Classic Blues from Smithsonian Folkways

by N/A

Overview

Starting in the 1940s, Folkways made significant blues recordings, particularly of important artists who might not have had the easiest time getting or keeping contracts with more commercial labels, but still had something to say artistically. This 26-track compilation assembles material recorded between the 1940s and 1990s that showed up on various Folkways releases. Unfortunately, the liner notes don't name the exact dates of all the recordings, but certainly the substantial majority of them predate 1970. These recordings were targeted toward a somewhat scholarly folk revival audience, and some might find them a little folky and gentle. Electric instruments barely appear at all (with the notable exception of the early Chambers Brothers cut "Oh Baby, You Don't Have to Go"), and there's little that's as rough as the average prewar Delta blues track. Yet overall, it's a good compilation of many major and minor mid-20th century blues performers and styles. The bigger names include Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee (whose "Old Jabo," with drums, almost verges on Bo Diddley-styled rock & roll), Reverend Gary Davis (represented by a 1957 version of his famous "Candy Man"), Big Bill Broonzy, Memphis Slim and Willie Dixon (performing together), Lightnin' Hopkins, Leadbelly, Roosevelt Sykes, Son House, Champion Jack Dupree, Elizabeth Cotten, Lonnie Johnson, and Josh White. While acoustic guitar blues (including a field recording of K.C. Douglas' "Mercury Blues," later covered by Steve Miller) gets a fair amount of airtime, so do boogie piano, a cappella singing (Vera Hall), and some actual Delta blues (Son House, from a 1942 field recording). ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	02/25/2003
Label:	Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
UPC:	0093074013427
Rank:	36395

Tracks

1. Old Jabo  - Brownie McGhee  - Sonny Terry  -  Terry
2. Mule-Ridin' Blues  - Big Bill Broonzy
3. Joggie Boogie  - Peter Chatman  - Willie Dixon  -  Memphis Slim
4. Black Woman  - Vera Hall  - Ruby Tartt
5. Mercury Blues  - K.C. Douglas  - Robert Geddins
6. Ran the Blues Out of My Window  - Roosevelt Sykes
7. Leaving Blues  -  Lead Belly  - Huddie Ledbetter  - Alan Lomax
8. One Dime Blues  - Etta Baker  - Blind Lemon Jefferson
9. County Farm Blues  - Son House
10. Clog Dance (Stomping Blues)  - Champion Jack Dupree
11. Boll Weevil  -  Traditional  - Pink Anderson
12. Nickel's Worth of Liver  - Edith North Johnson
13. Don't Leave Me Here  - Big Joe Williams
14. Jimmy Bell  - William Carradine  -  Cat Iron
15. Candy Man  - Gary Davis
16. Beer Drinking Woman  - Peter Chatman  - Willie Dixon  -  Memphis Slim
17. Come Go Home With Me  - Sam Hopkins  - Lightnin' Hopkins
18. Careless Love  - W.C. Handy  - Martha E. Koenig  - Spencer Williams  - Josh White
19. I Asked Her If She Loved Me  - Henry Townsend
20. Rising Sun  - Brownie McGhee  -  Terry
21. Pony Blues  - Charley Patton  - David "Honeyboy" Edwards
22. Vicksburg Blues  - Eurreal Montgomery  - Little Brother Montgomery
23. Vastapol  - Elizabeth Cotten
24. Drifting Along Blues  - Lonnie Johnson
25. Oh Baby, You Don't Have to Go  -  Chambers Brothers  - Jimmy Reed
26. Don't Lie Buddy  -  Lead Belly

Album Credits

Performance Credits

David "Honeyboy" Edwards   Primary Artist
Josh White   Primary Artist
Lightnin' Hopkins   Primary Artist
Rev. Gary Davis   Primary Artist
Pink Anderson   Primary Artist
Little Brother Montgomery   Primary Artist
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee   Primary Artist
Lonnie Johnson   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Henry Townsend   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Memphis Slim   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
Brownie McGhee   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Son House   Primary Artist
Big Bill Broonzy   Primary Artist
Elizabeth Cotten   Primary Artist
Cat Iron   Primary Artist
Etta Baker   Primary Artist
K.C. Douglas   Primary Artist
Roosevelt Sykes   Primary Artist
Vera Hall   Primary Artist
Champion Jack Dupree   Primary Artist,Piano
Lead Belly   Primary Artist,Choir/Chorus,Guitar (12 String)
Big Joe Williams   Primary Artist
The Chambers Brothers   Primary Artist
Willie Dixon   Primary Artist
Edith North Johnson   Primary Artist,Vocals
Sonny Terry   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica
Blind John Davis   Piano
Gene Moore   Drums
Lester Chambers   Vocals
Nora Lee King   Shouts
Tommy Bankhead   Guitar
George Chambers   Bass
Willie Dixon Band   Bass
Willie Chambers   Guitar
Brian Keenan   Drums
Coyall McMahan   Maracas

Technical Credits

Ruby Tartt   Composer
William Carradine   Composer
Spencer Williams   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Blind Lemon Jefferson   Composer
Big Joe Williams   Composer
Jimmy Reed   Composer
Lead Belly   Commentary
Charley Patton   Composer
W.C. Handy   Composer
Etta Baker   Composer
Sam Hopkins   Composer
Vera Hall   Composer
Pete Reiniger   Mastering
Huddie Ledbetter   Composer
Roosevelt Sykes   Composer
Peter Chatman   Composer
K.C. Douglas   Composer
Ronnie Simpkins   Audio Supervisor
Barry Lee Pearson   Annotation
Robert Geddins   Composer
Rev. Gary Davis   Arranger,Composer
Alan Lomax   Composer
Brownie McGhee   Composer
Dan Sheehy   Production Supervisor
Henry Townsend   Composer
Big Bill Broonzy   Composer
D.A. Sonneborn   Production Supervisor
Eurreal Montgomery   Composer
Russ Lee   Photography
Jeff Place   Archival Assistant
Martha E. Koenig   Composer
Jacob Love   Editorial Assistant
Mary Monseur   Production Coordination
Carla Borden   Editing
Marion Post Wolcott   Photography
Edith North Johnson   Composer