Just for Openers is the third live album by Judy Garland, released on April 6, 1964, by Capitol Records, compiling selections from her performances on The Judy Garland Show, her television series that aired during the 1963–64 season. This album marks the only official release of material from the show at the time, with Garland performing a mixture of standards, show tunes, and traditional pop, such as "Fly Me to the Moon" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic". The original release included both mono and a simulated stereo version (Capitol's "Duophonic" process) to appeal to various playback systems popular at the time.
The album's producer, Kermit Walter, arranged for a selection of songs that highlighted Garland's vocal versatility and stage presence, despite her show being canceled after one season. While the album was popular among her fans, it remained out of print for years. Later releases, including an abridged 1980 version and other compilations, have since made more of her TV recordings available in higher fidelity.
Over the years, recordings from The Judy Garland Show have appeared on various unofficial or "bootleg" albums and CDs, some reportedly produced by Garland's ex-husband, Sid Luft. These bootleg releases often suffered from low audio quality or were heavily altered with electronic enhancements. Capitol Records did not release any official compilation of songs from the series until 1989, when selected tracks were included on the CD Judy Garland Live!. In 2001, a more comprehensive collection of recordings from The Judy Garland Show was issued under the title The Show That Got Away, offering fans higher-quality versions of songs from the show.[1][2]
