Ironically enough, these showed up in my mailbox on the day Dusty succumbed to breast cancer. Certainly one of the best pop/soul singers of the past 30 years, she has remained criminally underexposed.

You may know the Dusty In Memphis album – a classic from ’69 that features production by the likes of Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, and the Memphis Cats as the band. It was one of my favorite albums when I was in high school, but the 14 bonus tracks added here to the original are amazing. Simply put, this is as good a bargain as you’ll find this year. From the hit “Son of a Preacher Man” to the soul of “Just a Little Lovin'” to the brilliance of “The Windmills of Your Mind,” this album is as good as it gets.

The Dusty In London album, while not as strong, is still an amazing set of music. From soul to rock to Bacharach-style balladeering and much more without missing a beat. A lot of these cuts have not been released in the U.S. before and here’s a chance to get your hands on them. You won’t be disappointed.

Get these and the three-disc box set from Mercury, and spend a few days with them. You’ll be convinced she was one of the best of her era.