Label: Document Records
Release Date: February 15, 1995
Recording Time: 72 minutes
Recording Date: April 23, 1929 - April, 1936
Styles: Acoustic Chicago Blues, Classic Female Blues, Piano Blues, Regional Blues, Chicago Blues, Dirty Blues
All of the recordings by the good-time blues singer Lil Johnson have been reissued on three Document CDs. Virtually nothing is known about Johnson outside of the recordings that she made. Vol. 1 starts off with five numbers from 1929, in which she is backed by either Montana Taylor or Charles Avery on piano (with Tampa Red sitting in on "House Rent Scuffle"). Otherwise all of this music is from 1935-36, with Johnson usually accompanied by pianist Black Bob and various bassists, plus, on two numbers, guitarist Big Bill Broonzy. Her best-known number, "Get 'Em From the Peanut Man (Hot Nuts)," is here (in three different versions), along with such other rollicking tunes as "Anybody Want to Buy My Cabbage," "If You Can Dish It (I Can Take It)," "Press My Button (Ring My Bell)," and "Sam the Hot Dog Man." Fun music.
by Scott Yanow
Personnel: Lil Johnson (vocals); Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy (guitar); Dot Rice, Montana Taylor, Charles Avery (piano); Bill Settles (upright bass).
Liner Note Author: Howard Rye.
Liner Note Author: Howard Rye.
Audio Remasterer: Gerhard Wessely.
Recording information: 04/23/1929-04/??/1936.
Credits: Charles Avery - piano; Big Bill Broonzy - guitar; Clifton Chenier - composer; Mississippi John Hurt - composer; Lil Johnson - composer, primary artist, vocals; Johnny Parth - producer; Dot Rice - piano; Howard Rye - liner notes; Bill Settles - bass, bass (upright); Tampa Red - guitar; Montana Taylor - piano; Gerhard Wessely - remastering; James Wiggins - composer.
Tracks: 1) Minor Blues; 2) Never Let Your Left Hand Know What Your Right Hand's Doin'; 3) You'll Never Miss Your Jelly Till Your Jelly Roller's Gone; 4) House Rent Scuffle; 5) Rock That Thing; 6) Get 'Em from the Peanut Man (The New Hot Nuts); 7) Anybody Want to Buy My Cabbage?; 8) Shake Man Blues; 9) Evil Man Blues; 10) Keep on Knocking; 11) I Lost My Baby; 12) If You Can Dish It (I Can Take It); 13) I'm Bettin' on You; 14) Press My Button (Ring My Bell); 15) Take It Easy Greasy; 16) You Can't Bet on Love; 17) That Bonus Done Gone Thru; 18) That Bonus Done Gone Thru; 19) Winner Joe (The Knock-Out King); 20) Get 'Em from the Peanut Man (The New Hot Nuts); 21) Get 'Em from the Peanut Man (The New Hot Nuts); 22) Sam-The Hot Dog Man; 23) Rug Cutter's Function; 24) Honey You're So Good to Me.