply say that the sessions that produced these tracks are "clouded in mystery," with the result that Lewis's lone duet partner on these tracks is never actually identified. Whoever he is, let's just say that he could make a very good living as an Elvis impersonator, and probably does. Let's also say that it's more than possible that his vocals were added years (if not decades) after the original sessions, which sound as if they derive from the early '60s, just before Lewis left Sun Records. Let us also finally say that the album itself is not without a certain charm, though in the end, of course, it all comes down to caveat emptor. Personnel: Jerry Lee Lewis (vocals, piano). Audio Remixer: Bob Smith. Producers: Sam C. Phillips, Jack Clement. Compilation producers: Shelby S. Singleton, Jim Wilson. Mojo (Publisher) (5/02, p.144) -
"...A wonderful con devised by producer Shelby Singleton...Acquiring Lewis's Sun originals he persuaded Jimmy Ellis, perhaps the greatest Elvis impersonator, to imitate The King and overdubbing did the rest. Listeners were left open-mouthed..."
Factually this artificial album issued in 1978 was composed by two unequal parts:
1) most of tracks (9 of 11) are Jerry Lee Lewis recordings from sessions 1960-1962 later overdubbed by Jimmy Ellis vocals;
2) two tracks ("Am I To Be The One" and "Sail Away") are Jerry Lee Lewis and Charlie Rich authentic duo recorded in 1959 and previously issued correspondingly in 1970 (on album A Taste Of Country (US 1970) (opens in a new tab) without credit to Rich) and in 1975 (on compilation Kings Of Country Vol.2 (UK 1975) (opens in a new tab) where Rich was credited).
So this album is performed, besides Jerry Lee Lewis himself, partially by "false friend" Jimmy Ellis (who never recorded together with Lewis) and partially by "true friend" Charlie Rich.
Ellis and Rich were not credited, so them remain nonamed mysterious "friends".
Though Lewis Sun sessions from 1960 to 1963 were recorded in stereo, this album was released in mono (maybe because duos with Charlie Rich do not have stereo versions).
In 1996 this album was also reissued on CD in stereo. Two mono duos with Charlie Rich were removed, and three other tracks with overdubs by Ellis were added.