While not the first to use the pedal steel guitar, Isaacs is credited as the man who brought the new sound to the ears of Country music listeners everywhere, in the process inspiring future pedal steel legends as Buddy Emmons and Ralph Mooney. On March 26, 1928, in the small Indiana town of Bedford, Cecil and Iva Isaacs welcomed their son Forrest Ray �Bud� Isaacs.  Bedford�s location, nestled in the Ohio Valley, allowed the Isaacs� to tune in Barn Dances from Chicago (National Barn Dance, WLS), Nashville (The Grand Ole Opry, WSM) and Cincinnati (Midwestern Hayride, WLW) and Isaacs� Mother encouraged him to take up the steel guitar. After eventually equipping his guitar with pedals, Isaacs knew his next step to fame would be to play the pinnacle of hillbilly entertainment, The Grand Ole Opry.  At age fourteen, he hopped a train from Bedford to Louisville, KY, then on to Nashville.  In the early days of the Opry, and indeed most radio barn dances, open auditions were held daily and if one desired to appear on the show, they had only to show up and do their best.  Isaacs did just that and Opry founder, the Solemn Ole Judge George D. Hay, liked what he heard and arranged for Isaacs to have a spot on the show playing in the band of one of the Oprys� most popular stars Pee Wee King.  Almost as an aside, Hay tossed out the question, �How old are you anyway?�  Without thinking, Isaacs answered truthfully, �14.�  At this Hay told Isaacs to return home and when he became old enough, he would be welcomed back to the Opry and given a spot. Disappointed, but not defeated, Isaacs made his way back to Bedford where he played local dances until, at age sixteen when he was given the opportunity to travel to San Antonio, TX to play.  Homesick, Isaacs returned to Bedford after just six months, but he continued to play locally. Isaacs fascinating journey takes him at that point to a more regional fame at Indianapolis� WIBC, before moving to barn dances in Michigan and then to Cincinnati, the site of his inspiration to take up his instrument.  While in Cincinnati Isaacs began to do session work with the locally based King Records.  His session work and ability to be a reliable sideman on the road lead Isaacs back to Nashville where he appeared on records with Hank Williams, Red Foley, Patsy Cline and others.  He would eventually leave the Opry for the Ozark Jubilee in Missouri as a member of Red Foley�s band.  During his time in Nashville, one of his best friends was influential guitarist/producer Chet Atkins, appearing on Atkins� first album A Session with Chet Atkins.  With Atkins encouraging both sides of the deal, Isaacs signed a recording contract with RCA Victor. The new Bear Family release Bud�s Bounce reissues Isaacs long out of print solo session work and a few rarities.  The album starts with the 1954 recording of �Hot Mockin� Bird,� which is most often played by fiddlers as a showcase for their prowess.  Using the pedal steel, Isaacs does the same here.  Of the 25 selections on this reissue, five are previously unreleased while the remaining twenty were originally released on 78 or 45 format in the years 1954-1956.  The album ends with perhaps Isaacs� most enduring legacy (aside from �Slowly�), the pedal steel showcase of the albums namesake, �Bud�s Bounce.�  Steel guitarists to this day use the song to showcase their skill on the instrument. Country Music historian and Grand Ole Opry announcer Eddie Stubbs contributes extraordinary liner notes to the project, including quotes from his interviews with Isaacs himself.  Also included in the liner notes is a painstakingly researched discography of the tracks on the album which was contributed by producer Richard Weize. Bud Isaacs is one the many Nashville sidemen whose contributions to Country music risk tragically fading into obscurity.  Bear Family does a great service in bringing together collections such as this and I hope they continue it for many years to come.