Label: Century Media, Story of the Blues
Release Date: September 1, 1992
Release Date: September 1, 1992
Releases: 1992 - Story of the Blues; 1994 - Century Media
Recording Date: 1929 - 1956
Recording Time: 61 minutes
Styles: Country Blues, Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Memphis Blues, Acoustic Texas Blues, Blues Gospel, Delta Blues, Gospel, Regional Blues, Texas Blues, Traditional Gospel.
Styles: Country Blues, Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Memphis Blues, Acoustic Texas Blues, Blues Gospel, Delta Blues, Gospel, Regional Blues, Texas Blues, Traditional Gospel.
Anyone interested in a survey of early blues will be thrilled with having any of these three historical volumes, suited to both novice and connoisseur alike. Each provides a dazzling, panoramic survey of artists both famous and obscure and covers every region known to have nurtured the music. Volume 2 features Skip James's "Devil Got My Woman," and Robert Johnson's "Preaching' Blues," and Kokomo Arnold's "Paddlin' Madeline Blues." From Texas Alexander there is a version of "Levee Camp Moan Blues" which is made timeless by the incomparable guitar of Lonnie Johnson. Great instrumentals like Palmer McAbee's "Railroad Piece" and the Dallas String Band's "Dallas Rag" add spice, and there are also first-rate entries by more obscure giants like King Solomon Hill, George "Bullet" Williams, "Hi" Henry Brown, and Blind Joe Taggart.
by Larry Hoffman
Credits: Garfield Akers - guitar, vocals; Texas Alexander - accordion, vocals; Kokomo Arnold - guitar, vocals; Baby Face Leroy - band, primary artist; Kid Bailey - composer, guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Cliff Bivens - bass, vocals; Tewee Blackman - guitar; Scrapper Blackwell - guitar; Blind Blake - guitar, speech/speaker/speaking part; Willie Borum - guitar; Ishman Bracey - guitar, vocals; Big Bill Broonzy - composer, guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Richard Rabbit Brown - guitar, vocals; Willie Brown - guitar, vocals; Charlie Burse - guitar; Joe Calicott - guitar; Cannon's Jug Stompers - band; Gus Cannon - banjo; Leroy Carr - composer, performer, piano, primary artist, vocals; Smith Casey - guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Jaybird Coleman - harmonica, vocals; Sam Collins - guitar, vocals; Dallas String Band - band; Willie Dixon - bass; Blind Mamie Forehand - cymbals, vocals; Leroy Foster - drums, vocals; Lowell Fulson - composer, guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Martin Fulson - guitar; Georgia Cotton Pickers - guitar, primary artist, vocals; Bob Grant - guitar, vocals; Blind Roosevelt Graves - guitar; Roosevelt Graves and Brother - vocals; Uaroy Graves - tambourine; Lane Hardin - composer, guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Pete Harris - guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Sam Harris - guitar; Walter Hawkins - guitar, vocals; Bob "Barbecue Bob" Hicks - guitar, vocals; King Solomon Hill - guitar, vocals; Andrew "Smokey" Hogg - guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Winston Holmes - vocals; Lightnin' Hopkins - guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Son House - guitar, vocals; Howlin' Wolf - composer, harmonica, performer, primary artist, vocals; Mississippi John Hurt - guitar, vocals; Elmore James - composer, guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Jesse James - performer, piano, primary artist, vocals; Skip James - guitar, vocals; Blind Lemon Jefferson - guitar, vocals; Gitfiddle Jim - guitar, vocals; Blind Willie Johnson - guitar, speech/speaker/speaking part; K.D. Johnson - piano; Lonnie Johnson - guitar; Odie Johnson - bass; Robert Johnson - composer, guitar, vocals; Tommy Johnson - guitar, vocals; William Johnson - guitar; Coley Jones - mandolin; Jab Jones - jug; Charley Jordan - guitar; Hosea Lee Kennard - piano; Lottie Kimbrough - vocals; Furry Lewis - guitar, vocals; Noah Lewis - harmonica; Little Walter - harmonica, vocals; Palmer McAbee - harmonica; Kansas Joe McCoy - guitar; Blind Willie McTell - guitar, vocals; Memphis Jug Band - band; Memphis Minnie - guitar, vocals; McKinley Morganfield - composer; Buddy Moss - harmonica; Frock O'Dell - drums; Paul Oliver - liner notes, photography; Johnny Parth - compilation producer, composer, producer, selection; Charley Patton - guitar, vocals; Earl Phillips - drums; George Washington Phillips - dulcimer, vocals; Dan Pickett - guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Miles Pruitt - guitar; Ben Ramey - drums; Blind Willie Reynolds - guitar, vocals; Dan Sane - guitar; Will Shade - harmonica; Allan Shaw - guitar, vocals; Allen Shaw - composer, performer, primary artist; Versey Smith - drums; William Smith - vocals; Charlie Spand - piano; Frank Stokes - guitar, vocals; Bozie Sturdivant - performer, primary artist, vocals; Hubert Sumlin - guitar; Blind Joe Taggart - guitar, vocals; Henry Thomas - guitar, pipe, reeds (multiple), vocals; Ashley Thompson - guitar, vocals; Bessie Tucker - accordion, vocals; Marco Washington - bass; Muddy Waters - composer, guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Curley Weaver - guitar, vocals; Bukka White - composer, guitar, performer, primary artist, vocals; Hank Williams - composer; Sonny Boy Williamson II - composer, performer, primary artist; Sonny Boy Williamson I - harmonica, performer.
Tracks: 1) Shorty George - Smith Casey; 2) Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down - Bozie Sturdivant; 3) I Be's Troubled - Muddy Waters; 4) How You Want It Done? - Big Bill Broonzy; 5) She's Coming Back Some Cold Rainy Day - Georgia Cotton Pickers; 6) Sic 'Em Dogs On - Bukka White; 7) California Desert Blues - Lane Hardin; 8) Lonesome Day Blues - Jesse James; 9) Moanin' the Blues - Allen Shaw; 10) Midnight Hour Blues - Leroy Carr; 11) Jack O'Diamonds - Pete Harris; 12) Dust My Broom - Elmore James; 13) Rowdy Blues - Kid Bailey; 14) Rollin' and Tumblin', Pt. 1 - Baby Face Leroy; 15) Penitentiary Blues, Pt. 1-2 - Andrew "Smokey" Hogg; 16) Baby How Long - Dan Pickett; 17) Mighty Long Time - Sonny Boy Williamson II; 18) River Blues, Pt. 2 - Lowell Fulson; 19) Smokestack Lightning - Howlin' Wolf; 20) Moanin' Blues - Lightnin' Hopkins.