...First Came Memphis Minnie

by N/A

Overview

This set has been announced as Maria Muldaur's 40th album, which it is, since she conceived of it and produced it, but it's actually a tribute to the guitar-playing blues great Memphis Minnie, and several of the tracks that Muldaur sings on here have been previously released, including previously released tracks of Memphis Minnie songs that Muldaur cut with Alvin Youngblood Hart, Del Rey, Roy Rogers, and Steve James. There are also classic tracks from Phoebe Snow and Koko Taylor included, again previously released, along with new recordings for this tribute done by Bonnie Raitt, Rory Block, and Ruthie Foster. So, it's not like this is a new Maria Muldaur album, but then it's Muldaur's baby, a loving tribute to a one-of-a-kind blues artist. Muldaur has been singing Memphis Minnie songs (and Minnie wrote or adapted over 200 songs throughout her career, which lasted from the 1920s until the mid-'50s) since her career began in the 1960s, including Muldaur's signature take on "Tricks Ain't Walkin'" (the song was actually written by Lucille Bogan, but Minnie made it her own, as she did everything she touched), included here in a version with Del Rey and Dave Earl helping out on guitar and mandolin, respectively. There's nothing fancy here -- the productions are sparse and appropriate, and even though tracks came from different sources and directions, they all fall together into a nice flow. ~ Steve Leggett

Product Details

Release Date:	10/09/2012
Label:	Stony Plain
UPC:	0772532135825

Tracks

1. Me and My Chauffeur Blues  - Ernest Lawler  - Maria Muldaur  - Roy Rogers  - Roly Salley
2. Ain't Nothin' in Ranblin'  - Steve Freund  - Minnie Lawlers  - Kansas Joe McCoy  - Bonnie Raitt
3. I'm Goin' Back Home  - Alvin Youngblood Hart  - Minnie Lawlers  - Maria Muldaur
4. I'm Sailin'  - Steve James  - Minnie Lawlers  - Maria Muldaur  - Del Rey  - Roly Salley
5. When You Love Me  - Rory Block  - Ernest Lawler  - Minnie Lawlers
6. Long as I Can See You Smile  - Steve James  - Minnie Lawlers  - Maria Muldaur  - Del Rey
7. Lookin' the World Over  - Minnie Lawlers  - Maria Muldaur  - Del Rey
8. In My Girlish Days  - David Bromberg  - Ernest Lawler  - Phoebe Snow
9. She Put Me Outdoors  - Dave Earl  - Alvin Youngblood Hart  - Minnie Lawlers  - Maria Muldaur
10. Keep Your Big Mouth Closed  - Samantha Banks  - Ruthie Foster  - Steve Freund  - Minnie Lawlers  - Tanya Richardson
11. Tricks Ain't Walkin'  - Lucille Bogan  - Dave Earl  - Maria Muldaur  - Del Rey
12. Crazy Cryin' Blues  - Steve James  - Minnie Lawlers  - Maria Muldaur  - Del Rey
13. Black Rat Swing  -  Brother John Kattke  - Criss Johnson  - Ernest Lawler  - Bob Margolin  - Jimmy Sutton  - Koko Taylor  -  Willie 'The Touch' Hayes

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Steve James   Primary Artist,Guitar,Mandolin
Rory Block   Primary Artist,Slide Guitar,Vocals,Guitar
Bonnie Raitt   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Alvin Youngblood Hart   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Roy Rogers   Primary Artist,Primary Artist,Guitar
Phoebe Snow   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Steve Freund   Primary Artist,Guitar
Roly Salley   Primary Artist,Bass
Maria Muldaur   Primary Artist,Vocals
Ruthie Foster   Primary Artist,Vocals
Koko Taylor   Primary Artist,Vocals
Del Rey   Primary Artist,Guitar
David Bromberg   Mandolin,Guitar
Tanya Richardson   Bass
Criss Johnson   Guitar
Brother John Kattke   Piano
Samantha Banks   Percussion
Jimmy Sutton   Bass (Upright)
Dave Earl   Mandolin
Willie 'The Touch' Hayes   Drums
Bob Margolin   Slide Guitar

Technical Credits

Holger Petersen   Executive Producer
Maria Muldaur   Producer,Liner Notes
Kansas Joe McCoy   Composer
John Jacob   Engineer,Remixing,Mastering
Minnie Lawlers   Composer
Michael Herman   Liner Notes
Lucille Bogan   Composer
Steve Kagan   Photography
Megan Acio   Design
Ernest Lawler   Composer
Jan McCormick   Production Assistant
Jenny Sampson   Photography
Jeri Marlowe   Cover Design
Ken Friedman   Photography
Del Rey   Liner Notes
Sam Fiskin   Engineer