"The Best of the Vetco Years," released in 2008 on Rebel Records (REB-CD 7519), compiles 15 tracks from Dave Evans & River Bend's recordings for Vetco Records — the Cincinnati, Ohio bluegrass label founded by Lou Ukelson around 1968 and operated out of the Jimmie Skinner Music Center on Vine Street, the premier regional label for the Cincinnati-Dayton corridor. Personnel from the Vetco-era sessions includes Art Wydner, Danny Cade, and Terry Johnson — the core of Evans's River Bend band at the time. Assembled by producer David Freeman, the compilation salvages Evans's finest early work from regional obscurity; standout tracks include his signature "99 Years Is Almost for Life" and "Highway 52," documenting Evans at his most raw and traditional before he had national Rebel distribution.
Tracklist
- 1 Highway 52 2:59
- 2 99 Years Is Almost For Life 4:11
- 3 Legend Of The Johnson Boys 3:06
- 4 Train that Carried My Girl From Town alt version 3:45
- 5 Soldier's Return 2:34
- 6 Barbara Allen 4:59
- 7 When The Snow Falls On My Foggy Mountain Home 2:56
- 8 White House Blues alt version 2:12
- 9 Short Life of Trouble alt version 2:21
- 10 Carry Me Back To The Bluegrass 2:15
- 11 Sweeter Than The Flowers 3:29
- 12 Call Me On Home Too 2:35
- 13 Dark as the Night Blue as the Day alt version Dave Evans and River Bend 2:38
- 14 From Life's Other Side 5:22
- 15 Sun’s Gonna Shine in My Back Door Someday alt version 2:19