Release date 7th November 2025.
The Fabulous Thunderbirds is a band that has seen many changes of personnel over the years since its formation in Austin, Texas in the 1970s. Yet the impact they made at the outset - fronted by the electrifying duo of Jimmie Vaughan and Kim Wilson, set the stage for enduring success, both for the T-Birds and for Vaughan over the last five decades. This anthology focusses on those early years and brings together their studio recordings made for album releases during the period when the band included Jimmie and Kim.
It begins by featuring thirteen unreleased cuts produced by Doc Pomus and Joel Dorn from sessions the band did for them in 1978. The pair hoped to get interest in the album from major record labels but despite getting Atlantic Records boss Ahmet Ertegun to see the band perform in New York, there were no takers. The tapes disappeared into legend and it wasn’t until 2019 that thanks to Will Bratton, some severely water-damaged originals were located and lovingly restored. The selection of tracks that are included here were chosen by Doc and Joel at the time from the twenty-eight songs they recorded over the course of those few days. They thought it would make a great album. They were right, but everyone else missed it.
Running at over five hours of music on four CDs, this compilation follows their career through all the subsequent releases on Takoma Records, Chrysalis and Epic until Jimmie left the band to pursue his solo career in 1989, - a total of eight albums: The Doc Pomus Sessions 1978; The Fabulous Thunderbirds (Girls Go Wild); What’s The Word?; Butt Rockin’; T-Bird Rhythm; Tuff Enuff; Hot Number; Powerful Stuff.
The accompanying book is annotated by Bill Bentley who witnessed the band’s emergence and rise to fame. It is crammed full of photos and images which, combined with Bill’s notes, brings to life the story of this band in their heyday.
It is the only collection of its kind and provides irrefutable evidence of the band’s vital role in the preservation and transition of the blues.
It is in the form of a 12” hardback, fully illustrated book with four discs containing all the recordings in chronological order and features a collection of rare photos with a history of the band written by Bill Bentley. It is the first time that this hugely influential body of work has been assembled in one collection.
The box set will not be available as a digital compilation but 12” (blue) vinyl releases of all the individual records are planned for 2026.
Exclusive pre-order offer bundle includes a T-shirts and sew-on patch and can be found in our Shop.
Tracklisting below:
THE DOC POMUS RECORDINGS 1978
DIRTY WORK IS GOING ON
THE THINGS I USED TO DO
I SEARCHED ALL OVER
I CAN'T QUIT YOU BABY
I GOT EYES
THIS SHOULD GO ON FOREVER
SHE'S TUFF
SCRATCH MY BACK
SHE'S MY BABY
BABY PLEASE DON'T LIE TO ME
SNAKE HIPS
UNNAMED INSTRUMENTAL
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
GIRLS GO WILD
WAIT ON TIME
SCRATCH MY BACK
RICH WOMAN
FULL-TIME LOVER
POCKET ROCKET
SHE'S TUFF
MARKED DECK
WALKIN' TO MY BABY
ROCK WITH ME
C-BOY'S BLUES
LET ME IN
WHAT’S THE WORD
RUNNIN' SHOES
YOU AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT FINE
LOW-DOWN WOMAN
EXTRA JIMMIES
SUGAR COATED LOVE
LAST CALL FOR ALCOHOL
THE CRAWL
JUMPIN' BAD
LEARN TO TREAT ME RIGHT
I'M A GOOD MAN (IF YOU GIVE ME A CHANCE)
DIRTY WORK
THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT STUFF
BUTTROCKIN’
I BELIEVE I'M IN LOVE
ONE'S TOO MANY
GIVE ME ALL YOUR LOVIN'
ROLL, ROLL, ROLL
CHERRY PINK AND APPLE BLOSSOM WHITE
I HEAR YOU KNOCKING
TIP ON IN
I'M SORRY
MATHILDA
TELL ME WHY
IN ORBIT
T-BIRD RHYTHM
CAN'T TEAR IT UP ENUFF
HOW DO YOU SPELL LOVE?
YOU'RE HUMBUGGIN' ME
MY BABE
NEIGHBOR TEND TO YOUR BUSINESS
THE MONKEY
DIDDY WAH DIDDY
LOVER'S CRIME
POOR BOY
TELL ME (PRETTY BABY)
GOTTA HAVE SOME / JUST GOT SOME
TUFF ENUFF
TUFF ENUFF
TELL ME
LOOK AT THAT, LOOK AT THAT
TWO TIME MY LOVIN’
AMNESIA
WRAP IT UP
TRUE LOVE
WHY GET UP
I DON’TCARE
DOWN AT ANTONES
HOT NUMBER
STAND BACK
HOT NUMBER
WASTED YEARS
IT COME TOME NATURALLY
LOVE IN COMMON
HOW DO YOU SPELL LOVE
STREETS OFGOLD
SOFA CIRCUIT
DON’T BOTHER TRYIN’ TO STEAL HER LOVE
IT TAKES A BIG MAN TO CRY
POWERFUL STUFF
ROCK THIS PLACE
KNOCK YOURSELF OUT
MISTAKE NUMBER 1
ONE NIGHT STAND
EMERGENCY
POWERFUL STUFF
CLOSE TOGETHER
NOW LOOSEN UP BABY
SHE’S HOT
RAININ’ IN MY HEART
Release date 7th November 2025.
The Fabulous Thunderbirds is a band that has seen many changes of personnel over the years since its formation in Austin, Texas in the 1970s. Yet the impact they made at the outset - fronted by the electrifying duo of Jimmie Vaughan and Kim Wilson, set the stage for enduring success, both for the T-Birds and for Vaughan over the last five decades. This anthology focusses on those early years and brings together their studio recordings made for album releases during the period when the band included Jimmie and Kim.
It begins by featuring thirteen unreleased cuts produced by Doc Pomus and Joel Dorn from sessions the band did for them in 1978. The pair hoped to get interest in the album from major record labels but despite getting Atlantic Records boss Ahmet Ertegun to see the band perform in New York, there were no takers. The tapes disappeared into legend and it wasn’t until 2019 that thanks to Will Bratton, some severely water-damaged originals were located and lovingly restored. The selection of tracks that are included here were chosen by Doc and Joel at the time from the twenty-eight songs they recorded over the course of those few days. They thought it would make a great album. They were right, but everyone else missed it.
Running at over five hours of music on four CDs, this compilation follows their career through all the subsequent releases on Takoma Records, Chrysalis and Epic until Jimmie left the band to pursue his solo career in 1989, - a total of eight albums: The Doc Pomus Sessions 1978; The Fabulous Thunderbirds (Girls Go Wild); What’s The Word?; Butt Rockin’; T-Bird Rhythm; Tuff Enuff; Hot Number; Powerful Stuff.
The accompanying book is annotated by Bill Bentley who witnessed the band’s emergence and rise to fame. It is crammed full of photos and images which, combined with Bill’s notes, brings to life the story of this band in their heyday.
It is the only collection of its kind and provides irrefutable evidence of the band’s vital role in the preservation and transition of the blues.
It is in the form of a 12” hardback, fully illustrated book with four discs containing all the recordings in chronological order and features a collection of rare photos with a history of the band written by Bill Bentley. It is the first time that this hugely influential body of work has been assembled in one collection.
The box set will not be available as a digital compilation but 12” (blue) vinyl releases of all the individual records are planned for 2026.
Exclusive pre-order offer bundle includes a T-shirts and sew-on patch and can be found in our Shop.
Tracklisting below:
THE DOC POMUS RECORDINGS 1978
DIRTY WORK IS GOING ON
THE THINGS I USED TO DO
I SEARCHED ALL OVER
I CAN'T QUIT YOU BABY
I GOT EYES
THIS SHOULD GO ON FOREVER
SHE'S TUFF
SCRATCH MY BACK
SHE'S MY BABY
BABY PLEASE DON'T LIE TO ME
SNAKE HIPS
UNNAMED INSTRUMENTAL
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
GIRLS GO WILD
WAIT ON TIME
SCRATCH MY BACK
RICH WOMAN
FULL-TIME LOVER
POCKET ROCKET
SHE'S TUFF
MARKED DECK
WALKIN' TO MY BABY
ROCK WITH ME
C-BOY'S BLUES
LET ME IN
WHAT’S THE WORD
RUNNIN' SHOES
YOU AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT FINE
LOW-DOWN WOMAN
EXTRA JIMMIES
SUGAR COATED LOVE
LAST CALL FOR ALCOHOL
THE CRAWL
JUMPIN' BAD
LEARN TO TREAT ME RIGHT
I'M A GOOD MAN (IF YOU GIVE ME A CHANCE)
DIRTY WORK
THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT STUFF
BUTTROCKIN’
I BELIEVE I'M IN LOVE
ONE'S TOO MANY
GIVE ME ALL YOUR LOVIN'
ROLL, ROLL, ROLL
CHERRY PINK AND APPLE BLOSSOM WHITE
I HEAR YOU KNOCKING
TIP ON IN
I'M SORRY
MATHILDA
TELL ME WHY
IN ORBIT
T-BIRD RHYTHM
CAN'T TEAR IT UP ENUFF
HOW DO YOU SPELL LOVE?
YOU'RE HUMBUGGIN' ME
MY BABE
NEIGHBOR TEND TO YOUR BUSINESS
THE MONKEY
DIDDY WAH DIDDY
LOVER'S CRIME
POOR BOY
TELL ME (PRETTY BABY)
GOTTA HAVE SOME / JUST GOT SOME
TUFF ENUFF
TUFF ENUFF
TELL ME
LOOK AT THAT, LOOK AT THAT
TWO TIME MY LOVIN’
AMNESIA
WRAP IT UP
TRUE LOVE
WHY GET UP
I DON’TCARE
DOWN AT ANTONES
HOT NUMBER
STAND BACK
HOT NUMBER
WASTED YEARS
IT COME TOME NATURALLY
LOVE IN COMMON
HOW DO YOU SPELL LOVE
STREETS OFGOLD
SOFA CIRCUIT
DON’T BOTHER TRYIN’ TO STEAL HER LOVE
IT TAKES A BIG MAN TO CRY
POWERFUL STUFF
ROCK THIS PLACE
KNOCK YOURSELF OUT
MISTAKE NUMBER 1
ONE NIGHT STAND
EMERGENCY
POWERFUL STUFF
CLOSE TOGETHER
NOW LOOSEN UP BABY
SHE’S HOT
RAININ’ IN MY HEART
Available in:
CD
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