During the early '50s, while Bill Monroe and Flatt and Scruggs slugged it out atop the bluegrass mountain, brothers Jim and Jesse McReynolds quietly established themselves as one of the genre's finest and most durable outfits. Early on, the duo established a successful sound centred on their letter-perfect harmony singing, winningly melodic songwriting, and Jesse's unmistakable cross-picking mandolin style. Their earliest recordings--anthologised on 1952-1955--reveal just how fully developed the group's sound was by the time they gained public attention. Not that the group's rise was either easy or inevitable. After trudging away on small-time radio programs for years, Jim & Jesse caught their big break signing with Capitol Records in 1952. Soon after, however, Jesse was drafted to serve in the Korean War, putting the act's nascent recording career on a two-year hiatus. 1952-1955 includes five early Capitol sessions, including a pre-induction marathon that ensured Jim & Jesse releases during Jesse's military run. Despite these setbacks, quality ultimately won out: Jesse came home and the group resumed a 40+ year career that justly earned them legendary status. To find out why audiences eagerly awaited Jesse's return, check out 1952-1955.